Postcard writing......

[slidekellyslide]

I am also in the camp that prefer the card to have been postally used.

This is one of my favorites...it's actually written by the man pictured on the postcard (Dan Tobey) and sent to Honus Wagner's brother trying to get him to join the Nebraska Indians. The writing is on the front because at the time this card was sent it was still illegal to write anything other than the address on the reverse side of a postcard.

[Exhibitman]

What are folks opinions on postcards that have writing? Would you pay less for a Rose Company or Novelty Cutlery because it's been postally used?

I love vintage PCs with vintage writing and postmarks, especially if the PC is tied to an event and the writing reflects it. It adds a great deal of charm and authenticity to the piece. For example, I have a number of PCs from 1910 related to the Johnson-Jeffries heavyweight title fight that have postmarks from Reno around fight time that report observations about what was going on that week in Reno or at the fight. One I have from the Jeffries training camp that whines about the admission fee he was hitting up all visitors for. Another I have was used as a reply card for an autograph by Jake La Motta in the early 1950s.




And I haven't noticed an example as of yet, but are the grading companies just grading used postcards as AUTH or downgrading them in some fashion?

I guess they'd be fair at best.

[chris]

I have been more into postcards the past few years than anything else. While I do like unmarked postcards and would probably pay more for one due to most are marked in some way. I still prefer used postcards for my collection. Myself, like many of the people I show my postcards to, immediately turn the card over to read the reverse and look at the stamp. I personally really like dated postcards with the same postal stamp year date. I can't seem to find a 1909 Dietsche Cobb anywhere, used or unused, I've yet to see one but have been told they exist.

Chris