The standard grading system adapted by most dealers and by the leading postcard hobby publications in the field, Barr's Post Card News and Post Card Collector, is listed below with their permission:
M - MINT. A perfect card just as it comes from the printing press. No marks, bends, or creases. No writing or postmarks. A clean and fresh card. Seldom seen.
NM - NEAR MINT. Like Mint but very light aging or very slight discoloration from being in an album for many years. Not as sharp or crisp.
EX - EXCELLENT. Like mint in appearance with no bends or creases, or rounded or blunt corners. May be postally used or unused and with writing and postmark only on the address side. A clean, fresh card on the picture side.
VG - VERY GOOD. Corners may be just a bit blunt or rounded. Almost undetectable crease or bend that does not detract from overall appearance of the picture side. May have writing or postally used on address side. A very collectible card.
G - GOOD. Corners may be noticeably blunt or rounded with noticeably slight bends or creases. May be postally used or have writing on address side.
AV - AVERAGE or FR - FAIR. Card is intact. Excess soil, stains, creases, writing, or cancellation may affect picture. Could be a scarce card that is difficult to find in any condition.
PR - POOR. Card is stained, severly creased, or has excess soil and writing may be on either side.
SF - SPACE FILLER. Same as PR rating but may not be intact. Corners may be missinng or card may be torn.
If you have any questions about a card or anything else, please e-mail me.
How old is your postcard?
A SHORT HISTORY OF THE POSTCARD IN THE UNITED STATES
PIONEER ERA(1893-1898)
Although there were earlier scattered issues, most pioneer cards in today's collections begin with the cards placed on sale at the Colombian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois on May 1, 1893. These were illustrations on government printed postal cards and on privately printed souvenir cards. The government postal card had the imprinted 1 cent stamp while the souvenir cards required a 2-cent adhesive postage stamp to be applied to it. Writing was not permitted on the address side of the card.
PRIVATE MAILING CARD ERA (1898-1901)
On May 19, 1898, private printers were granted permission, by an act of congress, to print and sell cards that bore the inscription "Private Mailing Card". Today we call these cards "PMC's". Postage required was now a 1 cent adhesive stamp. A dozen or more American printers began to take postcards seriously. Writing was still not permitted on the address side, however many publishers often left a wider border on the side or bottom of the view side so a short message could be added.
POSTCARD ERA (1901-1907)
The use of the word 'POST CARD' was granted by the government to private printers on December 4, 1901. In this era, private citizens began to take black and white photographs and have them printed on paper with post card backs. Writing was still not permitted on the address side.
UNDIVIDED BACK ERA (1893-1907)
The above three eras can also be grouped into the general heading of 'undivided back'.
DIVIDED BACK ERA (1907-1914)
Post cards with a divided back, that is, with a printed vertical line down the middle, were permitted starting March 1, 1907. The address to be written on the right side and written messages to be on the left. Many millions of cards were published in this period. Up to this point most cards were printed in Germany who was far ahead of this country in the lithographic processes. With the advent of World War I, the supply of post cards had to come from England to the United States.
WHITE BORDER ERA (1915-1930)
Most of our post cards were printed in the USA during this period. To save ink, a border was left around the view thus we classify them as "White Border Cards". High cost of labor, inexperience and public taste caused production of poor quality cards.
High competition in a narrowing market caused many publisher to go out of business.
LINEN ERA (1930-1944)
New printing processes allowed printing on post cards with a high rag content that caused a "linen like" finish. These cheap cards allowed the use of gaudy dyes for coloring. The firm of Curt Teich flourished with their line of linen postcards. Many important events in history were recorded on these cards.
PHOTOCHROME ERA (1945 to present)
The "chrome" post cards started to dominate the scene soon after they were launched by the Union Oil Company in their western service stations in 1939. Mike Roberts pioneered with his "WESCO" cards soon after World War II. Three dimensional post cards also appeared in this era.
Real photo post cards usually have the markings in the area where the stamp would go.
If your postcard has markings, use the chart below to determine its approximate age:
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