Here are some of the glossary terms you will see when people discuss postcards.
| Term |
Description |
| Antique Postcard |
A postcard published before World War I. |
| Cancellation on Front |
Commonly abbreviated as COF. |
| Chrome |
Commonly abbreviated as CHR. A card published after 1939 with a shiny paper
surface. The term is derived from Kodachrome. |
| Condition |
Refers to the physical condition of a postcard. Terms used
are Mint, Near Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, and Poor. Each dealer and
auction house uses their criteria for assigning these terms. |
| Deltiologist |
The person doing postcard research |
| Deltiology |
The study of postcards |
| Die Cut |
A paper object cut into a shape other than a rectangle, such
as the shape of an angel, Santa, or animal. |
| Die Cut Hold to Light |
A hold to light (HTL) postcard that transforms from day to
night when a bright light shows through the tiny holes cut on the surface of the
card. |
| Divided Back |
Commonly abbreviated as DB. A postcard back with a centerline
that divides the address from the message. Postcards with divided backs appeared
in England in 1902, France in 1904, Germany in 1905, and in the United States in
1907. |
| Divided Back Era |
The period of time from 1907 to 1915. |
| Embossed |
Postcards with designs that are slightly raised above the
card's surface. Heavily embossed postcards have almost a paper-mache style that
stands greatly above the paper's surface. |
| Ephemera |
A printed or handwritten item that is normally discarded
after its intended use, such as calendars, postcards, trade cards, and
valentines. |
| Foxing |
Brown spots on the paper's surface. These spots of mildew
penetrating the paper cannot be removed by erasing. |
| Gelatin |
A card with a varnish-like coating producing a glossy
surface. The surface usually cracks or shatters. |
| Golden Age of Postcards |
In the United States, it was from 1898 through 1918. |
| Hold to Light |
Commonly abbreviated as HTL. A postcard that creates a
different image if held to the light. Some are as simple as day into night,
others as complicated as winter into summer. There are die cut hold to lights
and transparencies. |
| Linen |
Issued from the late 1920s into the 1950s. Linens are typically printed in
vivid colors on paper with a crosshatched surface, resembling linen, and they
tend to have a shadow-less airbrushed appearance. |
| Lithography |
A printing process using a smooth, flat, porous surface of
stone on which the design is laid down with grease and water so that only
certain parts will take the ink and print. |
| Postcard |
A card specifically made with the intention that it could be
used by itself as a mailed message or as a souvenir. |
| Postmarked |
Commonly abbreviated as PM. |
| Pre-Linen |
Printed on matte paper stock. Issued through early 1930s. |
| Private Mailing Card |
Commonly abbreviated as PMC. Issued between 1898-1901. |
| Real Photo Post Card |
Commonly abbreviated as RPPC. An actual photograph printed on
photographic paper with a preprinted postcard back. Real photo
cards are more desirable than commercially printed postcards. Most real photos
are one of a kind, while commercially printed photographs were produced in large
quantity. Made from the late 1800s into the 1950s. |
| Size - Standard |
Postcard measuring 3-1/2" by 5-1/2", either vertical or horizontal. |
| Size - Continental |
Postcards measuring 4" by 6". Most were published after 1940s. |
| Size - Oversized |
Postcards larger than 4” by 6”. |
| Topicals |
Postcards that are not scenic views but are of subjects such as dogs, cats,
horses, baseball, kites, and golf. |
| Tradecards |
Advertising cards issued before 1900. Storekeepers gave them
away in products or with the purchase of a product. They were very popular
before the postcard and were often glued into large scrapbooks with other die
cut scrap. |
| Undivided Back |
Commonly abbreviated as UDB. A postcard back without a
dividing line to separate the message from the address. Undivided backs on
postcards help date the cards. Issued in the United States until they
were replaced by the divided back postcards in 1907. |
| View Cards |
Postcards that feature cities and places within cities, such as parks, main
streets, depots, storefronts, bridges, and roads. |
| White Border |
Commonly abbreviated as WB. Issued between 1915-1930 |
| Writing on Front |
Commonly abbreviated as WOF. |
