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Pioneer Era

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The earliest American postcards appeared at the Colombian Exposition in Chicago in May 1893. These rare  cards are labeled 'Souvenir Card' or ' Mail Card'
 

Private Mailing Era

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This era started on May 19,1898 when the government authorized the printing and sale of post cards. These cards are labeled 'Private Mailing Cards'.
 

Post Card Era or Undivided Back

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December 24, 1901 saw the first use of the phrase 'Post Card' printed on a card. These cards are also known as Undivided Back.  As with all the previous cards, the entire back of the card was reserved for the address. If any message was written, it was not allowed on the same side with the address, but had to appear on the face of the card. Writing on the face of a card normally reduces it's value, but for these early cards it is becoming more acceptable.
 

Divided Back Era

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On March 1, 1907 the appearance of the familiar center line, providing a space for address and message on the backs of post cards appears.
 

White Border Era

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World War I was the reason for the next phase in the evolution of post  cards. Most post cards up to this point had been printed in Germany.  They were the finest lithographers in the world. When we went to war, we stopped trade with Germany. The new era in cards is named for the white margin surrounding the image on the card. Our printing was of very poor quality and would not improve noticeably until World War II.
 

Linen Era

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The high rag content and the linen texture to the paper give this period it's name. The improved quality in printing technology, and better quality paper was offset by the cheap brightly colored inks used. Originally ignored by collectors, these card from the 30's and 40's are becoming very popular.
 

Polychrome Era

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Theses glossy cards are printed on a press, but have a photo like appearance. First appearing in the late 40's they are the popular cards of today.
 

Real Photo

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This  category started around 1900, and continues today. These post cards are actually photographs, processed in a darkroom, then imprinted with the postcard back. They usually were printed in very limited quantities.  Topics range from proud homeowners sitting on their porch, to local events like circus parades, or disasters. These very desirable cards can be very hard to date unless postally imprinted.