Lithograph “Gruss aus Grimmelfingen bei Ulm”, 1900 – the greeting is still written on the picture side

“Gruss aus dem Schutzgebiet Kamerun”, 1901 – cards from the former German colonies are in demand

International Airship Exhibition, Frankfurt 1909 – Zeppelin motifs have a following of their own

First: how old is the card?

Age is not everything, but it is a good start. A few features help to date a card:

• Undivided back: Until about 1905, only the address was allowed on the back. The message was therefore written on the picture side, often right across the view.
• Divided back: After that, a line divides the back into message and address – the typical layout from about 1905.
• Stamp and postmark: On posted cards, the stamp and the date in the postmark reveal the year and place quite precisely.
• Size and paper: The larger postcard format on glossy photo paper or high-gloss print is typical of cards from about 1960 – these were usually printed in large numbers.

What determines the value

What is usually worth little

To be honest: many cards fetch only small amounts. These include cards from about 1960 onwards, common views of large cities and holiday resorts, unused series cards and greetings or holiday cards without anything special. A box full of such cards is above all a lovely piece of family history.

Then again, an inconspicuous card from a small village may be exactly the one collectors are looking for – so it is worth taking a close look before sorting cards out.

Tips before you sell

• Do not remove cards from albums and do not cut off stamps.
• Do not clean or write on the cards.
• Keep cards that belong together – from one place or one family, for example – together.
• For an initial assessment, a few photos of the front and back are enough.