Postcard without ID

Does USPS cover up any space at the postcard? I got postcards where the code was printed over the text, but I still could read it easily…

1 Like

Yes, they do — often the space to the left of the stamp gets a sprayed-on cancellation mark, which can be just the location + date, or it can be quite big if it’s a special one like these.

1 Like

Yes. USPS covers the bottom 1/4 inch of the card with a barcode. It can be printed directly on the card or may be affixed with a removable label. I have gotten many, many cards where the ID was written at the bottom and was difficult to decipher because the barcode was printed over it. I advise everyone to please write the ID at the top left or vertically to the left of the address, not at the bottom of the card.
IMG_9409

4 Likes

I still can see the ID clearly, but I always have to remind me, not all can. Sometimes when it’s hard, it helps a little when you tilt the card.

But, anyways, I think it’s best to write the id twice.

Ah! I wasn’t sure whether the USPS barcode was black or orange, as they do in some countries. Black definitely makes it harder to read anything written in that area. :frowning:

Sometimes it’s light neon orange, sometimes both.
I don’t know if they have different purpose? The orange one does not have the numbers.

Edit.
Here is the orange on the image side, over the San Francisco text:

This one has the black barcode on the message side, but some cards only have this orange, some only the black one.

The black code is a unique ID code which is printed on every mailpiece.
The yellow/neon orange code is a sorting code.

1 Like

So are these stamped three times? The orange, then the normal postmark and the black bar code?
Interesting!

So I have my own problem today, a card received dated 30.12.2020 with an ID that places it as sent in September 2019!

FInding missing ID from does not accept an ID which is out of date, so I have sent a message via the contact form and will update on the response.

Very swift reply from Vicki. It was an original ID from 2019 with the sender having noticed that I was back on Postcrossing and resending a card, a lovely thought and a beautiful card too.

Thanks to Postcrossing support I was able to send a thank you message even if the card cannot be officially registered.

4 Likes

Hi was wondering if anyway to trace where a card was sent from? I received one today but no code on it for .e to input as received.

1 Like

Welcome to the forum @ashanemeth

You can ask the support for looking if it is an official card

1 Like

You can look at the stamps to find out wich country the card was send from.
You can contact Postcrossing to help you find the corret ID.

Hi all.
I have received this beautiful postcard today of a lighthouse from Natasha in Novosibirsk in Russia. Unfortunately there is no postcrossing registration code written on it, so I can’t register it. It was posted on 14th November. If you have sent this to me please could you message me so that I can register it as received for you? :pray:t2: Thank you

I have a mystery card too.
I think it’s an official one, it doesn’t fit any of the tags I joined or swaps I made. Can’t make out the name of the sender either.
I asked the postcrossing team for help with the ID, uploaded the pictures too, but it was not retrievable.

I hope the sender is active on the forum, and makes him/herself known :blush:.


I think it might be from DWMcG

Thanks! I’ve sent a PM to check.

Mystery solved. Thanks!

2 Likes

Hello, today I got a card from Germany. She wrote her mailing address but no Postcrossing ID. I also asked “Search the Postcard ID” but they show “still searching” although it has been hours (How long does it take usually? Does it takes so long time normally?)

If she didn’t get Postcrossing ID, I’m wondering how did she get my address. I thought unless she got postcrossing ID, she can’t get my address. I announce that I’m not interested in direct swap. Is my address opened somewhere? It’s scary a bit…

Sometimes it takes longer, don’t worry.
I’m sure it will be easy to find, since there’s the senders address too.

2 Likes