COSAM Communications & Marketing

Sharing Our College’s Academic and Research Stories at Auburn University



Postcard Primer - Sizes, Stocks and Specs: 


Use these helpful tips to plan your postcards:   

Size of postcard and corresponding envelope size (envelopes need to be .25 inches wider than the postcards):

  • 5 inches by 7 inches with envelope A7: 5.25 inches by 7.25 inches
  • 5.5 inches by 8.5 inches with envelope A9: 5.75 inches by 8.75 inches   
  • 5.75 inches by 9.25 inches with envelope: A10: 6 inches by 9.5 inches 

Return address:
With your square flap envelope, you can have the interlocking AU and the return address printed on the back of the envelope. We recommend that you use a one-color imprint of blue PMS 289.

Stock for postcards:
We recommend that you use a 100# coated cover for the paper of your postcards. However, if you are not planning on using envelopes and you want to address the cards individually, the side that you plan to address and have posted placed through AU Mail Services must not be a coated stock.

Specs for postcards:
If you are not working with us, we highly suggest that you include the following specs so the printer can easily  give you a quote? Use this guideline below:

  • Total number of postcards: ____
  • Size and format (landscape or portrait) 
  • One-sided or two-sided? Full-color printing with one or two sides: 4/4=full-color with two sides printed on; 4/0=full-color with only one side so the back of the postcards is blank. 
  • With or without bleeds? If you want color to go to the edge of the printed postcard, the printer needs to know that it is with bleeds.