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.
Windy City (Illinois)
Emily and Carter sent these winter greetings, signed by the whole Jason clan, since they were spending a long weekend in the Windy City!
entering Bean Town (Iowa)
Nozomi was in Boston again for the annual BUCLD conference - its 50th anniversary meeting — and sent this great postcard!
miracle card (Pennsylvania)
Thea knew very well that this postcard could never scan to its true glory; it features a cellophane overlay that spins on the central nut, creating a very trippy optical illusion. Come visit and I’ll show you in person!
Cosmobile (France)
Dominique m’a envoyé cette carte postale avec une création d’André Ferrand. Il a été en Normandie où il a reçu cette carte postale d’un antiquaire.
Canadian pride
Ray sent this great illustration and on the back included the fantastic pride stamps from Canada Post. If only the USPS could get on board with that. Although we do have a great Harvey Milk stamp.
Yued Boodja (Australia)
This beautiful postcard comes from my penpal in Australia, Matty. I love indigenous art, especially what I’ve seen from Australia. The illustrator for this card is Kevin Bynder.
Prehistoric Scene at Rancho La Brea by Charles R. Knight (Illinois)
This art style is so iconic! I’ve even been to La Brea, which is pretty cool. I wonder if Knight did lots of this artwork all over, and not just at the Field Museum, which Emily and Carter visited. They enjoyed Sue, of course, but mostly Emily was fascinated by the mummies!
Avignon - le Palais des Papes (France)
J’aime bien voir les figures en bas de cette image pour bien comprendre la taille massive de ce château. En pensant à sa construction à l’époque-là, c’est vraiment effrayant de l’imaginer.
LouPaper Thanksgiving (Oregon)
I so love the artwork for LouPaper and I haven’t seen this Thanksgiving one before! Of course Linda sent it - she has such a great eye for postcards. <3
Deauville (France)
Dominique a pris quelques jours de bien être en Normandie ici à Deauville, pas trop loin des places de débarquement de D-Day. Comment dont parlent-ils les français, je me demande…
two black cats (Virginia)
Our friend Quinn was in the US to visit a friend and sent us this postcard from the Poe Museum in Richmond, Virgina! I wish I’d visited when I was in Richmond all those years ago.
Avignon par Gordot (France)
Voici une peinture d’Avignon par Claude-Marie Gordot (1722-1804) que Dominique m’a envoyée. Il a écrit que le facteur lui avait dit que parfois il entre dans la rue que pour lui donner du courriel à lui tout seul - surtout des cartes postales. Moi aussi j’ai eu des conversations pareils avec le facteur, qui se rend compte que j’en reçois beaucoup de carte postales!
Vienna multiview (Austria)
Jörg was visiting Austria recently and sent his best from this beautiful city. I’ve only been to Salzburg, so there’s lots more Austria for me to discover!
police feline (China)
This postcard comes from a 35-year old in China with really nice handwriting and beautiful stamps.
art nude (Australia)
Matty is getting ready for his big trip this year; he’s visiting Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines, Palau, and Japan! What a world traveler!
“baleine” by Paul Windsor (Canada)
Andy picked this postcard up while he was in Vancouver on Granville Island! I’m excited to visit it myself in 2026.
This postcard is strange because it has a Canadian stamp on it but US Postal Service cancellations. Weird.
sea turtle facts (Michigan)
Our niece Lauren sent this postcard with an update about the diving season, which by all accounts is going quite well!
Woodstock (New York)
My dear friend Aleksa traveled to New York recently and even visited Woodstock! I’ve never been there at all.
Senák’w (Canada)
Andy sent this postcard from his more recent trip in early November to Vancouver, and it arrived just a week or two later. I’m eager to visit Granville Island when we both travel to Vancouver in February!
if looks could kill (France)
One more arresting piece from the Museum that Dominique visited.