Post Card Variations

At first glance a card may seem identical, but upon close inspection you will find small differences. Small differences can include: a slight difference in the picture, different roof colors, different front caption, different reference number, different location of the reference number, different stamp box, back paragraphs (different or some cards have them and some cards do not), different publishers, or different publisher markings. Some cards have been printed by several publishers. Scans have been done of each variation so you can see how post cards have changed. Variations are identified by a letter towards the end of the image name (apc253a01, apc253b01, apc253c01). See if you can pick out the differences. If you need help, some of the differences are noted below. 

APC000A
Similar Card: APC000A, UNK006

APC253 (A, B, C)
Back Paragraph: A and C have different paragraphs (same words, different fonts); A includes a number above the paragraph, C does not; B does not have a paragraph
Publisher’s Logo on Back: C has the “In the Heart of the Blue Ridge” logo (lower left), A and B do not
Directions on Back : A and B include “This Space for Writing” and “This Side for the Address” on the back (on the bottom), C does not
Similar Card: APC253, SPCB423 (number on back) (APC253 has a smoother driveway, SPCB423 has rough driveway)

APC279 (A, B)
Picture: A shows two women standing next to the pool, B has a black box over them (look close you can still see their reflection in the water)
Similar Card: APC279, ECK55 (both with and without black boxes), WOODARDS000D (without black box)

APC458 (A, B, C)
Picture: A and B are the same, C shows a rougher road and a pipe (handrail or bike rack) in the lower left
Back Paragraph: A has a paragraph on the back, B and C do not
Lines for the Address: A and B do not have lines, C does
Publisher’s Logo on Back: A and C have the “M” logo, but in different places (bottom center), B does not; C has the “In the Heart of the Blue Ridge” logo (lower left), A and B do not
Numbers on Back: A has “47747” printed on the back (lower right), B and C do not
Directions on Back: A and B have “This Space for Writing” and “This Side for the Address” on the bottom, C has those directions on top

APC459 (A, B, C)
Picture: A and B are the same, C shows a car by the steps of Lee Hall (between the bushes)
Front Caption: A, B, C are different (B and C are close, but different sizes)
Front Number: A and B have “42868” printed on the front (lower right), C does not
Back Paragraph: A has a paragraph, B and C do not
Lines for the Address: A and B do not have lines, C does
Publisher’s Logon on Back: “M” logo is on A, B, and C but in slightly different locations; B and C have the “In the Heart of the Blue Ridge” logo, A does not
Directions on Back: A has the “This Space for Writing” and “This Side for the Address” on the bottom, B does not have any directions, C has the directions on the top

APC657 (A, B)
Lines for Address: A has lines, B does not
Similar Card: APC657, HNM139, SPCB20 (number on front)

APC684
Similar Card: APC684, SPCBR18

APC685
Similar Card: APC685, SPCB643 (number on back), SPC643 (number on front)

APC685 (A, B)
Front Caption: A is in all caps, B is in mixed case and italic
Lines for Address: A has lines, B does not
Divider: A has a line with words, B has no line but more words

APCBM19 (A, B)
Back Paragraph: A has a paragraph, B does not
Directions on Back: B has “This Space for Writing Messages”, A does not

APCKBM14 (A, B, C)
Picture: A and B are the same, C is a slightly closer angle (notice the window of the gym in the lower right and less windows showing on the left side of Lee Hall)
Back Paragraph: A is slightly different that B and C (same words, different font)
Stamp Box: A is different than B and C
Directions on Back: A has “Address”, B and C do not
Divider: A has words only; B and C have words within a line, logo, and photo credit (note that A has different words than B and C)
Publisher: A has publisher on lower left, B and C have it with the divider line
Back Number: B and C have “C22177” in the lower right, A does not 

APCN205 (A, B, C, D)
Picture: A, C, and D show College Hall with a green roof, B shows College Hall with a red roof; B and C show College Hall with a white point (above the patio), A and D show it as green (notice the reflection in the water, C is fuzzed out but D still shows the roof as red); the guard rail on the left side of the lake is slightly different in C
Front Caption: A, B, and C use the word “Lake,” D uses the word “Pool”
Back Paragraph: A, B, and D have paragraphs but they are slightly different (notice that A and B mention YWCA, but D does not), C has no paragraph

APCN451 (A, B)
Picture: A shows College Hall with a green roof, B shows College Hall with a red roof

ECK55 (A, B)
Picture: B shows two women standing next to the pool, A has a black box over them (look close you can still see their reflection in the water)
Similar Card: APC279, ECK55 (both with and without black boxes)

HNM139
Similar Card: APC657, HNM139, SPCB20 (number on front)

HWP11 (A, B)
Back: A has a calendar of conference dates (left side), B does not

HWP12 (A, B)
Back: A has a calendar of conference dates (left side), B does not
Similar Card: HWP12, HWPR30276 (12 is in BW and R30276 is in color, very similar picture but not exact)

HWPA35965 (A, B)
Back: “Post Card” is different on the two cards
Publisher: A has two lines, B has one line (they say different things) (left side)

HWPR30276
Similar Card: HWP12, HWPR30276 (12 is in BW and R30276 is in color, very similar picture but not exact)

Southern Post Card (SPC) changed the location of their “B” numbers. Some “B” numbers are printed on the back and some numbers are printed on the front. Cards with the “B” number on the back are listed first.

SPCB274 (number on back) (A37903, R80532)
Southern Post Card issued two different cards with the same “B” number. They have different secondary numbers (back of card, top, center).

SPCB409 (number on back) (A48257, R80525)
Southern Post Card issued two different cards with the same “B” number. They have different secondary numbers (back of card, bottom, center).

SPCB423 (number on back) (A, B)
Publisher’s Logo: A has the “CT” logo (bottom, center), B does not
Similar Card: APC253, SPCB423 (number on back) (APC253 has a smoother driveway, SPC423 has rough driveway)

SPCB477 (number on back) (A, B, C)
Picture: A and B have similar clouds, C has different clouds (look by the flag pole); A and B have darker red in the flag than C
Publisher’s Logo: A and C do not have a logo, B has the “CT” logo (bottom, center)
Stamp Box: A and B have “Place the Stamp here,” C has the one cent / two cent box

SPCB643 (number on back)
Similar Card: APC685, SPCB643 (number on back), SPC643 (number on front)

SPCB20 (number on front)
Similar Card: APC657, HNM139, SPCB20 (number on front)

SPCB643 (number on front)
Similar Card: APC685, SPCB643 (number on back), SPC643 (number on front)

SPCBR16
Similar Card: SPCBR16, SPCBR18 (same view but SPCBR16 is horizontal and SPCBR18 is vertical)

SPCBR18
Similar Card: SPCBR16, SPCBR18 (same view but SPCBR16 is horizontal and SPCBR18 is vertical)

UNK006
Similar Card: APC000A, UNK006

Cards that show aerial / airplane views:
APC657, HNM139, SPCB20 (number on front): all roofs are red
APCBM7: all roofs green
APCBM19: College Hall roof green, all others red
CK23277: all roofs red (chrome)
CK150971: all roofs red (chrome)