Are you not sure when you last found one in a store, mailed or received a postcard?
Most times, they ended up on the refrigerator with those little magnets that didn’t always work.
Nonetheless, I have always liked them. But I am not a deltiologist.
They may become a passive form of communication, but there remain benefits.
AI says, “People like postcards for a variety of reasons, primarily because they provide a tangible, personal, and intentional form of connection in an increasingly digital world.” That’s good enough for now.
Postcards have been intertwined with other stories.
I sent a postcard in this story to the late Canadian actor Donald Sutherland when he requested postcards with he was bestowed with his own honorary Canada Post stamp. And within the story, pics of Back Roads Bill’s annual Santa Claus postcard.
Early this summer, I discovered postcards at the Gogama Heritage Museum, depicting the wolf man.
Later, I found more postcards at the Ron Morel Memorial Museum in Kapuskasing within a story on small town museums. There, I sent a postcard to myself; I wanted to know about the timing disruptions during postal service interruptions due to labour unrest.
And during a pit stop at Nagagamisis Provincial Park south of Hearst, where they were giving them away free to park patrons. You can find Algonquin Provincial Park postcards here.
Postcards were once popular because they offered a cheap, quick, and easy way to send short, visual messages before the widespread use of telephones, the internet, and social media. The "Golden Age" of postcards peaked between roughly 1898 and 1918.
What about the popularity of postcards in more contemporary times?
Through Canada Post’s Media Relations, Phil Legault said, “Unfortunately, as we do not track postcard or specific letter mail volumes such as Christmas cards, we do not have any statistics or historical information on the matter.
“We do have some prepaid national postcards that sell everywhere (animals, Canadian flag, map of Canada) as well as specific regional postcards specific to cities/areas.”
Then he concluded, “Perhaps a postcard company might be able to better assist you.”
So that’s where I went next.
A short history of postcards
I discovered a postcard history book, A Guide Book of Collectible Postcards, online.
The guidebook covers the hobby from the earliest postcards of the 1870s to the modern chrome cards found on store racks today. I reached out to one of the co-authors.
Mary Martin is a prominent figure in the history of postcards as a third-generation dealer and expert. She is a deltiologist, a person who collects postcards as a hobby, but more than that.
She owns the largest postcard shop in the world. Her parents were prominent postcard collectors, instilling in Mary a passion for the hobby.
Then I learned about something I know very little about.
“For many, old postcards offer a glimpse into the past, the ability to learn about a time and place that might otherwise be out of reach,” she said. “For others, vintage postcards provide a way to stay connected with those near and far away. But they're much more than just old postcards; they share just a piece of history from a certain point in time.”
They buy vintage postcards of all kinds and provide estimates of their worth.
“We have acquired an unparalleled collection of vintage postcards through trade shows and other events in our field. Our passion for the postcard is what drives us to constantly seek out unique and beautiful cards that capture the essence of a bygone era.” Old postcards are worth money.
I then wanted to know about the availability of northern Ontario vintage postcards. Like the ones featured in this previous Village story about the history of Highway 11 North.
If you Google vintage northern Ontario postcards, there’s no shortage on eBay and the like. A good example is Dionne Quintuplets postcards, and from the first decade of the last century, postcards from real photos of mining sites (Cobalt silver rush of 1905, Timmins and Gowganda). Or here for northern Ontario ones.
You may find it difficult to find a contemporary postcard, but vintage ones, like all collectibles, have value beyond intrinsic value.
A postcard club
More research, go figure, there are postcard clubs, like coin and stamp collecting. Here’s one in Toronto. I had to find out about this.
Win Boyd is in charge of the Toronto Post Club’s (TPC) membership. He gave a bit of a primer on postcards.
He started out with, “Once upon a time, there was no technology, correct? Just some sort of mail service.”
There are reasons to be enthralled with postcards.
“Yes, the TPC is a collector’s association. Began in 1977 – the history of the Club is on our home page. Some of us come to deltiology from philately (stamp collectors), some from the photographic arts, some because of an interest in a historical time, place or topic and vintage postcards inform and illustrate that interest, some because of a genealogical connection, some are attracted to artistry.”
He said the TPC is the largest Canadian postcard club with about 250 members from coast to coast. There is still a fairly large USA group of deltiologists and postcard clubs. The heyday of North American postcard clubs was in the 70s.
“Postcards are fascinating artifacts and pieces of art providing what are often unique glimpses into over 100 years of Canadian and world history – from mundane and personal moments right up to the most momentous social and political events. Aspects of postal history, social history, early photography and the history of printing methods intrigue the postcard collector.”
And the decline of postcards?
“Yes, like many hobbies these days, we are older. We do see some younger folks being interested in vintage postcards. The difference is that their 'vintage' tends to be from the 1950s and later, while we older deltiologists focus on the early 1900s in the 'Golden Age' of postcards.”
A modern take on postcards can be found at www.postcrossing.com. Win said, “It's a 21st-century version of pen pals, if you will, and a way for stamp collectors to gather world stamps. I've been told that there are some entertaining and informative YouTube videos on postcard collecting. Maybe see what you can find there.”
So, I did. Check out the Postcard Guy or the PostCard Dude.
There’s money in postcards, maybe have a look in those closet boxes.
A postcard fan
Postcards used to have a legitimate purpose of keeping family members updated on your whereabouts while travelling. We’ve all done that.
You probably know some, or are one of these postcard fans, one who really likes sending and receiving postcards.
Jeff Scott is a traveller and a retired Faculty of Education professor at Nipissing University. He said he has small boxes of them.
He was forthcoming. “I love postcards … I love shopping for postcards, sending postcards and receiving postcards.
“Shopping for a postcard can often be very personal, seeking a card that represents where you are, what you are experiencing, while attempting to create a ‘moment in time’ for the individual that will receive the card."
He talked about giving and getting. “Often one card is appropriate for one person, while it may not be for another individual. When I receive a postcard, not only do I see the beauty shown, but through the written words I get a sense of adventure and excitement experienced by the traveller, which allows me to live vicariously through someone then, often in a country I haven’t visited. In some countries, such as Japan, postcards are tough to find (go to the post office), while in others they flow from display boards.”
I recall sending postcards from Costa Rica, when I was there with university students, just as COVID started, we skedaddled back to Canada (remember those days in mid-March 2020). They arrived in the mailbox about a year later!
If you want to rediscover postcards, you can design your own postcard online.
Maybe send me a postcard (if you can find them) or a Christmas card, ‘tis the season (Back Roads Bill c/o Canadian Ecology Centre, Box 430, Mattawa, ON P0H 1V0). I will put them on the refrigerator.
Favourites are – Google Sasquatch or alien postcards. There is actually an alien meets sasquatch postcard.
I like opening the shiny metallic post office box and seeing postcards.
The search for postcards on the back roads will continue.
