Junior Playing Cards
Child-friendly versions of standard English pattern cards designed by Louie Mantia, Jr.
Designer Louie Mantia Jr’s aim in creating these cards was to reinterpret the standard English pack, thus introducing playing cards to new audiences, notably youngsters (hence the name “Junior”). It is fair to say that he has succeeded in keeping traditional elements while making the courts less forbidding: they are both ‘friendly’ and colourful. Only the axes on the King of Diamonds and the Jack of Hearts look somewhat superfluous, hanging in the air as they do. The black suits are now blue and the Ace of Clubs (rather than the Ace of Spades) carries some supplementary information. In the blue-backed pack, the extra cards are two Mage cards and two Flag cards, while in the red-backed pack the extra cards are two Fool cards and two Flag cards.
Above: Junior Playing Cards made by USPC Co., Erlanger, KY, USA, 2021. Blue pack: 52 cards + 2 Mage cards + 2 Flag cards in tuck box. Red pack: 52 cards + 2 Fool cards + 2 Flag cards in tuck box. Size: 63 x 88 mm. © 2021. Junior is a registered trademark of Mantia LLC.
“Quite fun, as they’ve kept to the traditional postures, though the queens are a bit samey” - Ken Lodge
• More information: Louie Mantia, Jr and Junior Playing Cards►
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.
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