Figure 1.--Here is an early U.S. Government postcard, called a 'Postal Card. Private companies could not use the term. The idea of placing a photograph on one side had notv yet occurred nor did the technology exist.

Long before postcards, Americans began sending cards through the mail with addresses and postage on one side. These were not post cards and collectors commonly referred to them simply as 'mailed cards'. We also see envelopes with pictures on them. Actual examples of these envelopes are very rare. The first actual post cards were privately printed cards. Apparently the Post Office was not sure how to deal with them. After some debate, Congress passed a law that allowed these privately printed cards (February 27, 1861). This came at a pivotal time in American history. You would have thought with the country coming apart that Congress would have hard more to worry about. Congress set the cost for mailing a card weighing 1 ounce or under at 1 cent. At the same time, John P. Charlton copyrighted America's first postcard in America. After the Civil War, Hymen L. Lipman reissued Charlton’s postcard, but with his name -- Lipman’s Postal Cards. Congress acted again, approved government issuance of post cards (1872). The U.S. PostbOffice issued its first postcard (1873). The front of the postcard identified it as an official U.S. Government product and was for the address. Congress mandated the only postcards allowed to bear the term 'Postal Card'. Private publishers were still allowed to print postcards, but they the mailers had to pay 2 cents rather than the 1 cent Post Office cards to mail them.

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Created: 1:31 AM 4/3/2008
Last updated: 1:31 AM 4/3/2008