Playing Cards - Collecting

The collector can do much better, at much less cost, if he hunts for the contemporary cards with unusual backs, many of which are made for advertising purposes. Such cards are made by airlines, steamship companies, hotels, radio and television stations, railroads, and private clubs.

Occasionally you will find a pack of cards with fifty-three (including the joker) different backs: birds, animals, scenic wonders, and the like. Some of these are highly colorful and most interesting, but they are only decorative, not practical. It is not at all a good idea to try playing poker with them.

If your interest is in old cards, you will find a brief history of playing cards in the Encyclopaedia Britannica. An interesting and informative book is The Devil's Picture Books, by Mrs. J. K. Rensselaer. This is not generally available in stores, but it can be found in many good libraries. You may run across an occasional copy in a second-hand book shop.

In view of the shortage of books on playing cards as collectors* items, you will probably find that your best sources of information are the hobby magazines. You will find frequent "Playing-Cards-for-Sale" and "Playing-Cards-Wanted" advertisements of both dealers and amateur collectors in their classified columns.

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