| Standard
national and regional patterns: Cards
which are the 'usual' cards with the 'usual' King, Queen
and Jack court cards as used in different parts of the
world. Jokers are very desirable but not essential to the value
of the pack if later than 1950, pre 1900 jokers are very scarce
(introduced around 1880). |
Non-standard
playing cards: Cards with
unusual or specially designed Kings, Queens and Jacks.
'Pip' cards may also be unusual designs. Jokers, if
non-standard, are essential for the value of the pack.
Additional cards, such as title or information cards, also
affect value. |
| Souvenir
and Commemorative: Includes
souvenir cards from 1880s onwards with picture views on the
card fronts, also commemorative card backs for royalty,
political, military & war, tartans, sports, entertainment and
crested backs. |
Worshipful
Company: The Worshipful
Company of Makers of Playing Cards (Charter 1628) produce a
special design each year for liverymen (since 1882). These
are scarce and collectable cards. Single WCMP cards are in
this section. |
| Political,
War and Military: Commemorative packs for
world leaders, political satire, war and military matters. This is a rich
field for collectors and one which often shows good investment value. |
Entertainment
Sporting Magic and Gambling: This
section includes cards for music, theatre, films etc; all kinds of sports
and field sports like fishing and hunting; magic tricks and conjuring;
gambling cards from casinos and advertising cards for casinos. |
| Advertising:
All sections. Cards in these
sections usually have special designs on the back for the
product. Sometimes they also have non-standard courts or
unusual Aces. A special box advertising the product increases the value of the pack. |
Advertising
Transport: This section
includes shipping lines and ferries, railways, airlines and
road transport such as car manufacturers and component
producers. |
| Named
backs and picture backs: This
includes English named cards popular in the 1930s-1950s,
artist signed back designs and decorative picture backs.
There are also a few single cards in this section. |
Tarot
and Fortune
telling: Tarot cards were originally used for playing card games
(15th century onwards) then later for fortune
telling, they contain 56 'ordinary' cards and the 22 major
arcana used for divination layouts (21 numbered trumps plus
the fool, unnumbered). |
| Children's
card games: Becoming popular
during the 19th century this category is a major field for
collectors. Cards range from lavish, beautifully
chromolithographed productions to cheap but cheerful
playthings not expected to last. Often wonderful sources of
social history. The original box and rules are important.
Games in very good condition carry a premium. |
Single
cards: Backs, Jokers, Aces and other oddments. Single cards are
very popular in some countries as a pack can be shared between many
collectors. I only sell single cards from
incomplete sets. I have many hundreds of different designs in stock. |
| Patience
and miniature: Patience
sized cards tend to be about half the size of ordinary
cards. This section includes very small cards as well. The
original box increases the value considerably. |
Pin-up & miscellaneous: This
section includes pin-up and erotic packs; and any other miscellaneous
cards which can't be found a place in any other section. |
| Paraphernalia:
This section contains items to
do with playing cards such as score cards, card boxes, whist markers,
china and glass items. |
Ephemera: Rule
booklets, playing guides, score cards and other items mainly made of
paper. |