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First U.S. Postal Card
commonpre-1900

First U.S. Postal Card

United States · 1873 · 1 cent

The PC-G2 postal card features an allegorical design of Liberty seated, holding a shield and olive branch, with 'UNITED STATES POSTAL CARD' and 'ONE CENT' text. It was the very first official postal card issued by the United States Post Office Department.

Introduced in 1873, the postal card offered a significantly cheaper and more convenient way to send short messages compared to letters, quickly becoming immensely popular and transforming everyday communication in the United States.

Printing Method

Typography

Catalog Numbers

scottUX1

Image: · License:

View on Wikimedia Commons

Estimated Values by Condition

Superb(S)

Perfectly centered, fresh, no faults

$35
Extremely Fine(XF)

Well centered, fresh colors

$18
Very Fine(VF)

Nicely centered, minor flaws

$8
Fine(F)

Average centering, acceptable

$4
Good(G)

Off-center or visible wear

$2

Prices are approximate market estimates for educational purposes. Actual values depend on specific factors including cancel type, margins, and provenance.

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