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Postcard Terms
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Abbreviations Used on this Website
Definitions and Terms Rackcard Subject Headings
All postcards offered at this website are brand-new, mint-condition, current-issue (recent),
continental-size (4 x 6-inch), unused and in color, unless stated otherwise.
DEFINITIONS AND TERMS
Advertising:
A postcard advertising a product, service, cause, or event.
Advertising Trade Card:
A precursor of postcards, a colorful and attractive lithographed artist-drawn design on a
card often given away with household products. 19th century.
Arcade Card:
Approximately postcard size, but without a postcard back, a pictorial card usually obtained
from a vending machine. 1930s, 1940s.
Artist-attribution:
The artwork reproduced on the postcard may not show the artist's signature, but the artist
is identified and credited in print on the front, but usually on the back, of the card.
Artist-signed:
The artwork reproduced on the postcard includes the artist's signature. (Not to be
confused with autographed card)
Autographed:
The actual autograph of the subject or artist or photographer is on the card.
Back:
Postcard collectors consider the address-side to be the back of the card.
Chrome, Chrome Era:
Many people call any modern, glossy-surfaced card a "chrome." The term chrome
originated with Kodak's Kodachrome film. Chromes were the first color postcards
produced from color film and printed with the halftone process. We date the beginning of
the Chrome Era from the publication of the first series of Union Oil postcards in 1939.
Continental Size:
A postcard measuring 4 by 6 inches (10 x 15-cm). In the U.S., the transition from standard
size to continental size as the most commonly-produced postcard occurred in the late-
1970s, early-1980s.
Current Issue:
Contemporary postcards, available for sale in the commercial market and simultaneously
in the collectibles market. Postcards that are in-print and can be re-stocked from the
publisher or distributor.
Distributor:
A person or company that distributes postcards within a defined territory. In the U.S.,
distributors have frequently maintained their territory of a part of a state or several states
where their postcard line has little competition from other distributors. The term is often
used interchangeably with Publisher.
Divided Back:
Beginning in 1907 in the U.S. and earlier in Europe, the address side of the postcard (the
back) was divided so that a message could be written on half of the space.
Exposition:
A postcard issued for an exposition. Those stamped and cancelled on the fair grounds
are sought after by stamp as well as postcard collectors and are usually valued higher.
Freecard:
A card that is given away free, usually for the purpose of advertising a product, event,
service, or cause. Common freecard types include dealership postcards for automobiles,
hotel and restaurant giveaway postcards and rackcards.
Front:
The picture side of the card. (stamp collectors usually consider the address-side the
"front")
Greeting:
A postcard mailed as a greeting, in celebration of a special day. The most commonly
found greetings on antique postcards are Christmas and Easter, though New Year's,
Ground Hog's Day, Valentine's Day, Lincoln's and Washington's Birthdays, St. Patrick's
Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, The Fourth of July, Labor Day, Halloween, and
Thanksgiving greetings were also produced. On modern postcards, Christmas and
Halloween postcards are the most common.
Gruss Aus:
Literally, "Greetings from." Term is usually limited to Pioneer Era views: vignetted
illustrations of a location, space to write a message, and the words "Gruss aus" with the
location's name.
Hold-to-Light:
A postcard, which, when held to the light, glows in certain areas. In die-cut hold-to-lights,
the surface layer has been cut away to reveal a thin colored layer through which light can
shine. In transparency hold-to-lights, an intermediate paper layer carries a hidden image,
visible when held to the light.
Linen, Linen Era:
Linen postcards were printed in the U.S. after World War I when access to quality printing
in Europe was lost. Linens are typically printed in vivid colors on paper with a linen-
textured surface. Many linens have a shadowless, air-brushed appearance. Color linen
postcards were produced from black and white photos; color separations -- one printing
plate for each color -- were produced by hand. The Linen Era extends from the 1920s
thru the 1950s.
Modern:
A postcard produced in the past 20-25 years, a continental.
