CNES playing cards
Fully pictorial pack featuring rockets, satellites, scientists and views from space.
CNES is France’s equivalent of NASA. The initials stand for Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (National Centre for Space Studies). This set is crammed full of colour photos (up to 6 per card) of rockets, satellites, space and research centres, launches, views from space and so on. The CNES logo appears twice on every card face and 24 times on the back. The very extensive booklet has a huge amount of information (in French), with two pages devoted to each card. As developments in this field take place extremely often and rapidly, this pack may constitute an interesting snapshot of where space exploration had reached in 1995. The design on the back of the box is the same as on the cover of the booklet. See the booklet►
Above: playing cards made by Heron, S.A., Mérignac, for CNES, Paris and Toulouse, France, 1995. © CNES 1995.
• See the box►
By Roddy Somerville
France • Member since May 31, 2022
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
Activity for CNES playing cards
Sign in to comment or save this article.
Related Articles
Chambord
A Renaissance-style pack with ornate court cards and gilded corners.
Jeu du Musée de la Compagnie des Indes
Paintings and treasured objects from the Indies, on display in a museum in Port-Louis.
Sannois dans les étoiles
Celebrities and buildings associated with Sannois, a commune in the suburbs of Paris.
Le Globe Céleste
Views and plans of five international exhibitions held in Paris between 1855 and 1900.
Redrawn French pattern (Héron)
Redrawn French pattern retaining traditional elements.
Cartes à Jouer Fluorescentes
Standard French cards but printed with fluorescent inks on a black background.
MISSCŒUR
Elongated cards from France with a fourth court card, a Miss.
Jeu de cartes des Opéras romantiques
Costumes from four operas premiered at the Paris Opera between 1830 and 1840.
Révolution 1789-1989
Révolution 1789-1989, celebrating the bicentenary of the French revolution, France, 1989
Jeu des Chats
Eighteen different cat breeds drawn by Marie-France Gary.
IBM Linux One
IBM Linux One playing cards, c.2018.
Bridge Challenger®
“Bridge Challenger®” by Fidelity Electronics, 1975 - better living through science.
Héron French tarot
French edition of the ‘Bourgeois’ Tarot by Héron.
Cartes à Jouer Espagnoles
Cartes à Jouer Espagnoles Héron - Catalan pattern.
Johnnie Walker Whisky
Johnnie Walker Whisky playing cards by Héron.
Legendary Harley-Davidson
Legendary Harley-Davidson Playing Cards, c.1995.
Cartes à Jouer Héron
Promotional decks by Héron.
Star Wars Episode 1
“STAR WARS Episode 1” playing cards printed by U.S. Playing Card Co., c.1999
Kellogg’s Complete Breakfast Game
Kellogg’s Complete Breakfast card game, ©1997.
Compucards Review
Playing cards with binary numbers for the computer generation by Sam Pitroda, 1983.
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 60 days
