East African Playing Cards no. 2
Colour photographs of East African wildlife published by the East Africa Tourist Travel Association, 1965.
According to the map accompanying this pack, this is the “2nd of the series”, following the “tremendous welcome to the first East African Playing Cards” (see the packs by Fournier published in 1957 and 1964). Unlike the first pack, this one is in full colour and features photographs of East African wildlife, the majority of them being in horizontal format. Each image carries the slogan “DO HELP SAVE US!”. Backs: Mt Kilimanjaro (either grey or light orange border). The cards are now bridge size with gilt corners. The map is not as finely drawn as in the first edition. Curiously, the map appears to have been designed and produced by a firm of printers in Glasgow, Scotland!


Above: East African Playing Cards published by the East Africa Tourist Travel Association, 1965. 52 cards + 3 Jokers + 1 blank card + fold-out map in clear plastic box. Size: 57 x 89 mm. Printed in Belgium (probably by Van Genechten).


By Roddy Somerville
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.
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