While most people like to simply update their Facebook walls with selfies of themselves while on holiday there was once a time when everyone would send a postcard. Some of those postcards are now collector’s items and some are worth more money than a holiday in space and you can even find some amazing Postcard Templates online that you can make yourself! Doing that has to be cheaper than this lot because these are ten of the worlds most expensive postcards…
10 – Pioneer Postcard (Value £1,000)
This is a Pioneer postcards, which was printed before July 1, 1898, in the U.S. The cards were used as advertising pieces and often carried information about a shop or a sale. They had writing on only one side since U.S. law forbade any writing on the address side of a postcard until the early 20th century.
9 – Ellen Clapsaddle Signed Christmas Postcard (Value £1,100)
Most Ellen Clapsaddle postcards go for a tidy sum, but one that is in good condition and signed will obviously go for a lot more.
8 – 1858 China Canton Allied Commissioners (Value £1,200)
Not only very old in terms of dates, but it was also the very first photo of China by USC Rossier School of Education
7 – Capuchin missionaries in Ottoman Mesopotamia at the beginning of the 20th century (Value £1,400)
This is one of the oldest photos of Iraq as well as one of the craziest stretched limos you will ever see! Be sure to tip the driver a carrot.
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6 – The launch of the RMS Titanic (Value £2,000)
I’m pretty sure you don’t need me to tell you why this is so rare. This is one postcard that will never sink in terms of value.
5 – 1903 Chinese Postcard (Value £4,500)
It is not so much the postcard that is rare (but it is) it is the fact that it was Posted in China via Russia! At the time this was globe trotting on a whole new level.
4 – 1908 Young Boys Pump House (Value £6,000)
Printed in 1908 this is a young boys pump house located in Kern River oil fields. Damn those pesky child labour laws for making this postcard so rare.
3 – 1905 Cleveland Indians (Value £11,000)
For a true baseball fan this is one of the rarest baseball postcards in the world and always goes for a pretty penny when placed up for auction.
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2 – African American Mother & Son (Value £16,000)
With the American flag stars and stripes in the background, this photo postcard is as rare as they come for both time of print and subject of the photo.
1 – Penny Peanuts (Value £31,759)
The most expensive postcard ever is also believed to be the world’s oldest. It was sent from a Fulham-based writer named Theodore Hook to himself in 1840, according to Guinness World Records. The postcard was then sold to Latvian collector Eugene Gomberg for £31,758.75 at the London Stamp Exchange auction in the UK in 2002 and is believed to predate all other surviving postcards by around 20 years.