Hi there! So I think we’ve established that a wooden postcard should cost the First-class non-machinable rate…I have different problems with wooden cards.
Are they cool in their own way? yes! Especially the laser-engraved ones.
- They seem to be popular offerings at souvenir shops, but yikes are they costly! There may not be any cheaper paper alternatives at some places.
- I can’t bear to mail them! If I get one as a gift, I keep thinking it’s too nice to mail!
- They would take up a ton of space to collect.
Does anyone here buy/mail these regularly?
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I’m visiting this topic as I have 2 wooden LP postcards to send out. I’m curious if there’s been any kind of change in how much they cost to mail and what experiences you’ve had over the last year.
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I recently gave away one in a lottery and took it to the post office to mail. I paid the non-machinable rate and the clerk seemed to think it would be fine. Waiting for it to arrive.
Yes, I’ve had better luck by putting non-machinable rate postage on it and then taking it to a different post office. My local post office still wants to charge postage as if it were a package.
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Did it ever arrive!? Curious as I’m very interested in these types of cards!
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I’ve sent a few wooden postcards now, always from a post office other than the Tehachapi post office and they have always arrived. I’m still mystified as to why Tehachapi insists on charging me like my wood postcard was a package. Other POs just want to charge the non-machinable rate, which is fine.
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I’m wondering if it makes a difference within USA versus internationally? I’ve sent and received in both situations, and while the cards have always made it, sometimes they come with machine marks and the dreaded “apology envelope”.
In any event, @George_in_Tehachapi - if you’d like to exchange some wood, shoot me a private message! 
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One arrived cracked and I never heard from the other person I sent one to. So I don’t know if it never arrived or they just never told me.
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Last time was when I was traveling and sent wooden card from San Diego about two years ago. Was to Russia, and I had included slightly over postage at the time for international rate, plus non-machinable surcharge. I had no issue other than slightly confused mail clerk, but who still hand canceled and accepted them. Made it to destination just fine.
I finally got some more wood ones to send. Tried with the first one today (@kissthebeehive keep an eye out 
) It did not go well…
The two mail clerks at my local post office were very rude and told me it couldn’t be sent other than as a parcel.
Their main issue seemed to be that it was made of wood. Size/weight wasn’t an issue, just the fact that it was something made of wood they insisted it could only be mailed as a parcel. I am non-confrontational and wasn’t going to argue with them, but tried to ask why and and explain I had mailed them in the past without issue. Another worker jumped in and said the recipient must have paid the postage due.
I should have just took it back and tried another post office, but I crumbled and paid the parcel rate. I had a non-machinable butterfly stamp on there, and he gave me credit for that, and I paid the $4.12 difference for the big ugly white sticker that he slapped on there.
Slightly raging inside, but mostly just at myself. Will work up courage to try and send another one (from a different post office in one of the smaller more tourist friendly towns nearby), but would love to hear any others recent experience sending wood cards.
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Hello,
I received a wooden card some time ago (it reached me in April) from @Budgie, and it arrived intact! I believed she pasted on a global stamp and a non-machinable surcharge stamp.
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My guy - it totally can be sent as a postcard, as you know! They should have a plastic template they use to measure thickness. Although it is rigid, it still classifies as a postcard, albeit non-machinable. I’ve gotten into arguments with postal workers about this on several occasions, and I politely refer them to the USPS website. If you get flack next time, politely ask to speak to the branch manager /postmaster. They usually crumble upon the request, bur be politely persistent “for my own edification”, I always say.
The postmaster confirmed within less than a minute right there on the spot and I received apologies from the clerks. It all ended in a good note in this specific instance.
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Thanks for sharing @Seracker! And for more info and suggestions @kissthebeehive!
I think because the last time I had mailed a wood postcard it went fine without issue, I wasn’t expecting immediate pushback. I will def try again and share my next experience from a different post office(s). As all info and feedback still points like others have said here: SHOULD be just the First-Class Letter, Non-Machinable rate.
Update: I sent another wood postcard, this time as an official to Germany. but this time put it into a plastic clear envelope with stamps on the outside. I took it to a different post office in the small town of Tombstone. The postal worker there was very friendly, and was just remarking “oh how cool” and had no issues. Used the calculator to confirm at the moment first-class non-machinable to Germany was $1.85 so just used three first class forever stamps.
Oh and the previous card sent (with stupid parcel rate) arrived, late, in a bag cracked into pieces.
Well my 2nd recent wooden postcard arrived to Germany, I think in one piece.
To keep this on topic the “Cost to mail a wooden postcard” Total cost of card and to send it in my instance was just over 12 bucks with my (trying to be) humorous accounting.
Here is a breakdown:
- $5.00: Ordered sustainable birch wooden postcard from Lantern Press
- $1.89: Three (3) Forever first-class US postage stamps to cover international non-machinable rate
- $5.87: Driving one hour to the Tombstone post office because local one has grumpy clerks who refuse to send wooden cards at non-machinable rate. (40 miles round trip, ~1.6 gallons of gas used @3.67/g)
- Getting the Hurray! message with a short generic thanks for the card, with no mention of the fact the card is wood, but they like the stamps. Seeing my own photo of the card against the Arizona sky to show off the wood grain had been replaced with close up shot. And not getting a favorite, but a description with a heart instead…
PRICELESS!!
(trying to be funny with my sarcastic humor here. This is a joke based on old Mastercard commercials)
10/10, will absolutely send more wood cards again!
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I chuckled at your description, it brought a smile to my face.
If you ever draw me as an official - I’ll be absolutely thrilled to get a wood postcard (and a fav and a mention in the thank you message )
I’ve always wanted to send a wood postcard but there isn’t anyone selling them here.
I did find an online seller doing wood postcards, but I have to buy 50 pieces, and they all have to be the same picture.
Hence I’m still on the fence and haven’t taken the plunge yet.
Hopefully I’ll send one sometime in the future!
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It might be a little confusing but this is how USPS decides how to price different items. We try to be fair in pricing, if you mail one wood postcard it will probably be fine, but if you are mail 20 at a time, it might get charged differently just because it feels more like you are trying to cheat the system.
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That flowchart is AMAZING!! Thanks for sharing!
I have only had limited experiences mailing wood postcards. They are kind of a unique mail piece for sure. So fun to see and try every now and them with unique things like them.
A few years ago after starting postcrossing, I had mailed two I got on a trip back to San Diego. The postal working was very friendly but bewildered on accepting them, but no issues. My latest one sent from the Tombstone post office was one of my funniest interactions with the clerk their ever (she couldn’t stop saying “how cool” the card was and looking at it in awe. She also asked me if I had the postage correct, but didn’t question further, and had a fun chat. My local main office in my town I have had multiple bad experiences with on various things, including wooden and copper postcards…but won’t list here.
I was informed last week that first class envelopes are only for paper. Anything else is parcel rate. I tried mailing a card to Europe with an envelope to protect it and the clerk said it would be nearly $20. I decided against that but how disappointing.
