Postcards vs Cards

[Exhibitman]

Postcard collecting is at least as well entrenched as sports card collecting. In fact, Burdick wrote books on postcards. I have two of them. And there are postcard shows all over the place, still.

As for whether they are worth collecting, I guess it comes down to what you like, as noted above. I think some PCs are as nice as anything ever issued in a pack of gum. Additional reasons to like them are large format images and often postmarks and stamps that help authenticate them. And some of the messages written on them by their senders are hilarious.



They also make nice autograph vehicles, especially when they are postmarked with the approximate date of signature or are from businesses owned by the celebrity:




And you can't help but love the graphics:



There's also a nice, er, variety of subject matter available:

[bcbgcbrcb]

I think that once the major grading companies like SGC, Beckett & PSA started to grade them, popularity rose also.

[Ladder7]

Golly, She was smOkin.. Okay, Im off stadiums!

[tbob]

Originally Posted by bcbgcbrcb

I think that once the major grading companies like SGC, Beckett & PSA started to grade them, popularity rose also.

Absolutely. Once the grading started, the increase in popularity skyrocketed. I have a few postcards because they are beautiful but postcards and strip cards will never be a part of my collection.
To each his own...

[ksfarmboy]

I believe that postcard popularity is gaining momentum. I've especially seen it in the last couple of years. I like postcards over regular cards due to lower prices, limited numbers and in many cases better subject matter. I can't find any prewar cards from Kansas but there are many postcards from Kansas. The fun for me is finding a major leaguer before he made it to the bigs or while he was barnstorming here. I believe that prices will go up if you invest in the right ones just the same as with cards. Why someone would shun them is a personal choice but they sure are giving up a great opportunity at owning some really neat cards. I just posted a postcard I recently picked up with Jim Thorpe in it. If it wasn't a postcard I wouldn't be able to afford a Jim Thorpe baseball card from his playing days.

Whatever postcard that you are thinking of spending $3-5000 on must be one awesome postcard. Would like to see a picture of it if you get it.