A screen capture of the eBay posting for the St. George's Church, Guelph postcard. It is selling for $9.99 USD.

This card holds many different types of value. First, the card holds monetary value. Depending on who is looking to purchase this card and for what purpose, the monetary value may be different. On eBay however, this card retails for ten U.S. dollars, equivalent to $13.42. This value (considered high to some people and low to others) could be due to numerous factor. This postcard is of a church in Guelph, Ontario. Depending on where the person examining this card is from, it will change the value of the card. For example, a person living half-way across the world, who has never heard of Guelph will find little-to-no value from this card. Additionally, the memory one holds for this card or what the card depicts will change the value of it. For example, if this church was where one’s child was baptized or where one was married, you would be more likely to put more monetary value to the card, since it holds intrinsic value for you also. Lastly, the collection in which the card belongs to would change its monetary value. For the Guelph Archives for example, a card depicting the second church in history built in Guelph would see more value in this card than the Archives of Vancouver, since this card is directly linked to Guelph and is a part of its history.

            Second, the card holds personal value. There really isn’t a right word to describe this value, but this is the value one finds for an object that is more important than any sum of money. It’s the value that speaks to your heart. For example, to the ancestor of the photographer of this photo, this postcard would be a nice keepsake. In contrast, if the image in this postcard was the location for a momentous occasion in one’s life it would hold a lot of value as well. Additionally, if this postcard was gifted to you by someone you love very much, it would hold a lot of value as a reminder of that person, and even more value if that person has passed away.

            There are also many factors that affect these values of this postcard, and postcards in general. The material in which the postcard was printed on may increase or decrease the value of the postcard. For example, a postcard printed on expensive, sturdy cardstock would be more valuable than a postcard printed on thin, withering paper because it is more likely to survive and be preserved for a longer period. The method used to produce the card also alters the value of the card. Using a rare or new technique of printing postcards would add value to the card. Having a high-quality image on the card rather than a stick drawing or some scribbles would also increase the value of the card.