Expand Your Postcard Collecting Vocabulary

The joy of postcard collecting can be increased through a comprehensive  knowledge of postcard terminology.

When describing a postcard, specific terms are used to identify the item. Use of accurate terms will improve communication between collectors, sellers, and dealers. The importance of accuracy in description is obvious.

What follows is a list of postcard terminology definitions made up of words, terms, symbol and abbreviations used in the postcard collecting hobby. Please suggest additions, corrections and or modifications to dularson@bellsouth.net

Postcard Glossary Dictionary

A

add on - a card with some object attached to the face of the card.
advertising card - produced to obviously advertise a product, place or service. Very desirable.
airbrush - a painting technique where air is used to paint a light coating on a card.
album - a binder where postcards can be stored and displayed. Pages are available which are clear with pockets for cards.
album corners - small glue backed corner holders are available to mount postcards on boards. 
applique - a card which has affixed to the image side some enhancement to the image.
archival - materials used for safe long term storage of paper items.
art - a kind of postcard which depicts famous paintings or statuary. 
artist signed - where the name of the artist who produced the image can be read.
B
bas relief - portrait raised to create depth of image.
been there - cards which are from the places you have lived or visited.
bent - folded over. This is not a good thing for a postcard because it usually makes it  worthless.
bent corners - In the process of handling, corners get bent. This is not good.
blue image - a reproduction technique where the image is exclusively in blue.
board - a surface used to display several postcards for a show and competition.
bring back - cards that were not sent back from a vacation, for example, but were brought back.
brush strokes - a card where the surface of an image seems to have the look of being painted with a brush.
bumped corners - sharp corners are desirable. Bumped corners are not.
C
card - a shortened term for a post card often used in conversation.
carry back - cards brought back from a vacation without being postally used.
category - the type of subject depicted on the postcard.
censored - a card which has been inspected for classified information during war time.
checklist - used to record items in a collection that are wanted.
chrome - a printing process which is like a colored photograph.
chrome lithograph - the process of printing with lithography.
color changeling - a card subjected to an environment which caused colors to change.
condition - often but not always important when adding a card to a collection.
composite - where more than one image is reproduced on the picture side.
contact defect - where pieces of any adjacent material have stuck to a postcard. Not a good thing.
continental - the size postcard currently in use.
corner crease - a bend at a corner from removing the card from an album or from rough handling.
corner indent - this happens when cards are kept in an old time album where slits in the album page grasped the postcard. Over time this causes a bend.
corner missing - probably due to rough removal from an old time album,.
crazing - where small cracks can be seen on the surface of a card.
crease - a bend that runs from side to side or edge to edge. Not good.
cut down size - sometimes a person for one reason or another will take a pair of scissors to a card to make it fit something. This is not a good thing to do to a card. The value is ruined, typically.
cut rounded corners - a card which has cut rounded corners from the manufacturer. This may be seen in more modern cards.
D
DB - divided back acronym
deckled - a treatment to the edge of a card giving a rough appearance.
deltiology - the name given to postcard collecting as a hobby.
die cut - where a printing method removes some part of the postcard by design.
divided back - where a line separated the address from the message on the stamp side of a card.
double backed - where an additional layer of paper is positioned so as to hide add on attachments.
E
embossed - where a postcard has raised aspects to accentuate the design.
embroidered - where thread is used for a design on the picture side of a card.
engraved - a printing method which usually leaves a ridge of ink for the design. This printing method has a deep look which is desirable.
exaggeration - where an object is shown in a greater  size that would be normal.
expo - exposition
expo cancel - a postal mark made at an exposition which usually raised the value of a card.
F
faded - where the original colors have dulled due to exposure to some deleterious environmental effect.
fan fold - where a card is intentionally made to have several faces.
filler - a card in poor condition holding a place in a collection until a better one comes along.
finger print - obviously not a desirable effect. Oils in the fingers can build up over time to make smudge marks on any paper. That is why sleeves are desirable.
first day - a postal cancel which is provided on the first day a stamp went on sale.
flap - a die cut method of providing a window in the face of a postcard where other images might be placed to increase the interest of the postcard.
folded card - usually a double postcard which is folded to the size of a single card.
folder - a postcard type which has as many as 18 images all folded in a fanfold arrangement so the folder can have many more than just a single image.
foreign - postcards from outside the USA.
forwarding marks - postal marks added by postal workers to send a postcard on when someone has moved. Many of these marks can be found on cards sent overseas.
foxing - brown spots which develop on paper through a process of oxidation. Not a good thing.
G
golden age of postcards - cards produced before the telephone came into wide spread use. Before 1920.
greeting cards - Christmas, Valentines Day, Easter, New Year and other holiday cards.
greetings from - a type postcard collected by many.
gruss aus - same as greetings from but from a foreign country, usually Germany.
H
hand cancel - a postal marking which is made by a hand held device rather than a machine. Often used at expositions.
hand colored - where color is added to the picture of a postcard by the hand of an artist. Not a printing technique by machine.
hand drawn - a postal card which is a single item drawn by an artist.
hand made - not machine made. But made one by one.
hand painted - where paint is added to the picture side of a card by hand.
hand tinted - where an air brush or other equipment is used to add a tint color to the picture side of a postcard.
hard sleeves - sleeves which will not bend when handling. Desirable for fragile postcards.
hold to light - a postcard which when held to a light source shows highlights.
