The Gateway Post Card Club was founded on Jan. 7, 1974, at the Kirkwood Community Center in St. Louis, Mo., which is where the club continues to hold monthly meetings. In addition to buying and selling postcards, the meetings have always featured a presentation by a club member or outside speaker, or an occasional postcard auction. Membership (including spouse) is $10 a year and entitles the member to a July potluck luncheon, the December holiday party, a quarterly newsletter and early admission to the annual show.
This year, another milestone will be achieved as the Gateway Post Card Club will celebrate the 40th consecutive annual postcard show, which will be held over Labor Day weekend on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 4 and 5.
The show will feature 26 dealers and will again be held at the convenient, spacious, and well-lighted VFW Hall at 1234 Vandalia St. (Hwy 159) in Collinsville, Ill., just east of Interstate 55/70. This has been the show site since 1992 and is 15 minutes from the landmark St. Louis Gateway Arch. The hours will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.
The club is proud of the outstanding reputation that its show has achieved as being one of the top shows in the Midwest region. The Gateway Post Card Club show is one of the few that offers free admission, ample free parking, free appraisals, and several daily attendance prizes. There is also delicious food available onsite, and reasonably priced motels are nearby.
Customers will find an excellent mix of material and knowledgeable dealers to accommodate all ranges of collectors, whether a veteran, a beginner, or just someone who wants to know more about the great postcard hobby. With the thousands of postcards that will be available, all price ranges will be represented, and cards from vintage to modern, as well as postcard collecting supplies and reference books, will be available. There will also be postcard exhibits for the showgoers’ viewing pleasure.
For the past 13 years, this show has been under the leadership of Tom and Pat Snyder, who, with the assistance of several Gateway Post Card Club members, have made the popular annual event a huge success.
For additional information about the show or club, call Tom and Pat Snyder at 618-531-4189 or e-mail the.snyders@charter.net.