In 1995, Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery acquired the Kesterton Collection, a large collection of vintage Birmingham-related postcards assembled by a local man. The majority of the postcards in the collection date from the heyday of the picture postcard - the period between 1900 and the First World War.During this time, picture postcards were the latest novelty. For the price of a penny, plus a halfpenny stamp, they allowed a quick and effective means of communication throughout the country.