I have received lots and lots of duplicates, but anything else would be really surprising. I can for example hardly expect someone from Russia to browse through currently 26 pages of received postcards from their country alone, that would be ridiculous. And if you collect a certain topic or series, of course you won’t receive every card only once. I have 86 different “Fauna of Belarus” postcards, but probably about twice the amount from that series in total - and that is totally fine. How could I complain if someone sends me something from my wishlist?
Once I received two identical cards (on the front, that is) of a combine harvester one after the other. The second was sent before the first one had arrived, so the second sender had no way of knowing this card was already on its way to me. The weird thing is that both chose this rather random card that was in no way connected to my profile. It was hilarious and I still remember these cards clearly, which, to be honest, I can’t say about every single card I have received in my almost 14 years of postcrossing.
After posting this question I have received a double this seems incredible as I have only received 15 cards ! As others have said, it’s from a different person and it’s the thought that counts.
I have this card too, (like several other postcrossers, I am sure), so you could have a triple, if you want and destiny matches us.
What’s more funny is that both users chose that specific card - maybe because it’s a flowery fabric pattern …
edit: just thinking of starting a ‘send me specific-card-x’-challenge myself - could be interesting
I got a lot of duplicates since I started exchanging postcards, but I don’t mind at all. I prefer that people send me postcards I already have because they thought I would like them, than people who don’t even read my profile and just send me a random postcard with a “Happy Postcrossing” on the back.
Recently, I’ve sent a Brazil MOTW postcard to someone who stated on her profile that she collects this series. I browsed her received wall and it was not there. I thought she would love it, but it turned out she already had it in her collection and her thank you message was kind of cold.
I think I’ve only gotten a duplicate once. I can’t recall if the combination was one forum and one official, two officials or two forum. Duplicates don’t bother me though because the message is always different.
I’m not sure I’ve gotten any duplicates, although in my collection of unsent (yet) cards I have A LOT of multiples of the same cards so several people will get the same card from me. In either case, I hope the message is important and they will still enjoy it.
I haven’t sent any yet, but there are five of the same key lime pie recipe card in my drawer for folks who seem to strongly prefer food-related themes!
Wow, I’m really surprised the algorithm will let that happen! I’m glad in your case the second card arrived and was registered. My only expired card so far was to a very picky profile who’s demands I was unable to meet, so naturally I was a bit suspicious when the card never got registered. I would not be at all happy to draw the same address again!
I’ve had my doubles (and triples) in the past and my favorite was this sepia world map that was sent from 3 different people from the same country around the same time. I didn’t have it as favorite or anything, so it was a neat coincidence!
One that I laugh at nowadays but didn’t really enjoy it at the time:
Many, many years ago I had a postcrossing account and on that one I received a postcard with your regular introduction of I’m this, family that, etc. I took a break and ended up cancelling my account after a while (unrelated to the card, just my own stuff)
Give it or take it +10 years after and I have a new account and receive the same… everything! I mean, same text, not missing a word, nothing changed. Now you are wondering how did I remember that… well, my brain does good work when it comes to remembering these things, but it helped that… there was a third card received somewhere in between… with the same words… signature… etc…
These kinds of doubles/triples I don’t keep because they mean nothing to me. And of course I didn’t like them but well, I decided to have a laugh at it.
Edited to add: I don’t mind doubles or multiples as I mostly enjoy the writing part.
I received doubles once. But I received the first card by a private exchange, and then I got the same card in official exchange. Obviously the sender from Postcrossing didn’t know about it.Tbh I really like both cards and absolutely don’t mind receiving doubles.
Got doubles twice, one was a pair of snail maxicard from Australia, the other was a pair of Baymax card from the USA. I don’t mind receiving doubles. The message and care put into the card is the most important to me
@Tara_Bell The algorithm never give the same profile’s address again. But it is possible that one person has two (or more) different accounts so in these situations you can get their address again. Also person may have a pause in this hobby and then forgot login password or something else and after that desides to make new account. That may have happend to you @pammykay ?
I guess the same address can be given second time, if the first card doesn’t arrive. I think it’s considered as not sent, when it’s not registered within a year.
I can for example hardly expect someone from Russia to browse through currently 26 pages of received postcards from their country alone, that would be ridiculous. And if you collect a certain topic or series, of course you won’t receive every card only once. I have 86 different “Fauna of Belarus” postcards, but probably about twice the amount from that series in total - and that is totally fine. How could I complain if someone sends me something from my wishlist?
