Paris 2024 Olympics 1

There are several things to say about these cards, not all of them complimentary. The Paris pattern courts have been modernised to the extent that their names are written in modern script and their clothing incorporates a pale ochre colour (meant to resemble gold?). That same colour is used in place of red on the red suits and again for the back design. The Games logo appears on the Ace of Spades (and not the Ace of Clubs, as would be more usual in a standard Paris pattern pack). There is a non-standard arrangement of the pips on the numeral cards and there are two special Jokers. The cards are wrapped in paper instead of plastic to be environmentally friendly but unfortunately the finishing (i.e., the rounding of the corners) is extremely poor on the four packs I have opened so far.

Above: Paris 2024 Olympics playing cards published by Cartamundi under the “Ducale” label, 2024. Made in Europe. 52 cards + 2 Jokers + 1 extra card in tuck box. Size: 55 x 84 mm. © PARIS 2024

I cannot help feeling that an opportunity was missed here to do something really special, perhaps with non-standard courts and a more colourful back design, but perhaps the cost of using the official logo for this licensed product prohibited further innovation and expenditure.

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