Real Photo Post Cards are Worth REAL Money
by Mark Pusateri
Also known as RPPCs, these are actual photographs that were produced by developing them onto photographic paper the size and weight of a postcard, with the standard postcard back consisting of space for address, message and postage. Most date before 1940, with the heyday being 1910 to 1930.
There were other ways of placing an image on a postcard which are not "real photos". Most of these were mass produced commercial cards. The easiest way to tell the difference is to use a magnifying glass. If the image is printed, you will see that it is made up of little dots, just like a photo printed in a newspaper. A "real photo" postcard will show no dots under magnification.
There is collector interest for just about anything except "instant ancestors", those photos of people standing no place in particular, staring at the camera.
Hot areas for collectors include: buildings, vehicles, street scenes, aviation, saloons, animals, hunting, fshing, working (called 'occupationals'), ships, railroads, risque/nudes, the list goes on.
The most expensive cards are typically identified buildings and street scenes, with occupationals a close second.
Here are some prices collectors have recently paid for RPPCs on eBay:
* $280 for a 1910s card showing a horse drawn milk wagon.
* $227 for a 1910s card showing main street in Truckee, California.
* $205 for a 1905 card showing a New Jersey railroad depot.
* $120 for a 1920s card showing a gas station in Maine
* $105 for for a 1920s card an extreme close-up of a woman's eyes.
Of course, not every card is this valuable. Most fall in the $10 to $30 range.
There are hundreds of items like this, seemingly mundane objects that that collectors are willing to pay surprising sums for. This is just one reason it pays to consult a professional when you are downsizing or need to sell an estate.