holiday cards - any of the holiday cards for periods from New Year to Christmas.
I
image collector - a collector who is more interested in the image than the value of the card. Like me.
ink smear - usually from post office action but could be from sender.
ink transfer - often on the picture side if the ink from another card is pressed on the card.
installment card - where a series of cards are to be sent day after day to make a complete picture.
insufficient postage - hard to do except for foreign cards. Not enough.
J
jumbo - a card larger than 4 x 6 inches.
K
L
laminated - a layer of plastic on both sides for protection. Not good.
large letter - cards where letters spell out a place name. Neat.
lenticular - where an image changes as the card is tilted from side to side.
linen - cards with a texture to the paper. 1940's or so.
M
machine cancel - when a card is run through a canceling machine to deface the stamp.
mansurrated card - made from ground up paper.
maximum card - a card with stamp of same design as the image canceled on picture side.
mechanical - cards which have moving parts often very pricey.
metamorphic - often gruesome collage of smaller images to make a larger image.
mint on back - never used, no message, no stamp.
miscut - when a card is cut in a way that was not intended. Not good.
missent - post office sent postcard to wrong place then corrected it.
MOBSC - mint on the back with sharp corners. A good card.
museum card - cards produced from objects in a museum. Not great.
N
never used - no message, no stamp, not sent through the mail.
novelty - a card to which has been added some object to enhance the overall image.
NPCW - National Postcard Week
O
Oilette - a term used by Tuck for specific types of printing. Not a uniform condition.
oilfasism - often describes a card with a brush stroke picture surface.
on cover - stamp still attached to the envelope with postal markings.
P
paper transfer - paper which sticks to another card from pressure applied during storage.
paquette bot - a card mailed on a ship.
pen and ink cancel - older method of making sure stamp will not be used again.
pencil marks - could be price of card, could be inscription. Erase them.
pennants - a felt pennant shape add on with a place name written on it.
perforated - with holes arranged to make it easier to tear.
perforated edge - the edge that results when card torn from booklet or album.
personal postcard - card that has meaning to collector as in from family.
philatelic - stamp collector type item usually with more stamps than is necessary.
photochrome - a colorful card with a glossy picture.
photograph - a postcard made from a photograph
picture side - side opposite the address side.
pinhole - where a pin was stuck through a postcard to display it.
pioneer - earliest era for postcard. 1983 forward.
post card back - where there is a specific place for a stamp, message, and an address.
postage due - where not enough postage was applied, more is needed.
postal card - card sold by the post office with postage already attached.
postally used - a postcard that went through the mail stream.
postmark - identification of where card was sent or received.
postmark obliterated - where ink was so great that place name or time is not readable.
postmark skip - when a card goes through the mail but the postmark misses the stamp.
primary subject - largest aspect of a postcard usually larger than a silver dollar.
privately printed - not a production item. The one-of-a-kind item.
private mailing - early designation of a postcard about 1900.
publisher - the company that made the card.
punched hole - a hole used to display postcards for sale.
puzzle card - where there is a puzzle to be solved on the picture side of the card.
Q
QSL - a postcard used to acknowledge reception by a short wave radio operator.
R
rack -0 the metal holder which held cards pending sale.
real photo - postcard made by photographer of people and places.
repaired - where tape or glue was used to fix a bad spot, tear, or rip.
reproduction - a card that has been produced well after the first time it was made.
research - investigation to identify a person or place.
returned - brought back to the sender.
return to sender - when postcard could not be delivered, it is returned.
rip - damage to a postcard from use or postal machines.
RPPC - abbreviation for real photo post card.
rubbed spot - where a postal machine removed part of the picture on a card during processing.
S
secondary subject - not the primary subject. Usually smaller than a nickel.
separated - pulled apart.
serrated - a straight line perforation to aid in removal from an album or folder.
set - where several postcards with similar subjects were produced at the same time.
sewn - where thread is used to accent the design.
sharp corners - no rounding or bends to corners. This is good.
signed artist - person who drew or painted the face of the card signed their work.
silhouette - showing the form of an object or person all in black.
silk - where fabric is used as part of the picture side of a card.
sleeves - plastic holders to protect postcards.
smudge - where dirt or ink is on the surface in an undesirable place.
squeaker - a card when squeezed will produce a noise through a hold in the back of the card.
stained - either from water or other foreign substance, the image is obscured or toned.
stamp on picture side - where the post office allowed the stamp top be on the same side as the picture and is cancelled there.
stamp side - the side where the picture is not, typically the same side as the address.
stapled - where someone has run a staple through the image of the postcard. Not good.
states - obvious as a category for collecting.
studio - where a person is photographed in a prop like a car, street car, or airplane.
T
tape residue - when tape is removed, there remains a sticky substance. Not good.
tear - obviously not good.
tissue interleaf - where in a postcard album there is a thin sheet of tissue paper to separate the cards.
topical - the general term for collecting cards of various topics.
trimmed - someone has taken a pair of scissors to the edge of a card for what ever reason. Not good.
U
UDB - abbreviation for undivided back.
undivided back - an early post card where only the address was permitted on the stamp side.
UV - ultraviolet rays will damage a card if left in the sunlight, for example.
V
verso - the reverse of a card.
view card - an image of a place any where in the world.
vintage - often meaning an early item. But could be any age ex. vintage 1950.
W
warp - a bend due to moisture or storage technique. Not good.
watermark - part of the manufacturing process where an imprint is made in the paper itself.,
water stain - made through improper handling or storage. Not good.
white border - where a white trim extends around the image of a card like a frame.
X
Y
Z