Where to find and catalogue antique postcards in Belgium: an honest comparison

Anyone who collects antique Belgian postcards keeps asking the same question: which site should I use? To buy, to sell, to identify a view of your town, or simply to keep track of your collection — no single tool does it all. Each one excels at something specific.

Here is a comparison of the main options, written from a collector's point of view rather than a seller's. The goal isn't to push you toward a service, but to help you pick the right tool for the right job.

The comparison at a glance

Delcampe — the reference for buying and selling

Delcampe is a Belgian company that has become the largest collectors' marketplace in the world, with tens of millions of postcards. Its Belgian stock is remarkable: you can filter by province and town (Hainaut, Walloon Brabant, Brussels…), which makes it the most efficient place to fill a specific gap.

The flip side: it's a marketplace, not a catalogue of your collection. Selling involves fees (about 6.5% plus €0.23 per item), and the interface, built for transactions, can feel dense. For buying or selling, though, it remains essential.

eBay — wide audience, less specialised

eBay reaches a far wider audience than collectors alone. You can occasionally find bargains, especially on big lots and estate sales. However, the categorisation is coarser than Delcampe's and the Belgian stock is more diluted. Selling fees are usually higher too.

Best kept for occasional buys and lots, rather than the targeted search for one specific view.

Facebook groups and Marketplace — community trading

Belgian postcard-collector Facebook groups are free and lively: you trade, you sell, you get a card identified within hours. Unbeatable for human contact and quick swaps.

The limits are well known: nothing is archived or structured, listings vanish into the feed, and there is no lasting catalogue. Excellent as a complement, insufficient for organising a collection.

Fairs, clubs and shows — the thrill of the hunt

No website replaces a postcard fair on a Sunday morning. Regional shows and clubs remain the best source for local stock, and above all for the pleasure of the search and meeting fellow enthusiasts. The drawback is obvious: it's occasional and geographically limited.

Cartophilio — cataloguing and sharing your collection

This is our project, so let's be clear about what it is and isn't. Cartophilio is not a marketplace: you neither buy nor sell anything here. It's a free catalogue, kept by enthusiasts, to document Belgian antique postcards and inventory your own collection.

In practice: you add your pieces, sort them by town, by publisher or by theme, and share them with a community of collectors. It's the tool that was missing between buying (Delcampe) and simply storing photos on a hard drive.

• Keep a lasting inventory of your collection, accessible anywhere.
• Browse Belgium's postcard heritage town by town.
• Show your pieces and exchange with other enthusiasts.
• Free, no ads, no commission.

What Cartophilio does not do: it replaces neither Delcampe for buying, nor fairs for hunting. It focuses on what was missing: documenting and showcasing what you already own.

Which site should you choose?

• Buy a specific card → Delcampe.
• Buy a lot or grab a bargain → eBay or fairs.
• Trade quickly between enthusiasts → Facebook groups.
• Enjoy the thrill of the hunt → fairs, clubs and shows.
• Catalogue, organise and show your collection → Cartophilio.

Most collectors combine several of these tools. The right instinct isn't to look for « the best site », but to use each one for what it does best.