Early Canadian Postcards
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On January 1, 1895, the Post Office Department of the Canadian Government permitted “Private Post Cards” to be mailed at the same rate as government issued post cards. These early private post cards had blank backs.
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On December 9, 1897 the Post Office announced that "designs, illustrations, portraits, sketches or other forms of advertisement may be engraved, lithographed, printed, etc., on the 'address' side of the one-cent Post Card." Again, only the address was allowed to be written on the stamp side, and space was left around the image for any message from the sender. The back was labelled Private Mailing Card with a outlined box designated for the stamp.
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City of Hamilton
Private Post Card, unused
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City of Hamilton
Private Post Card, unused
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City of Hamilton
Private Post Card, unused
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All three City of Hamilton Private Post Cards are different sizes
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Gore Park
Private Post Card, unused
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Sir John A MacDonald Monument
Private Post Card, unused
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Normal School
Private Post Card, unused
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Canada Life Building
Private Mailing Card, unused
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Elevated Railway to the Mountain
Private Mailing Card, unused
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The Gore
Private Mailing Card, August 8, 1904
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Gore Park
Private Mailing Card, April 8, 1904
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Examples of PMC's where the space around the image is filled with the message.
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City Hall
PMC, August 26, 1905
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James St. South
PMC, August 5, 1905
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Sir John MacDonald Monument
PMC, unused
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City Hall
PMC, Postmarked November 24, 1903
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Piers, Hamilton Mountain and Dundurn Park
Private Mailing Card, unused
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Found on many private post cards was "Postal Card - Carte Postale" which indicated it was allowed to enter the international mail system.
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Gore Park and
King Street West
PMC, unused
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East End Incline and
Hamilton & Barton Incline
PMC, Postmarked January 21, 1904
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Hamilton Market and Parke & Parkes Drug Store
Private Postal Card, unused
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Public Library, Post Office and T.H.&B. Station
(I am not sure how to label this Beautiful Vignette of 3 Hamilton Landmarks)
unused
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