Hallmark began mass-producing Valentine's Day cards in the early 20th century.
The company began as the Norfolk Post Card Company in 1907, founded by Joyce Clyde Hall and his brothers. After moving operations to Kansas City in 1910, the business expanded from postcards into greeting cards as postcard enthusiasm faded. Hallmark first offered Valentine cards in the 1910s and began producing its own designs soon afterward.
This did not mark the beginning of mass-produced valentines overall. British printers had manufactured factory-made cards during the 19th century, and Esther Howland helped build a major American Valentine business after 1847. Hallmark's importance lies in its early-20th-century expansion and national distribution of commercially printed greeting cards.
The name Hallmark was introduced as a brand in 1928 and printed on the back of the company's cards. A related misconception is that Hallmark invented Valentine's cards; medieval poems and 19th-century manufacturers came first. Hallmark instead helped turn the tradition into a highly recognizable modern retail holiday.