What to do with old postcards

First, find out what you have

The answer to "what should I do with these" depends entirely on what they are. Spend a few minutes looking, without taking anything out of albums:

• Are some of them actual photographs? Smooth gray or sepia images, often with handwritten white captions, are real photo postcards, the most collected kind. See real photo postcards.
• Are there small towns, main streets, depots or people at work? Those are the views collectors look for.
• Are there holiday cards, especially Halloween? Early embossed holiday cards are collected too.
• How old do they look? Backs with no dividing line date before 1907. White borders suggest the 1910s and 1920s. Textured linen is the 1930s and 1940s. Glossy chrome is the 1950s onward. The dating guide has more.

If what you have is mostly glossy modern tourist cards, the value is modest. If it is old, and especially if it includes real photos, it deserves a proper look.

Option 1: Sell them

Selling makes sense for most collections, especially inherited ones. You can sell the whole collection to a buyer for one payment, or list the cards individually online yourself. The where to sell guide compares the routes, and the step-by-step guide shows how to prepare. If you want to know what the collection is worth before deciding anything, a quote is free.

Option 2: Donate local views

Historical societies, local libraries and museums sometimes welcome postcards of their own town or county, especially real photo views of buildings, businesses and events that no longer exist. Call ahead: not every institution can take postcards, and some only want local material. For a donation you plan to deduct, talk to a tax professional, and see postcard appraisals for documentation.

Option 3: Keep the collection together

Some families keep a postcard album as an heirloom, and that is a fine choice. If you keep it, keep all of it together, and store it properly: dry, away from sunlight, and out of attics and basements. The storage guide covers the details.

Option 4: Recycle, but only the right ones

Modern postcards, unused tourist cards from recent decades and damaged cards with no collectible value can go in paper recycling. Old postcards should not, at least not before someone knowledgeable has looked at them. Every year, real photo postcards and early holiday cards go out with the trash because they looked plain or dirty.

What not to do

• Do not split the collection among relatives or friends before you know what it is. The cards people pick by eye are rarely the valuable ones, and what is left loses value.
• Do not clean the cards. Dust and age toning are normal. Cleaning removes surface and color.
• Do not remove cards glued into albums.
• Do not throw away the plain gray photographs. They are often the best cards in the box.

Questions people ask

Are old postcards worth anything?

Some are worth a little, some a lot. See are old postcards worth anything for a quick way to tell.

What about the stamps?

Stamps on early postcards are almost always common one-cent issues, worth little on their own. Do not soak or cut them off; that destroys the card's value. See used vs unused postcards.

What about blank, unused old postcards?

They are collectible too, often in better condition than mailed cards. Treat them the same as the rest.

Can old postcards be recycled?

Most postcards are paper and can go in paper recycling, but glossy coatings and attached materials may not be accepted everywhere. Only recycle modern cards with no collectible value; let someone look at older ones first.

Are old postcards worth keeping for family history?

Often, yes. Messages written by relatives, views of places the family lived, and cards sent between family members can be meaningful. If the family decides to keep a collection, keep it together and store it well.

Can I use old postcards for crafts?

Modern, common cards are fine for crafts. Older cards, and especially real photographs, are better left intact; once cut or glued, they lose their value permanently.

Who should I ask if I am not sure what I have?

Anyone knowledgeable who will look at the whole collection. A buyer can give you a free opinion of value through a quote; a formal appraiser can give an independent valuation for a fee. Either is better than guessing.

Is it worth selling a small number of old postcards?

If they include real photographs or early holiday cards, yes. A handful of common printed views may not be worth the effort or postage, and an honest buyer will say so.

A ten-minute triage

If you only have a few minutes, this quick check sorts most boxes into the right pile:

1. Count roughly. Albums, shoeboxes or a few loose cards?
2. Look for photographs. Any smooth, gray or sepia real photos? Note how many.
3. Check a few backs. No dividing line, white borders or linen texture all point to older, more interesting cards.
4. Look for small towns, people and holidays. Any main streets, depots, workers, Halloween cards?
5. Check for damage. Water stains, mold or heavy creasing?

If steps 2 to 4 turned up anything, the collection is worth a proper look before any decision. If not, and the box is mostly glossy modern cards, you can make a decision quickly with a clear conscience.

Whichever way the triage comes out, write down what you found. A short note with a rough count, the kinds of cards and any photos you took makes every next step easier, whether that is a quote, a donation or a conversation with family.

Sources and further reading

• Library of Congress: care, handling and storage of works on paper
• Library of Congress: care, handling and storage of photographs

Ready to sell? Compare where to sell old postcards, or see how to sell old postcards step by step.