If you compare image quality of any compute printer output, even the $5,000 printers digital houses use, with a conventional offset press image, the difference in quality is really obvious.

Thermal engraving (raised lettering) is done by putting a material similar to yeast in the ink and actually subjecting it to heat to get the type to raise before it's dry.

Paper comes in various weights and is either coated or uncoated. You need a coated stock if you use half-tones (photography).
It is usually not possible to get a card done with a high quality photo image and thermal engraving. If that is the look you want, you have to go with embossing.

There are many specialty houses around the country who use high quality offset presses
and can deliver 1000 cards in the $60-100
range. They can do it by combo runs of up to 60 different cards at a time. Many have free design service. No matter how good the stock is, design and content are what makes a great card.

For postcards for big clients, including Toyota,Lexmark, etc., I use Modern Postcard, and I believe they do business cards. Specialty houses can deliver for a fraction of the cost of one purchased from a local printer, because they do gang runs.

If you design your own card, you can email the file to the specialty house (they'll tell you how to format the file). Turn around is usually less than 7 days, and rush service is acvailable for a premium.

For ideas, it might be fun to share images of our cards. Sharing ideas and business practices is a really useful benefit of being part of this group.

Ho, Ho, Ho!

Russ