As you know if you have been reading awhile, one of my hobbies is Postcrossing: I send postcards all over the world, and postcards from all over the world come to me. Very pleasing hobby. I recommend it. Unless you don’t particularly like postcards, or sending them, in which case for you it will likely be a bust.

I get my supply of local scenic postcards from three places:

1) Greeting card stores. Many of them don’t carry postcards, but the Hallmark store in my town does.

2) Touristy places. I am fortunate to have a souvenir shop right around the corner from my house.

3) Airports. Whenever I visit my niece, I stock up on postcards at those little airport stores.

I supplement that supply with postcard sets and books. I live in the United States, so I don’t buy, for example, anime cards, or cards featuring French painters. I once received a New York postcard from someone living in Germany, and that was…odd, and also disappointing. So I focus on acquiring postcard sets by United States artists, or featuring United States-y stuff.

Cowgirls: Women of the Wild West postcards (photo from Amazon.com). Surely cows need to be moved around in other countries as well, but I think of cowboys and cowgirls as purely United States American. I love this set of 30 cards (all different): it has posed portraits as well as candid performance shots, and also illustrations, posters, and pin-ups.

4th of July postcards (photo from Amazon.com). Perhaps other countries herd cows, but the United States is the only place that celebrates the 4th of July. There are 30 cards (all different), all vintage illustrations—so these work well for collectors of vintage cards, ad cards, and holiday cards.

Norman Rockwell postcard book (photo from Amazon.com). Quintessential United States artist, and a very nice assortment of 30 cards (all different) including portrait work as well as more classic paintings.

Washington DC postcards (photo by me). These are only available “used,” but I’ve bought lots of sets of “used” postcards and none have in fact been used—usually it means there’s a little wear to the cover, and it’s specified in the description if any cards are actually missing. They’re about a dollar for the book of 30 cards (all different) plus four dollars for shipping, and they’re totally worth it: they’re oversized and spectacular, with educational information on the writing side.

Porn for Women postcards (photo from Amazon.com). Oh my, heh-LO, sunshine. 30 cards (2 each of 15 designs) of men doing housework, buying chocolate, bringing flowers, and offering to snuggle. Very nice-quality cards with rounded corners.

The Art of Vintage Marvel: 100 Collectible Postcards (photo from Amazon.com). It is too bad these are only available from marketplace sellers (and not at giveaway prices, either), because they are whipped awesome. They’re a little smaller than the typical postcard (3.75 x 5.65 inches, rather than the more usual 4.75 x 6.75 inches) but all 100 cards are different, and they are of comic book covers. I didn’t want these at first because I’m not so into comic books, but they are so excellent.

The Art of Pixar:  100 Collectible Postcards (photo from Amazon.com).  These are an excellent deal:  not even $12 for 100 postcards is like getting a 30-card book for $3.50.  This set contains stills and also sketches and concept art.  Lovvvvvvvvvvvvvve.

Subscribe to blog via RSS