The World of Playing Cards Logo

Collecting Playing Cards

Displaying 28 articles

Sort by: Publication Date Alphabetical Year of Production

Filter by Year of Production

11: Some Cards From Sylvia Mann’s Collection

11: Some Cards From Sylvia Mann’s Collection

A fascinating collection that was the basis of a lot of research that we still benefit from today.

15: Perforated Cards, Metal Finish and Other Oddities

15: Perforated Cards, Metal Finish and Other Oddities

There are some unusual designs in playing cards, even the shape of the card.

2: Still Collecting Playing Cards at 80

2: Still Collecting Playing Cards at 80

This is a personal account of some of my experiences collecting playing cards.

26: Playing Cards: Rarity, Value, Dating, Sellers and eBay

26: Playing Cards: Rarity, Value, Dating, Sellers and eBay

Notions like rarity and monetary value are slippery customers and need careful handling. And there are still plenty of misleading descriptions on eBay - as well as looney prices!

39: Mixed Packs

39: Mixed Packs

A number of mixed packs appear for sale from time to time, but it's important to sort out what is meant by the term mixed. It is an issue that is not as straightforward as it might seem.

41: A Guide to Dating Playing Cards

41: A Guide to Dating Playing Cards

Dating is a particularly tricky but very interesting problem to tackle and there are many pitfalls.

49: De La Rue in detail

49: De La Rue in detail

A detailed presentation of the variants of De La Rue's standard cards.

51: Some modern variation

51: Some modern variation

A brief survey of some of the current variation in the standard English pattern.

56: Number cards and Chinese Crackers

56: Number cards and Chinese Crackers

A brief look at the number cards used in standard English packs.

69: My Collection

69: My Collection

This is an archive list of my collection. I hope it will be of use and interest to others.

A Case Study

A Case Study

Case Study: using detective work to identify and date a pack discovered in charity shop.

A Look Back with Hope for the Future

A Look Back with Hope for the Future

“A Look Back with Hope for the Future” by Rod Starling

A. Camoin & Cie

A. Camoin & Cie

This deck was inherited from ancestors, it has has a family history surrounding it. Details of the lives of previous owners make it all so fascinating.

Chinese Jokers

Chinese Jokers

Chinese playing card makers have probably produced the widest variety of jokers of any single part of the world.

Collecting Playing Cards

Collecting Playing Cards

How I began Collecting Playing Cards by Robert S. Lancaster.

Collecting Playing Cards with Jan Walls

Collecting Playing Cards with Jan Walls

I collected playing cards when I was in primary school, by Jan Walls.

Collectors pack of Antiques 1980

Collectors pack of Antiques

Collectors pack of Antiques playing cards published by Collectors Cards, Abertillery, South Wales, c.1980.

Cribbage Board Collection

Cribbage Board Collection

A collection of antique and vintage Cribbage Boards by Tony Hall

Dr Ken Lodge

Dr Ken Lodge

​I'm Ken Lodge and have been collecting playing cards since I was about eighteen months old (1945). I am also a trained academic, so I can observe and analyze reasonably well. I've applied these analytical techniques over a long period of time to the study of playing cards and have managed to assemble a large amount of information about them, especially those of the standard English pattern.

Interview with Tom and Judy Dawson from 52 Plus Joker

Interview with Tom and Judy Dawson from 52 Plus Joker

Interview with Tom and Judy Dawson from 52 Plus Joker. Chatting about the history of playing cards, uses of cards and collecting.