Reference

Postcard Abbreviations and Condition Terms: A Plain-English Glossary

Postcard listings can read like code. "RPPC, DB, AZO, PM 1912, NM, minor cnr wear." If you are new, or you have just inherited a box and are trying to understand dealer listings, the shorthand is a real barrier. This glossary explains the abbreviations and condition words you will see most often, what they actually tell you, and where sellers stretch them.

Usage varies between dealers and countries, so treat these as common meanings rather than official definitions. When a listing matters to you, look at the scans rather than trusting the label.

Back and era abbreviations

These describe the layout of the address side, which is one of the first dating clues collectors use. All date ranges are approximate and commonly cited for US cards.

Term	Means	Notes
PMC	Private Mailing Card	Back wording used on US private cards roughly 1898–1901. No dividing line.
UDB	Undivided back	No dividing line; message on the front. Commonly dated roughly 1901–1907 in the US.
DB	Divided back	Line splitting message and address. US cards from about 1907 onward, so it is a broad label.
WB	White border	White frame around the image, commonly dated roughly 1915–1930.
Linen	Linen-textured card	Fabric-like surface and bright colour, roughly 1930–1945 (and later in some cases).
Chrome	Glossy photographic colour card	From about 1939 onward, dominant after the Second World War.
Continental	Larger card size	About 4 x 6 inches, typical of later chromes and modern cards.

For a deeper explanation of each era, see our practical timeline and postcard backs explained.

Card type and printing terms

RPPC: Real photo postcard. A photograph developed on postcard-format photographic paper. Often mislabeled: under a 10x loupe a real photo shows smooth tone with no dot grid. See the RPPC identification guide.
Litho / chromolitho: Printed by lithography, often multi-colour. Common on early greetings and German-printed views.
Collotype: A printing process with fine, irregular grain that can look very photographic.
Halftone: Printed with a dot screen. Visible as a grid of dots under magnification.
Hand-coloured / tinted: Colour added by hand or as a printed tint over a monochrome image. See hand-coloured and tinted postcards.
Embossed: Raised design pressed into the card. Common on greetings.
Mechanical / novelty: Cards with moving parts, fold-outs or attachments. See mechanical and novelty postcards.
A/S: Artist-signed. The artist's signature appears in the printed image. See artist-signed greeting postcards.
Large letter: A place name in big block letters filled with scenes. See large letter postcards.

Postal use terms

Term	Means	What to check
PM / postmarked / posted / used	Went through the mail	Is the date legible? Which town? Is the stamp still there?
Unused / unposted	Never mailed	May still have writing. Ask if it matters.
Written	Has handwriting	On the back, front or both? Does it cover the image?
Blank back	No writing, no postmark	Usually the same as unused and unwritten.
DPO	Discontinued post office	A postmark from a post office that later closed. Of interest to postal history collectors.
RPO	Railway post office	A cancel applied by mail clerks on trains.
Flag cancel / machine cancel	Type of cancellation	Machine cancels often include wavy lines or a flag design.
Stamp removed / no stamp	Stamp missing	Look for a torn or thinned area where it was taken off.

Whether postal use helps or hurts depends on the card. Our comparison of posted vs unused postcards walks through when writing and postmarks add research interest.

Condition grades

Postcards do not have a single universal grading scale in the way coins or sports cards do, and professional third-party grading is not the norm for most postcards. Dealers use word grades, and their meanings drift. The table below reflects how the words are commonly used, from best to worst.

Grade	Commonly means
Mint (M)	As made. Sharp corners, no wear, no writing. Very hard to find on older cards; be sceptical of the word.
Near mint (NM)	Close to new with only the faintest handling. Corners sharp.
Excellent (EX)	Clean, bright, slight corner softness. No creases.
Very good (VG)	Light wear: rounded corners, light edge wear, perhaps light toning. No major creases through the image.
Good (G)	Obvious wear: soft corners, minor creases or small stains. Still presentable.
Fair (F)	Significant problems: creases, stains, tears, album damage.
Poor (P)	Heavily damaged. Kept mainly for the image or as a placeholder.

Read grades as a dealer's opinion. One seller's "VG" is another's "EX." For anything that matters, judge the scans yourself using our condition guide.

Defect and wear terms

Corner wear / cnr wear: rounding or fraying at the corners. Nearly universal on older cards.
Dinged / bumped corner: a corner pushed in or folded slightly.
Crease: a sharp fold line that breaks the surface. Location matters; a crease through the image is worse than one in a margin.
Bend: a softer curve that does not break the surface.
Edge wear: rubbing or fraying along the sides.
Toning: overall yellowing or browning of the paper.
Foxing: small brown spots, often from age and humidity.
Album marks / AP (album paper): residue, thinning or corner cuts from old albums. See antique postcard albums.
Thin / thinned: paper lifted from the back, often where a stamp or glue was removed.
Silvering: a mirror-like metallic sheen in the dark areas of older real photos.
Trimmed: edges cut down. Reduces desirability for most collectors.
Pinholes / tack holes: holes from being pinned to a wall or board.
Water stain / tide line: a stain with a defined edge from moisture.

Phrases that need a second look

Some listing language is accurate; some is optimistic. These are the phrases worth questioning.

"RPPC" on a card whose scan shows a dot pattern. It is printed.
"Rare" without explanation. Ask what makes it rare, then check completed sales.
"Mint" on a card more than a century old. Possible but uncommon; zoom in.
"Early" with no back scan. Ask for the back.
"Minor wear" with no close-ups of corners. Ask for them.
"Old" or "antique" on a card with modern back printing. It may be a reproduction.

Using the glossary to research

Once you can read the shorthand, you can search more precisely. Put the abbreviation together with the town or subject you collect, then switch to completed sales to see how similar cards were described and received.

Try precise searches:

Undivided back (UDB) listings DPO postmark cards Sold RPPCs described as near mint

A good reference book on postcard history and terminology is also worth having on the shelf for the terms that do not fit in a glossary.

Postcard reference books on Amazon

The bottom line

Verdict: The back abbreviations (PMC, UDB, DB, WB) and the card-type terms (RPPC, linen, chrome) are reasonably consistent across the hobby. Condition words are not. Learn the shorthand so you can search and catalogue efficiently, but make your own judgment from the scans every time.

FAQ: What does DB mean on a postcard? :: DB means divided back: the address side has a line separating the message area from the address area. In the US, divided backs are commonly dated from 1907 onward, so it is a broad description rather than a specific date. FAQ: What does PM mean in a postcard listing? :: PM usually means postmarked, and is often followed by a year or town. It tells you the card went through the mail and gives a date it was used, not the date it was printed. FAQ: Is there an official postcard grading scale? :: Not in the way there is for coins or trading cards. Dealers use word grades such as near mint, excellent, very good, good and fair, but their exact meanings vary between sellers. FAQ: What is foxing on a postcard? :: Foxing is scattered small brown spots on paper, usually linked to age and humidity. It is a condition issue and is worth noting in any description. FAQ: What does DPO mean? :: DPO stands for discontinued post office. It refers to a postmark from a post office that has since closed, which can interest postal history and local history collectors.