What is a postcard?

Postcard is a kind of card containing information. It can be mailed directly without an envelope and must be stamped. The front is in the form of an envelope, and the back has the function of stationery. The advantage is that you don't need an envelope. The disadvantage is that there is little space and no privacy. It is also called "mail". What is written on the postcard is public and can be seen by others. The content usually does not involve concerns about privacy, so it is called a clear letter. Postcard postage is cheaper than ordinary mail in some places [1]? . According to the description of China Post, ordinary people can print postcards by themselves, but they are not allowed to mark "China Post". So many people will call postcards issued by post offices "postal currency cards", while private printers call them "postal currency cards".

1. It is classified according to the purpose of issuance and the mode of postal transportation, with wide coverage and strong scientific nature. Postcard collectors collect and sort out according to this method, and the compilation style of postcard catalogue is also determined accordingly. According to this classification, there are: commemorative stamps, special stamps, New Year stamps, tourist attractions stamps, Christmas stamps, donation stamps, military postcards, ordinary stamps, airmail stamps, pipeline stamps, special stamps and so on. Among them, there are many kinds of special postcards, such as hope project, consultation, seeking medical advice, echo card and other domestic postal films; In foreign countries, there are special stamps for government agencies, official services, parcels, change of address (Figure 1), radio quiz (Figure 2), job introduction, postal savings, unified distribution of goods and orders, and so on.

2. Classification by design form. The design form of postcards can attract people's attention and arouse the interest of collectors at all levels. Such as art postcards, book postcards and advertising postcards; Non-paper stamps, such as plastic pressed three-dimensional postcards (Figure 3), wooden postcards, etc.

3. According to the postage utility of postcards, there are local postage stamps, foreign postage stamps, international aviation, postage stamps with new postage stamps, free postage stamps, postage paid, pre-sale postage stamps (Figure 4) and so on.

4. Thematic stamp collecting is classified according to the graphic content on postage postcards and named after the thematic name. If the pictures and texts have dance material, they are called dance postage films.

5. Some philatelists classify the stamps actually sent, that is, first day stamps, registered stamps, stamps with various stamps or postal labels, such as stamps with local surcharge labels, and so on.