The Urban Archeologist: A little known side effect of beer...

Over the years, I have seen thousands of postcards. The have been around for  well over a century, and thanks to the card stock, many have survived. That doesn't mean they all should survive, but maybe some of them.

I find a few during my digs and if they meet a certain criteria, I will either buy them or photograph them. First, I am always looking for the oldest one I can find. I have one from 1875, and I can't seem to beat that.

The cards I prefer most are the ones which feature some obscure or discontinued product pitch.  The images above are of the front and back of a single card promoting Tropical Beer. This was a Cuban brand which lasted from 1888 to the communist revolution in 1960.

This postcard, and a more colorful one here, represent a time when Cuba was the playground of wealthy Americans and Europeans.