Ephemera is the everyday paper of the past: things printed to be used once and thrown away. Because most of it was thrown away, the pieces that survived are little time capsules, and collectors love them.
What Counts as Ephemera?
- Postcards, including real photo postcards. See our guide to dating vintage postcards.
- Victorian trade cards and die-cut scraps. See our trade card guide.
- Greeting cards and valentines. See our greeting card and valentine guide.
- Letters, envelopes and covers, especially with interesting stamps or postmarks.
- Advertising: brochures, catalogs, calendars, ink blotters, labels and product inserts.
- Tickets and programs from fairs, theaters, sports, trains and events.
- Photographs, from cabinet cards to snapshots. See our guide to dating antique photographs.
- Documents: receipts, report cards, certificates, menus, maps and recipe cards.
- Paper dolls, games and children's books.
What Makes Ephemera Collectible?
- Subject: collectors usually hunt by theme, like holidays, a hometown, trains, cars, advertising, fashion, a certain company or a historical event.
- Age and rarity: older pieces, and pieces that rarely survived, tend to be worth more.
- Beautiful printing: bright chromolithography, embossing and gold accents add appeal.
- Local history: a postcard or ad from a small town may mean little elsewhere but a lot to collectors there.
- Condition: clean, bright, uncreased pieces are best. Tears, stains, tape and missing corners lower value.
Watch for Reproductions
Popular images, like Victorian valentines, trade cards and advertising, are widely reproduced. Reproductions often have bright white, smooth modern paper, a dot pattern under a magnifier, and too-perfect condition.
Storing Ephemera
- Use acid-free sleeves, folders and boxes, or archival albums.
- Never use tape, glue, rubber bands or paper clips, which stain and tear.
- Avoid old "magnetic" photo albums, which ruin paper.
- Keep paper cool, dry and out of light, away from attics and basements.
- Handle with clean, dry hands.
What's the oldest piece of paper in your family? A letter, a ticket, a recipe card? Tell us about it!