Dating Postcards By Changes in U.S. Postal Rates

Even though some postcards from different eras have the same price, it can still help to know how much the Post Office was charging if you’re trying to date a postcard.

For example, if you’re not sure if the postcard is from 1920 or 1926, you can tell because the postage on a postcard from 1920 will cost 1 penny, while the postage on a postcard from 1926 will cost 2 pennies.

Of course, it doesn’t help you when you’re trying to tell if it’s from 1916 or 1919, which both cost 1 penny to mail. The price went up to 2 pennies in 1917 and 1918, then went back down to 1 penny in 1919.

Still, the list below shows when the postage rates changed and could be helpful to postcard collectors who are looking for a rough estimate.