FDR New Deal Deck
Facsimile of ‘FDR New Deal Deck’ of 1934 re-published by Bill Schroeder, USA, 2010.
According to publisher Bill Schroeder, this pack was produced in 1934 by J.M.A. Inc. of Dallas, Texas without the agreement of the White House. Roosevelt was so angered that all the packs were subsequently suppressed and destroyed. Some 65 years later, in 1999, one pack was found hidden among the possessions of a former employee of the printing company. The frightened employee gave it to scholar and collector Bill Schroeder and he published this in a limited edition in 2010. See the box►
The King is President Franklin Delano Roosevelt; the Queen is Eleanor Roosevelt and the Jack is Vice President James Nance Garner. The Aces show the abbreviation of an agency created during the First New Deal, 1933-34: Diamonds – RFC (Reconstruction Finance Corporation); Clubs – NRA (National Recovery Administration); Hearts – CWA (Civil Works Administration); Spades – AAA (Agricultural Adjustment Administration.
Above: limited edition facsimile of the “FDR New Deal” deck of 1934, re-published by Bill Schroeder, USA, 2010.
The back of the cards shows the initials of the numerous agencies created during Roosevelt’s mandate in the so-called New Deal, in the centre of which is the NRA (National Recovery Administration).
By Peter Burnett
United Kingdom • Member since July 27, 2022
I graduated in Russian and East European Studies from Birmingham University in 1969. It was as an undergraduate in Moscow in 1968 that I stumbled upon my first 3 packs of “unusual” playing cards which fired my curiosity and thence my life-long interest. I began researching and collecting cards in the early 1970s, since when I’ve acquired over 3,330 packs of non-standard cards, mainly from North America, UK and Western Europe, and of course from Russia and the former communist countries.
Following my retirement from the Bodleian Library in Dec. 2007 I took up a new role as Head of Library Development at the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) to support library development in low-income countries. This work necessitated regular training visits to many sub-Saharan African countries and also further afield, to Vietnam, Nepal and Bangladesh – all of which provided rich opportunities to further expand my playing card collection.
Since 2019 I’ve been working part-time in the Bodleian Library where I’ve been cataloguing the bequest of the late Donald Welsh, founder of the English Playing Card Society.
Activity for FDR New Deal Deck
Sign in to comment or save this article.
Related Articles
The Dark Knight Joker Calling Cards
Joker “Calling Card” set issued in connection with the film The Dark Knight (2008).
K Deck
“K Deck” political playing cards, USA, c. 2004.
The Deck of Hillary
‘The Deck of Hillary’ with quotes and photographs of Hillary Clinton, USA, 2003.
Ms. playing cards
‘Ms. playing cards’ promoting votes for women, USA, 1975.
U.S. Presidents playing cards
U.S. Presidents Bicycle playing cards designed by Johnny Whaam, USA, 2015
The Liberty Deck
Portraits, signatures and brief biographies of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence...
Oliver North’s Pack of Lies
“Oliver North’s Pack of Lies” produced to help defeat Oliver North in his bid for Senator of Virgin...
Trump Presidential playing cards
Trump Presidential playing cards by Parody Productions, USA, 2015.
Politipack ’88 playing cards
Politipack ’88 produced by Robert Billingsley, USA, 1988.
Grover Cleveland Presidential Campaign of 1888
Grover Cleveland Presidential Campaign playing cards of 1888, USA, [reprint 1980].
Reagan’s Rogues Gallery
A pack inspired by the Iran-Contra affair or Gipper-gate during the Reagan era, produced by R. Billi...
Bush Cards – The Second Term
Playing cards slanted to the right, issued to mark George W. Bush’s second term of office.
Victory
“Victory" cards celebrating U.S. participation in the Allied victory, c.1945.
Caleb Bartlett
Caleb Bartlett patriotic deck (reproduction), around 1835-40.
Jeu des Quatre Saisons de l’An II
“Jeu des Quatre Saisons de l’An II” facsimile of French Revolution deck originally published by J. B...
Army & Navy
Andrew Dougherty’s Army & Navy deck from the Civil War era, c.1865.
Soldaten Tarock
Piatnik was known for their magnificent quality of chromo-lithographic printing, and this facsimile,...
PolitiCards 2012
This 2012 deck of Politicards represents the sixth election year that Peter Green has created these ...
Russian Constitutional Playing Cards, 1909
A rare American Russian political pack depicting events and moods in early 20th century Russia.
Marlborough’s Victories
Marlborough’s Victories playing cards, first published in 1707, depict Marlborough's campaigns and t...
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 60 days
