Postcard

For other uses, see Postcard (disambiguation) and Postcards (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with POST card or Postal card.
Example of a court card, postmarked 1899, showing Robert Burns and his cottage and monument in Ayr
Postcard depicting people boarding a train at the Shawnee Depot in Colorado, late 1800s.
Postcard depicting people boarding a train at the Shawnee Depot in Colorado, late 1800s

A postcard or post card is a piece of thick paper or thin cardboard, typically rectangular, intended for writing and mailing without an envelope. Non-rectangular shapes may also be used but are rare.

In some places, one can send a postcard for a lower fee than a letter. Stamp collectors distinguish between postcards (which require a postage stamp) and postal cards (which have the postage pre-printed on them). While a postcard is usually printed and sold by a private company, individual or organization, a postal card is issued by the relevant postal authority (often with pre-printed postage).[1]

Production of postcards blossomed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.[2] As an easy and quick way for individuals to communicate, they became extremely popular.[2] The study and collecting of postcards is termed deltiology (from Greek deltion, small writing tablet, and the also Greek -logy, the study of).[1]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b "Postcard History | Smithsonian Institution Archives". 2018-11-23. Archived from the original on 2018-11-23. Retrieved 2020-04-01.