Unlike other collectible markets like sports cards, comic books, and sneakers, postcard collections are often difficult to appraise and determine a precise value. Some rare or very difficult to find postcards may have no sales history available online. Other postcards may be the only known example in the world of a certain historic image. How do you put a price tag on items so unique and uncommon? I’ve spent thousands of hours examining and valuing antique postcards and have sold tens of thousands of individual postcards to collectors. I have bought a countless number of postcard collections over the years. Here’s how you can evaluate your own collection, and sell it, without being a postcard expert.
Read more about how to value individual postcards here.
Who buys postcards?
When it comes to selling postcards, there are two main categories of buyers: postcard dealers and postcard collectors. Which type of buyer you should sell to depends on how much of your own time and energy you want to invest into evaluating and selling your postcards. Postcard dealers will typically buy entire collections, whether that’s several dozen postcards or thousands (some dealers have even bought millions at one time). You can sell everything in one transaction, but you can expect to make less than if you sold your postcards individually to collectors.
Postcard collectors prefer buying postcards individually or in small groups based on their collecting interests. Many collectors are interested in very specific location or topics, such as the town they grew up in or postcards of cats by artist Louis Wain, to name one example. It is more work to sell to collectors since each postcard (or small group) must be individually researched, photographed (or scanned), and shipped, but you can usually sell postcards for much more money to collectors.
How much do postcards sell for?
It’s impossible to determine what your collection may sell for without examining it, but most postcard collections sell within a certain range of price per postcard.
*Please note that it is very uncommon for larger collections sold to a dealer to sell for around or more than $1 per postcard, but smaller collections of extraordinarily high quality can sell to dealers for over $1 per postcard.
Most collections sold to a dealer will sell within the ranges above, but there are always exceptions. I have paid up to $6 per postcard for a smaller collection of several hundred very high-quality postcards. On the other hand, for extremely large collections consisting of many very common postcards, dealers may only be able to pay a penny or two per postcard. At first glance, it appears that it is much better to sell to collectors; however, many postcards take years or even decades to sell. Thus, the dollar amounts in the Collectors row won’t be realized for years at a minimum.
It is possible, although uncommon, for a smaller collection to consist mainly of uncommon postcards that would sell to collectors for $20 or more. The larger the collection, the more likely many of the postcards are common. After accounting for the additional time, money, and effort it takes to sell postcards individually to collectors, many choose to sell to a dealer for one upfront sum of money. Whether you should sell to a dealer or individually to a collector comes down to how you answer the question below:
Would you rather have $100 today in exchange for an hour of your time or $1,000 in 5 years in exchange for 20 hours of your time?
How to evaluate your postcard collection
No matter whether you are selling in bulk to a dealer or individually to collectors, it is important to evaluate your postcard collection to get an idea how much your postcards are worth. I wrote an in-depth article about which types of postcards are more valuable, which I highly recommend reading for a better understanding of what postcards are worth, but you don’t need an expert level of knowledge about postcards to research an individual card.
In the US, the best way to determine an approximate current market value of a particular postcard is to search for comparable recently sold postcards on eBay. Most postcards say what they are right on the front, but if they don’t, you can try searching by image on eBay instead of by text. When searching on eBay, make sure you check the “Completed Items” and “Sold Items” boxes as shown below.
If you have a large collection you are looking to evaluate, I suggest researching a representative sample of postcards instead of every single one.
Professional appraisals
A professional appraisal of your collection may be a good idea if you are making donations or charitable contributions, need insurance coverage for your collection, or simply want a professional valuation of your postcard collection. The American Society of Appraisers (ASA) is the largest organization of appraisers in the US and is considered the most reputable. If you are seeking an appraisal, search for someone local to your area as the vast majority of appraisals are conducted in-person.
Appraisals can be expensive, and depending on the size and value of your postcard collection, it may not make sense to pay for a professional appraisal. I am always happy to offer an informal evaluation of your collection if you’d like to send me an email with pictures of your collection.
How postcard collection appraisals work
I spoke with a professional appraiser to get an idea about how the process works. Here’s what she told me about postcard collection appraisals.
- They typically happen on-site, but sometimes clients bring items into the office
- It is great if you have an inventory list prepared for the appraiser
- The appraiser will photograph, measure, assess condition, research prices, and issue an appraisal report
- For larger collections, appraisers sample a portion of the postcard collection instead of evaluating every single postcard
- Since postcards can be difficult to appraise, many appraisers will consult outside experts for help determining value
- Professional appraisals are not inexpensive and may not make sense for most collectors
How to sell to collectors
There are two main avenues of selling to collectors, online or at postcard shows. You would likely need to be a postcard dealer with a large quantity of organized postcards to sell at a postcard show, but some shows allow smaller booths or tables. The best option for non-dealers to sell individual postcards is online marketplaces.
eBay is the largest postcard marketplace in the US and the site I recommend to anyone looking to sell individual postcards online. Certain Facebook groups, Etsy, HipPostcard, and many other smaller marketplaces also allow individual postcard sales if you are looking for alternatives. If you are interested in learning more about selling postcards on eBay, check out my YouTube channel dedicated to reselling postcards.
How to sell to a postcard dealer
If you’ve decided you would rather sell your postcards all at once instead of spend your time and energy selling your postcard collection one-by-one, you aren’t alone. The vast majority of people that email me with a postcard collection opt to sell to a dealer. As a postcard dealer myself, here are some pro-tips to ensure you get the best price possible for your collection.
- Have an asking price in mind before approaching a dealer, but ask what they can pay first – it may be much higher than you would have thought! I’ve seen some collectors shocked at the amount a dealer is willing to pay for a collection. I am always willing to make the first offer to those selling collections, and I absolutely love when it is much higher than they were expecting.
- The postcard dealer must account for the time and work it takes to sell a collection. Don’t expect a dealer to pay collector prices. Some postcards take years or even decades to sell.
- Shop around and get multiple opinions. Don’t talk to just one postcard dealer! Different dealers have different specialties, and some may be willing to pay more for postcard collections in their wheelhouse.
- Want more money? Be flexible. The more willing you are to work with a dealer, the more money you can potentially get. If you are willing to ship your collection, the pool of potential buyers is much, much larger. If you have a particularly large and valuable collection, it may be more financially beneficial to sell it in parts to a dealer rather than all at once. For example, a dealer may be willing to pay $1,000 per 1,000 postcards for the next 5 years (or however long it takes to buy your entire collection). But it is very unlikely that dealer is able to pay the same amount of money upfront.
Different ways to find a dealer
Unless you are heavily involved in the world of postcards, it is probably difficult for you to locate a postcard dealer. Where do these elusive “postcard dealers” live? What do they look like? How do you identify one as a “postcard dealer”? I want to make it as easy as possible for you to find a postcard dealer to buy your collection, so I compiled a quick list of the best places to find a dealer below.
- My Facebook group for selling postcard collections
- The International Federation of Postcard Dealers directory
- Postcard shows (check out my postcard show calendar to find one near you)
- Postcard clubs
- Email me (I’m always buying great postcard collections)
Selling a postcard collection is difficult. If you are a collector, it’s hard to part ways with postcards you may have spent most of your life collecting. For those who inherited a collection or came into one by other means, it isn’t easy to know how much a collection is worth or who to trust without being an expert. Hopefully this article empowers you with the knowledge necessary to make the best decision about your postcard collection. For a free valuation, or any general questions about postcards and postcard collecting, my inbox is always open.