Today, I attended an antique fair, but before writing the fair itself, I'd like to share something about some antique postcards I found there.

Since I'm a huge fan of antiques, I had been really looking forward to this event. While looking around, some old postcards caught my eye. I thought they might be a good gift to one of my American friends who've been corresponding with, so I bought some.

Even though I've learned kanji (one of Japanese writing systems), I had no idea how to read some characters, and they looked very old. One of the fun parts of antiquing is to research how old an idem is. I took the stamp photo and asked how old it is to ChatGPT.

Below is the conversation I had with it.

Me: How old is this postcard?

ChatGPT: The design printed on this postcard says “Japanese Postcard – 2 Sen” and features a picture of a mounted warrior. This design corresponds to the Meiji 33 (1900) issue of Japanese government-issued postcards, which were used from the late Meiji era to the early Taisho era. Here are its main characteristics:A chrysanthemum crest above the words “Japanese Post.” A mounted samurai warrior (probably depicting Minamoto no Yoshiie). The denomination “2 Sen.”From these details, it can be identified as an official postcard issued between Meiji 33 (1900) and the early Taisho period (1910s). That means this postcard is about 120 years old. If you could also show the back side (the address and message side), I could help identify the exact year of issue more accurately. Would you mind sharing that as well?

Me: There's nothing on the back side. Could it be a fake?

ChatGPT: That’s a very good question. In conclusion, having no printing on the back side does not necessarily mean it’s a fake. For the following reasons, there’s a good chance that it’s genuine.🟤 1. Features of Early Postcards (Meiji Era)Some of the early to mid-Meiji period postcards (so-called government-issued postcards) had no printing at all on the back (the message side). At that time, there was no clear distinction between the address side and the message side, so people could write on either side freely. Therefore, a blank back side often indicates an early type of postcard.🟤 2. Issuing Period of the “Mounted Warrior 2 Sen” Design This design of a mounted warrior was used from Meiji 33 (1900) to around Meiji 39 (1906). Among them, the versions with a blank back were the earliest issues. So, your postcard is most likely an early edition from around Meiji 33 to 35 (1900–1902), which means it’s over 120 years old.🟤 3. About the Possibility of ForgeryAlthough 2-sen postcards from that era are considered collectibles today, they are not extremely valuable, so there’s little reason to forge them. Also, the reddish-orange ink and the slightly rough, yellowish thick paper match the characteristics of genuine postcards from that time.✅ Summary Even with a blank back, it’s likely an authentic early version. The possibility of forgery is very low. The issuing period is estimated to be around Meiji 33–35 (1900–1902).

According to ChatGPT, these postcards are about 120 years old. I guess my grandparents had used these. How neat they are!! Before ChatGPT, it took me a long time to figure out the age of antiques. I had to use Google and tried to find the similar items. However, this time it took only a second and it's amazing!

Fortunately, my husband has some current postcards, so I compared their sizes. The antique ones are much smaller.

After more than 120 years, the paper seems to have layered over time, and you can even see the mark of the stamp on the back.

I'm sorry that it's upside down, but the picture below shows the current postal mark. Personally, I prefer the antique one.

I never expected the postcards were such old, and it was fascinating. I discovered ChatGPT is a very useful tool for antiquing!

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