Hi All,
I have encountered several profiles, where the users want maxicards to be sent blank inside an envelope. But, they want regular cards written and stamped.
Any reason why people make such distinctions for maxicards?
Happy Postcrossing !!
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I wonder too~
Iāve received one maxicard in an envelope with a letter on a piece of paper āI couldnāt write on a maxicardā 
The sender (I assume) is a philatelist who collects maxicard or into maximaphily
Maybe it has more philatelic value when itās unwritten?
So some collectors want them unwritten
It could also be just as simple as someoneās preference. I like maxicard and I personally like to send and receive it written
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I kind of understand why maxicards have to be sent in an envelope: the paper is usually thinner than a normal postcard, so a maxicard will likely be damaged if sent without envelope. Also, if youāre really unlucky, the stamp may fall off. Why people want them unwritten, though? Huh. Maybe because theyāre collectibles rather than communication? No idea - but then, Iām not a collector, so thereās probably something to it that just eludes meā¦
I really think itās just personal preferences, and people have different reasons why they do postcrossing. Some want to socialize with other people. Some collect nice pictures of specific topics. Some just collect stamps and donāt care about the card or the message on it at all. And some, I guess, specifically want unwritten maxicards?!?
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This has happened to me still I didnāt think about this reason. I received this official card without the stamp 
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Oh no, thatās too bad! But, unfortunately, not all that uncommon. I once received a maxicard with half of the stamp ripped off. I think sorting machines just really dislike maxicards!
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I once recieved one with a second blotchy postmark on the stamp on the picture side, which made the special postmark nearly unreadableā¦ I guess collectors donāt want that.
And some people collect mint stamps, perhaps thatās why they want the maxicard in mint condition too?
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Hello Manish,
Perhaps a little clarification is in order. Picture Postcards are generally privately printed by commercial companies. The sender buys the card(s), purchases stamp(s) to use on it, writes a message and drops in into the mail.
Maximum cards, on the other hand, are a branch of philately. Many of these cards are issued by governments and are available through the postal administrations of various countries. European countries are most noted for these. To understand why collectors want them Unwritten you must consider the key elements of the Maximum card:
ā The picture
ā The stamp(s) that are linked to the picture
ā The pictorial postmark
It is similar with First Day Covers. Collectors desire them Unaddressed. I am the exception, for my part, I accept them with a neat address (typewritten or pre-printed label). I hope that clarifies 
Ron
P.S. You have a surprise coming to you in the mail.
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Maxicards issued by Australia Post since the 1990s are āPostage pre-paid Australia for posting in Australia and delivery worldwideā.
When Iām given a postcrosser who wants blank maxicards in an envelope I check their walls, as I do for every address I get, to help choose a card. I often see several Australian maxicards on the received wall and wonder if these were sent in an envelope. I wonder how many postcrossers can afford to pay double the postage in these cases.
The only maxicards I send in an envelope are the early issues that didnāt include postage.
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I think this habit comes from the Philatelic .According to the requirements of the stamp exhibition, all the maxicards in the stamp exhibition must be unused. So philatelists generally collect unused maxicards.
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Once I came across such a profile and I asked why. The answer was: Because a lot of people use stickers, washi and other decoration and they stick it also on the information printed on the card (this is infact very true). Before this the person asked for not to stick anything on maxicards but it didnāt help and on the other hand they donāt mind decoration on other cards. So they choose to ask for blank maxicards.
Another reason maybe that the people do exchanges with maxicards.
Whatever the reason maybe: the best way to get to know is to simply ask 
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This makes it very clear when we think of maxicard as being similar to FDC 
PS - Thanks for the stamps.
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Maxicards are collectible and they are usually more expensive than ordinary postcards
Some people sell them to the collectors or exchange for rare postcards via local postcard clubs
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What ?? This would make me really sad. People using my cards to make money. Maxicards are already costly. Plus sending cards in envelope requires more postage than sending stamped cards, for me. For this reason, I am reluctant to send blank cards through official postcrossing.
I donāt mind exchanging card for cards or other philatley material. Also, blank cards in direct swaps is different.
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In this case, I would ignore the request and send it as a normal postcard. The guidelines state very clearly that this is not a collectorās site and we all know what postcards are and how they are sent. In my country, it costs the same to send regular cards with and without envelope, so I usually send in an envelope if someone prefers it. The exceptions are maxicards, where postage is already partially prepaid (the front stamp ācountsā), so I only send these written and stamped. If the profile insists on cards in an envelope, I probably wouldnāt choose a maxicard at all, since I donāt want to pay double for postage.
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I think those people who collect blank maxicards, they might sell them after years when maxicards become rare and expensive. It can be interesting for some collectors.
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Itās a question of supply and demand. I often acquire material of a first day of issue nature including Maxicards. Recently, I put up for auction thru an auction house a lot of close to 1000 Maxicards; it received NO bids.
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Well, some people collect them, and maxicards are usually worth more if they are unwritten.
Also it depends on the countries.
For example, I have received some beautiful maxicards from Australia, that were sent written and stamped because they were pre-paid cards.
In Italy the stamp on maxicards canāt be used for sending. Or, to be more precise, it can be used only if the maxicard is created in the moment you send it, with the clerk at the post office add the stamp on the front of the card and use the rubber stamp on it. Otherwise you have to add the correct postage on the back of the postcard anyway, as you were sending a normal card.
For this reason if I send a maxicard I always send it unwritten in envelope : I should add a full postage anyway and doing that on the card itself or on an envelope costs the same, and this way Iām sure the maxicard will not be demaged by sorting machines or stolen during the travelling.
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The Australian ones are quite sturdy although being a bit thinner than other cards and the ones I got survived flawlessly.
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The same for me. Iām afraid that if someone wants a card in an envelope, it wonāt be a maxicard from me. That makes me feel a bit mean, but it would mean double postage 
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