Antique Values

COLLECTING PHOTO POSTCARDS By Tom Bassett

Once upon a time nearly everyone sent and received postcards. They were inexpensive to purchase, and postage was likewise quite inexpensive. From most collectors’ point of view, cards that pre-date 1930 are of the greatest interest. Pre-1920 postcards are even better.

One type of postcard stands out as one of the most sought after. They are called Actual Photo Postcards (APPC). Most are black and white and depict a unique scene. Because they are actual photos and have

been made into a postcard, there are an unlimited variety of topics. Some of the most common are family gatherings, a bride, children, school chums, and people showing off their new car or horse and buggy.

There are a number of reasons that people enjoy collecting APPCs. One is that it shows life as it was a century ago. We can see how people dressed, the jewelry ladies wore, a favorite pet, children by an old-fashioned Christmas tree, a favorite bicycle or motorcycle, one’s house, a soldier, an automobile, a town’s new courthouse, or its first fire truck.

The more unique the scene that is depicted, the greater the value. If the photo contains an early auto or motorcycle, the value may be $5 to $15. A firetruck may be $20 and up; a famous person is $15 and up; a small-town street scene is $5 and up; and a disaster, for example a train wreck, can be $10 and up. A card with a photo by Solomon Butcher is particularly rare and worth $5 and up.

Better check out that box of postcards in the closet. Happy Hunting!

Tom Bassett is a resident of Lincoln and a member of the New England Appraisers Association. He is a contributing writer for Lincoln 55+ magazine.