Acquiring postcards is a lost art. Buying them can give you a brief history of yesteryear while creating a unique collection. Consider what you need in some quality postcards to help you separate yourself from the pack. Here are some tips to help collect postcards.
Find Out What Topics Interest You
You might be a new card collector, so more modern postcards interest you. However, you may have a taste for vintage postcards. Whether it’s sports, pop culture, or a historical event, you can choose different topics.
Find something that you genuinely enjoy to start your collection. It’ll keep things fun, and you can start branching out to different topics that fit your personality. You don’t want to be all about business or making money from the start.
Additionally, you can build an appreciation for adding some unique things to your scrapbook.
Research the Value Of Your Card
Next, start researching the value of your card. You might have to get it appraised a few times to find the true worth of your postcards. You might have some quality retro cards in your collection, but they don’t have much value in the marketplace.
However, you may have some less dynamic cards, but they’re worth a small fortune. Speak to people on forums or go to shops that sell postcards to help you develop a realistic value for your items. The more knowledge you have of different cards, the better you can negotiate prices.
Pick Good Storage Methods
Also, you want to keep your cards organized. You want to have quality scrapbooks to divide the topics and make it easy to find specific postcards. However, you need to take things a step further for your delicate and rare ones.
Consider getting a card cover to help preserve the condition and make it more viable for other collectors to buy what postcards you have to offer. Make sure you put the cards in dry and cool air to prevent damage to them.
Know Where to Purchase Postcards
Find good mailing cards at conventions, auctions, and even garage sales. You never know where you can get some intriguing postcards. Always keep your eyes open for people that might sell bundles to help you pick up some extra cars for a reasonable price.
Starting a postcard collection can be a fun hobby. Just make sure you’re enjoying the process instead of worrying about getting the rarest finds.