A postcard is thick paper.
You can write on it. You do not need an envelope. It is a fast way to talk. It helps us stay close.
Do you like to send mail?
A postcard is a piece of thick paper.
You do not need an envelope. You can write a short note on it. You can also mail it easily.
Long ago, people wanted a fast way to talk. Postcards became very popular. Some cards had pretty pictures on them. These pictures could be of far-off places.
Many people liked to collect them. Some cards even had ads on them. People sent them to friends and family. It was a fun way to share news.
In the past, many cards were sent by soldiers. They used them to write home. This helped them stay in touch.
Today, we still see colorful postcards. They are a great way to say hello.
A postcard is a piece of thick paper or cardboard.
Most are rectangular. You can write on them and mail them without an envelope. In some places, sending a postcard costs less than a letter.
People have sent cards with messages for a long time. The first known picture postcard was hand-painted. A man named Theodore Hook sent it to himself in 1840. In 1861, John P. Charlton made the first commercial card.
These early cards did not have images.
Postcards became very popular later. This was called the "golden age." During this time, billions of cards were mailed. In the United States, nearly a billion cards were sent every year from 1905 to 1915.
New tools for printing and photography helped this happen.
Some people study and collect postcards. This study is called deltiology. Today, many people use social media to talk. Because of this, fewer people buy postcards than before. We still see many colorful "chrome" postcards today. These are glossy cards that we see often.
A postcard is a piece of thick paper or thin cardboard.
Most postcards are shaped like a rectangle. You can write a message on them and mail them without using an envelope. In some places, sending a postcard costs less than a regular letter. People who study and collect these cards call their hobby deltiology.
This study comes from Greek words meaning "small writing tablet." Postcards are a fun way to share news quickly with friends.
There are two main types of cards to know about. Collectors call them postcards if you must add your own postage stamp. They call them postal cards if the postage is already printed on them.
Private companies often make and sell the regular postcards. However, a postal authority usually issues the postal cards. This way of sending mail makes it very easy for people to communicate.
People have sent cards with messages for a very long time. The earliest known picture postcard was hand-painted by Theodore Hook in 1840.
He sent it to himself from London as a joke. In 1861, John P. Charlton made the first commercial card in Philadelphia. He later sold the rights to Hymen Lipman. Lipman sold cards called "Lipman's Postal Card" that had decorated borders. These early cards did not have any pictures on them.
Postcards entered a "golden age" between 1890 and 1915.
During this time, billions of cards were mailed around the world. In the United States alone, nearly a billion cards were sent every year from 1905 to 1915. This boom happened because of better printing and photography. New ways to deliver mail to homes also helped. By 1905, about 7 billion postcards were being sent worldwide every year.
Postcard styles have changed many times over the years. In the 1930s, people used "linen" cards with a special printing process.
Since 1939, most people have used "chrome" postcards. These are the glossy and colorful cards we see today. As telephones and social media became popular, fewer people sent postcards. Even so, they remain a special way to send a message. You might still find a colorful postcard in a gift shop today.
A postcard is a piece of thick paper or thin cardboard.
Most are rectangular, though non-rectangular shapes exist. They are designed for writing and mailing without an envelope. In many regions, sending a postcard costs less than a standard letter. Collectors of these items practice a study called deltiology. This term comes from the Greek words for "small writing tablet" and "study."
Collectors distinguish between two specific types of cards. A postcard requires a postage stamp to be mailed. A postal card has the postage pre-printed on it.
Usually, private companies produce and sell regular postcards. In contrast, a postal authority issues the official postal cards. This distinction helps organize how mail is processed and paid for.
The history of these cards began with individual efforts. The earliest known picture postcard was hand-painted by Theodore Hook. He posted it to himself in 1840 from Fulham, London. The card featured a caricature of post office workers.
In the United States, advertising cards began appearing in 1848. John P. Charlton created the first commercial card in 1861. He sold the rights to Hymen Lipman. Lipman marketed "Lipman's Postal Card," which featured decorated borders but no images.
Official postal cards grew due to military and government needs. In 1865, Heinrich von Stephan proposed an "open post-sheet." He wanted one side for addresses and one for messages. Officials rejected this idea because they feared a loss of privacy. However, Austria-Hungary accepted a similar idea in 1869. They mailed 3 million cards within three months. During the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, Germany issued postals for soldiers. This allowed troops to send inexpensive messages from the field.
Many nations adopted postal systems throughout the 1870s. Great Britain, Switzerland, and Canada introduced postals during this era. The first printed picture postcard appeared in France in 1870.
It was created at Camp Conlie by Léon Besnardeau. These cards featured lithographed designs of armaments and the Duchy of Brittany. In Germany, August Schwartz is credited with inventing the illustrated postcard. He mailed a card with an image of a man and a cannon in 1870.
Postcards entered a "golden age" between 1890 and 1915. This era was driven by new photography and mass production. The Chicago World's Fair in 1893 helped popularize souvenir postals. In the United States, the government lowered the postage rate in 1898. This change caused a massive boom in the private industry.
By 1905, 7 billion postcards were sent worldwide every year. In the United States, nearly a billion cards were mailed annually from 1905 to 1915.
Economic and political shifts eventually ended this golden age. In 1909, the Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act placed taxes on German imports. This made high-quality German cards more expensive in America. Hostilities in Europe also made it hard to import ink and cards. World War I disrupted production, though cards were still used for propaganda. As telephones became common, the demand for postcards began to fall.
Postcard styles have evolved through several distinct stages. Between 1915 and 1930, "white border" cards became common in the United States. These used less ink than previous versions. In the 1930s, "linen" postcards used a new printing process.
The modern era began with "Photochrom," or "chrome," postcards in 1939. These are the glossy, colorful cards used today. Today, social media has further reduced postcard sales.
Many long-standing printers have closed because of these digital changes.
Where will your curiosity go next?
🖼️ Images & Media (16)
+ 4 more
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
🪜 Step back
Simpler topics to build understanding
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.