Free Sample
The Complete Guide to Postcard Collecting
Know exactly what postcard collecting costs, what gear you truly need, and how to start this week - with honest time and space estimates before you buy a single card.
by Alumigogo Books
Chapter 1: What Is Postcard Collecting and Why People Love It
Let's start with what postcard collecting is not: it is not a get-rich-quick scheme, it is not a competitive sport with a rulebook, and it is not something that requires a basement library and a magnifying glass (though you can buy a magnifying glass later if you get hooked). Postcard collecting - sometimes called deltiology, but you can forget that word for now - is simply the practice of gathering, organizing, and learning about postcards. That's it. You buy them, trade them, find them, and then you sort and store them in a way that makes sense to you.
The day-to-day reality is quieter and more satisfying than you might expect. Imagine this: it's a Saturday morning, you've just come back from a flea market or a local antique shop, and you've brought home a small stack of cards. Some cost you a dollar, maybe a few were in a bargain bin, and one or two were a bit more because the condition was excellent. You sit at your kitchen table or at a desk with good light, and you go through them one by one. You look at the front - the picture itself - and then you flip it over to see who wrote on it, when, and from where. This is the moment that hooks most people.
A postcard is an unusual object. It's not like a coin or a stamp, which are made in exact