Pioneer:
A pictorial postcard mailed or produced prior to the effective date (July 1, 1898) of the
Private Mailing Card Act of May 19, 1898. Designs either had to be printed on the backs
of government postals or they required two cents postage.
Postal Card:
A card supplied by a government postal service, with the postage imprinted or impressed
on it, for the transmission of a message.
Printer:
A company that specializes in printing. A postcard printer may print postcards for dozens
of competing distributors and publishers. The printer seldom distributes the product
themselves.
Private Mailing Card:
A card mailed in the U.S. between 1899 and 1902. The Private Mailing Card Act of 1898
required the following words to appear on the cards: "Private Mailing Card-Authorized by
act of Congress, May 19, 1898." All private mailing cards could be sent through the mail
for one-cent postage.
Publisher:
A person or company that takes the financial risk for producing a line of postcards. They
may also be the Distributor.
Rackcard:
Postcards that are given away free, usually for the purpose of advertising a product,
event, service, or cause. The term comes from the fact that the cards are displayed on
racks in areas where the public will see the advertising whether or not they take a free
card… often in restaurants, theatres, or stores, by phone booths or restrooms. Current
American rackcard publishers include M@xracks, GoCard, HotStamp, and others.
Real Photo:
A photographic view printed on photo-sensitive paper with a postcard back. A real photo
is not printed by a printing press with ink onto paper.
Standard Size:
A postcard measuring 3.5 x 5.5 inches (9 x 14-cm).
Topical:
A postcard on a specific subject, for example, depots, ships, courthouses.
Undivided Back:
A postcard published between 1902 and 1907 (dates for postcards mailed in the U.S.)
when only the address could be written on the back of a picture postcard.
Union Oil:
Series of chrome views published by the Union 76 Oil Company in 1939, 1940, 1941,
1947, 1948, 1950, and 1955. Publication of the first series marked the beginning of the
Chrome Era.
Viewcard:
A postcard showing a view of a place, person, or thing. Almost all are photographic views,
not artist-drawn. A viewcard is characterized by the fact that it is mass-produced and
relatively inexpensive.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Abbreviations Used on this Website
Definitions and Terms Rackcard Subject Headings
All postcards offered at this website are brand-new, mint-condition, current-issue (recent),
continental-size (4 x 6-inch), unused and in color, unless stated otherwise.
DEFINITIONS AND TERMS
Advertising:
A postcard advertising a product, service, cause, or event.
Advertising Trade Card:
A precursor of postcards, a colorful and attractive lithographed artist-drawn design on a
card often given away with household products. 19th century.
Arcade Card:
Approximately postcard size, but without a postcard back, a pictorial card usually obtained
from a vending machine. 1930s, 1940s.
Artist-attribution:
The artwork reproduced on the postcard may not show the artist's signature, but the artist
is identified and credited in print on the front, but usually on the back, of the card.
Artist-signed:
The artwork reproduced on the postcard includes the artist's signature. (Not to be
confused with autographed card)
Autographed:
The actual autograph of the subject or artist or photographer is on the card.
Back:
Postcard collectors consider the address-side to be the back of the card.
Chrome, Chrome Era:
Many people call any modern, glossy-surfaced card a "chrome." The term chrome
originated with Kodak's Kodachrome film. Chromes were the first color postcards
produced from color film and printed with the halftone process. We date the beginning of
the Chrome Era from the publication of the first series of Union Oil postcards in 1939.
Continental Size:
A postcard measuring 4 by 6 inches (10 x 15-cm). In the U.S., the transition from standard
size to continental size as the most commonly-produced postcard occurred in the late-
1970s, early-1980s.
Current Issue:
Contemporary postcards, available for sale in the commercial market and simultaneously
in the collectibles market. Postcards that are in-print and can be re-stocked from the
publisher or distributor.
Distributor:
A person or company that distributes postcards within a defined territory. In the U.S.,
distributors have frequently maintained their territory of a part of a state or several states
where their postcard line has little competition from other distributors. The term is often
used interchangeably with Publisher.
