Here are the postcards!
I’ve been collecting postcards since 2008. Since then, I’ve sent and received over 1800 postcards from all over the US and dozens of countries. I respond to every postcard I receive, so I’m always open for private swaps.
My origin story: Back when I was a young boy, I got the idea to write a letter to several world leaders, but I only ever ended up writing the US president and the Queen of England. I was so tickled to receive responses from President Bush and then Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II! Well, they weren’t directly from the world leaders, but rather from their staff members. President Bush sent me an autographed photograph (which I lost later in a show-and-tell accident).
One of the Queen’s ladies-in-waiting sent me a very detailed letter, typed on Buckingham Palace stationery, answering all of my questions about the Queen’s horses and her corgis and her favorite foods. I marveled at the strangely-sized paper, the texture of the embossed coat of arms centered at the top of the page, and the stamps on the envelope. A real person had spent time reading my letter, responding to it, folding it and placing it in an envelope, and then more real human beings had taken the time and effort to transport it from London to some mail distribution center, to an airport in England, to an airport in the US, and back through the various USPS chains until it arrived in a plastic mailbox at the foot of my driveway in southeast Michigan.
I’m still fascinated by this process today, and all for less than the price of some chocolate! So I maintain correspondence with about a dozen penpals across the world, and send and receive postcards. At last count, I have a little under 2,000 postcards that I’ve received. Keep scrolling to see the most recent postcards that have arrived in my mailbox.
greenery (Germany)
At first I thought this postcard was from a tropical area - due to the verdant forest - but it's actually from Germany!
Ostuni (Italy)
This postcard arrived to celebrate World Postcard Day (although it didn't arrive until Halloween)! I'm very grateful to all of my friends, local and not, especially those who exchange postcards with me. <3
Taiwanese calendar
This sender is also an English teacher but teaches in a middle school; what a delight to receive this interesting postcard!
le Palais des Papes d’Avignon (France)
Voici le Palais des Papes d’Avignon, et—comment écrit-il Dominique—c’est un des 10 monuments les plus visités de France. Moi, je ne l’ai pas encore visité!
San Joaquin Valley (California)
Greg and James came for a visit last month and this beautiful postcard was sent in thanks. We truly enjoyed seeing them and hosting them, and are looking forward to doing it again soon!
multiview of Prague (Czechia)
Jörg was traveling recently and took the time to send me this postcard. Among the things he enjoyed in Prague was a great number of vegan restaurants (did I not know my penpal was vegan?!)!
Place Djamâa El Fna (Morocco)
This beautiful postcard arrived from my Italian penpal Lino who traveled to Morocco recently. He and his husband saw lots of great sights and sites!
French flamingos in flight
This terrific postcard arrived from Lauren who was traveling in Camargue where they saw thousands of gorgeous flamingos in the salt flats.
lenticular Alaska
Unfortunately lenticular postcards just don't scan well, so this looks a mess on the computer. But in person, it's a stunning representations of the northern lights over a bay alternating with them over a beautiful pond. Thanks to Ray in Canada for sending this!
Gronau (Germany)
Jörg writes that his family moved to Germany decades ago and he visits regularly, so he's seen how the city has changed these past few years.
Queenie (Illinois)
I love it when people find postcards in one location that come from another location. In this case, our niblings Emily and Carter found this postcard in Michigan City, Indiana but it features Queenie, an African lioness who arrived at the Lincoln Park Zoo in 1943.
Waterford, Virginia (New York)
Katie and I took the 5-day Artisan I baking course this past summer at the San Francisco Baking Institute, and apart from bonding over bread baking, we also bonded over a shared love of postcards!
welcome to Petaluma (California)
Kimee and Michael were up in wine country to celebrate a friend's wedding! I really like Petaluma.
Musée Richard Wagner (Switzerland)
Voici le Musée Richard Wagner à Lucerne. Dominique écrit que les visiteurs qui savent jouer le piano sont autorisés le faire! Tellement cool!
Banff map (Alberta)
This postcard took a while to arrive due to the postal strike in Canada, but Matt took the time to find and send a postcard while on an amazing photography trip!
Chris Rockway (Australia)
Here's another great postcard in Matty's informal series of beautiful men. This model is named, although I don't recommend your web-searching the name unless you're on a privately-owned computer at home.
unexpected fortune (Taiwan)
This translates, roughly as, “may you have an unexpected fortune” which is something I think we could all benefit from!
Napa wineries (California)
What a lovely postcard to get from our friends Kimee and Michael who were enjoying some wine tasting in Napa. The question is : how many of these wineries do we recognize? For me, I can say: 15
fan service (California)
There's always been something very queer about superheroes, so this fan art about Superman and Batman sharing a passionate kiss is not surprising at all.
World Postcard Day 2025 (Oregon)
This postcard arrived in celebration of World Postcard Day 2025 and I really love the art!