Page 6 - Prepaid Reply Cards

2.1 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT: ESTABLISHING «THE POSTCARD»

1860S: THE POSTCARD BECOMES AN OFFICIAL DELIVERY FORM
With the increasing popularity of announcement and representative cards, the Prussian Post 1865 permitted the
official use of «Offenen Karten» (open cards) as distinctive form of mailing. In the beginning, these «open
cards» had to be franked at printed matter rate, but soon specific «postcard» rates were introduced.

Prussian «open card» used 1867 ©

In 1869 the Imperial Austrian Post issued for the first time a postal stationery postcard labelled «Correspondenz-
Karte». The ease of use and the reduced postage rate made the card to become a «bestseller» in no time and
ultimately the card several million copies were printed. This ultimately led to the «breakthrough» of the postcard
as a respectable form of mailing and attracted many other postal administrations to issue similar cards, among
them in 1870 alone Switzerland, Luxemburg, Great Britain, Finland, the North German Confederation, Baden
and Württemberg.

Early usage of the «best selling» Austrian «Correspondenz‐Karte»
within the first month of issue in 1869

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