Divided Back:
Beginning in 1907 in the U.S. and earlier in Europe, the address side of the postcard (the
back) was divided so that a message could be written on half of the space.
Exposition:
A postcard issued for an exposition. Those stamped and cancelled on the fair grounds
are sought after by stamp as well as postcard collectors and are usually valued higher.
Freecard:
A card that is given away free, usually for the purpose of advertising a product, event,
service, or cause. Common freecard types include dealership postcards for automobiles,
hotel and restaurant giveaway postcards and rackcards.
Front:
The picture side of the card. (stamp collectors usually consider the address-side the
"front")
Greeting:
A postcard mailed as a greeting, in celebration of a special day. The most commonly
found greetings on antique postcards are Christmas and Easter, though New Year's,
Ground Hog's Day, Valentine's Day, Lincoln's and Washington's Birthdays, St. Patrick's
Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, The Fourth of July, Labor Day, Halloween, and
Thanksgiving greetings were also produced. On modern postcards, Christmas and
Halloween postcards are the most common.
Gruss Aus:
Literally, "Greetings from." Term is usually limited to Pioneer Era views: vignetted
illustrations of a location, space to write a message, and the words "Gruss aus" with the
location's name.
Hold-to-Light:
A postcard, which, when held to the light, glows in certain areas. In die-cut hold-to-lights,
the surface layer has been cut away to reveal a thin colored layer through which light can
shine. In transparency hold-to-lights, an intermediate paper layer carries a hidden image,
visible when held to the light.
Linen, Linen Era:
Linen postcards were printed in the U.S. after World War I when access to quality printing
in Europe was lost. Linens are typically printed in vivid colors on paper with a linen-
textured surface. Many linens have a shadowless, air-brushed appearance. Color linen
postcards were produced from black and white photos; color separations -- one printing
plate for each color -- were produced by hand. The Linen Era extends from the 1920s
thru the 1950s.
Modern:
A postcard produced in the past 20-25 years, a continental.
Pioneer:
A pictorial postcard mailed or produced prior to the effective date (July 1, 1898) of the
Private Mailing Card Act of May 19, 1898. Designs either had to be printed on the backs
of government postals or they required two cents postage.
Postal Card:
A card supplied by a government postal service, with the postage imprinted or impressed
on it, for the transmission of a message.
Printer:
A company that specializes in printing. A postcard printer may print postcards for dozens
of competing distributors and publishers. The printer seldom distributes the product
themselves.
Private Mailing Card:
A card mailed in the U.S. between 1899 and 1902. The Private Mailing Card Act of 1898
required the following words to appear on the cards: "Private Mailing Card-Authorized by
act of Congress, May 19, 1898." All private mailing cards could be sent through the mail
for one-cent postage.
Publisher:
A person or company that takes the financial risk for producing a line of postcards. They
may also be the Distributor.
Rackcard:
Postcards that are given away free, usually for the purpose of advertising a product,
event, service, or cause. The term comes from the fact that the cards are displayed on
racks in areas where the public will see the advertising whether or not they take a free
card… often in restaurants, theatres, or stores, by phone booths or restrooms. Current
American rackcard publishers include M@xracks, GoCard, HotStamp, and others.
Real Photo:
A photographic view printed on photo-sensitive paper with a postcard back. A real photo
is not printed by a printing press with ink onto paper.
Standard Size:
A postcard measuring 3.5 x 5.5 inches (9 x 14-cm).
Topical:
A postcard on a specific subject, for example, depots, ships, courthouses.
Undivided Back:
A postcard published between 1902 and 1907 (dates for postcards mailed in the U.S.)
when only the address could be written on the back of a picture postcard.
Union Oil:
Series of chrome views published by the Union 76 Oil Company in 1939, 1940, 1941,
1947, 1948, 1950, and 1955. Publication of the first series marked the beginning of the
Chrome Era.
Viewcard:
A postcard showing a view of a place, person, or thing. Almost all are photographic views,
not artist-drawn. A viewcard is characterized by the fact that it is mass-produced and
relatively inexpensive.
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