Free quote
Tell me about your postcards
A few questions, a description in your own words, and photos if you can. Every form comes straight to me, I read each one myself, and I usually reply within two business days. Nothing ships until you say yes.
Photo tips
The four photos that help most
A phone camera is perfect. Daylight from a window works better than a flash, which washes out old photo paper.
Photo one
The whole collection
Everything together: the albums, the boxes, the stacks. It shows me the size of the lot at a glance.
Photo two
A few album pages, flat
Open two or three albums to random pages and shoot straight down. Random beats hand-picked.
Photo three
The cards you think are best
Spread out ten or so of your favorites. If some are real photographs, include those.
Photo four
A few backs
Turn over three or four cards. The back shows the era, the printer and the postmark.
How I arrive at the quote
I look at what's in the lot, roughly how many of each kind, and what condition they are in. Real photo postcards of identifiable small towns, occupations and transportation carry most of the value in most collections. Printed views, linens and chromes count too, at a lower rate.
The quote is one number for the whole collection, with a short note on what drove it. If I need to see more before I can be fair, I'll ask rather than guess low.
If you already have an offer from someone else, you're welcome to mention it. I won't ask you to reveal it, and I won't inflate a quote to win a collection and then lower it after the box arrives. The number I send is the number I expect to pay if the collection matches what you described.
Quotes for very small or very large collections sometimes take a little longer. For a few cards, I may simply tell you whether they are worth shipping at all. For tens of thousands, I may ask a few questions box by box. Either way, you'll hear from me, and you'll know where things stand.
After you send this
You'll see a receipt page with a reference number. I reply by email, usually within two business days.
If you accept my offer, I email a free insured shipping label. When the box arrives I check the cards and pay you within two business days, by PayPal, check, Zelle or Venmo. If my offer has to change after inspection and you'd rather not sell, I send everything back free.
If you change your mind at any point before you ship, simply let me know, or don't reply at all. There's no cost and no follow-up pressure. And if you decide later that you're ready, reply to my original email so I have your details and photos on hand.
Estimating how many cards you have
A rough number is all I need, and these shortcuts get you close:
- Albums: count the cards on one typical page, then multiply by the number of pages. Many older albums hold four to six cards per page, sometimes on both sides.
- Shoeboxes: a full shoebox of loose cards packed upright usually holds somewhere around eight hundred to a thousand.
- Dealer boxes: the long white boxes with dividers often hold one to two thousand cards each, depending on length and how tightly they are packed.
- A stack: an inch of postcards is roughly a hundred cards.
If you're between two choices on the form, pick the smaller one. A collection that turns out bigger than expected is always a pleasant surprise.
If the collection is large and spread across many boxes, it helps to tell me how many boxes there are and roughly what size they are, such as "eight shoeboxes and three albums" or "two file cabinet drawers, full". That, plus the photos, gives me a good sense of scale even before you count anything.
Your photos and details
What you send here's used only to look at your collection and reply to you. Photos are stored privately, not on a public web page, and they aren't shared with anyone. Any location data your phone attaches to a photo is removed when it arrives.
I don't add you to a mailing list, make sales calls, or pass your information to other buyers. If you decide not to sell, nothing further happens. The privacy page has the details.
Can I send photos later?
Yes. If you'd like to get the description in now and take photos when you have better light or more time, send the form without them. When my reply arrives, answer it with the photos attached. Most email services handle a dozen phone photos without trouble, and I'll add them to your file and finish the quote.
If your photos are very large and your email refuses them, send a few at a time, or reply and I'll suggest another way. There's no rush on my side.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need to sort or count the cards first?
- No. A rough estimate is fine: count one album page and multiply by the number of pages, or figure a full shoebox at around eight hundred to a thousand cards. Sorting and counting is my job.
- What if I have no idea what I have?
- That's a very common situation, and it's fine. Describe what you can see in plain words (albums or boxes, roughly how many, black and white photographs or colored prints) and add a few photos. I'll tell you what it is.
- Do I pay anything to get a quote or to ship?
- No. The quote is free, the shipping label is prepaid and insured, and if a revised offer after inspection doesn't suit you, the return shipping is on me too. You're never out of pocket for asking.
- How do I pack the postcards?
- Leave albums closed and cards in their sleeves or boxes. Stand loose cards upright in bundles held with paper bands, fill empty space with crumpled paper, bag them if rain is possible, and tape every seam. Then attach the label I send. The how it works page has more detail.
- What if I do not like the offer?
- Then you simply say no. Before anything ships, declining costs nothing. After the cards arrive, if what I find differs from the description and my offer changes, you can decline the revised offer and I ship everything back to you free, insured.
- How do you pay?
- By PayPal, Zelle, Venmo or check by mail, whichever you prefer. Payment goes out within two business days of the box being delivered to me, and I email you when it's sent.