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Lonely Planet

Published April 11, 2015 Updated September 09, 2022

Lonely Planet Playing Cards feature amazing images from all over the globe.

2002 Australia Photography Souvenir

Lonely Planet Playing Cards

www.lonelyplanet.com

Lonely Planet playing cards are the ultimate tourist souvenir deck and feature amazing images from all over the globe. Every card, with the exception of the Ace of Spades, carries a photograph.

Lonely Planet playing cards published by Lonely Planet Publications Ltd, Australia, 2002

Above: Lonely Planet playing cards published by Lonely Planet Publications Ltd, Australia, 2002. Images courtesy Matt Probert.

Lonely Planet playing cards published by Lonely Planet Publications Ltd, Australia, 2002

Above: Lonely Planet was founded by Tony and Maureen Wheeler in 1972. All photos © Lonely Planet Images.


NOTE: there was another, probably later edition of these cards clearly aimed at the UK market since there is a price of £4.99 printed on the bottom of the box. The main photographic images appear to be the same as in the first edition; however, in the second one, the Jokers are now a Mardi Gras figure from New Orleans (same image reversed for the second Joker). There is also an extra card, and the back design and box are different - Roddy Somerville.

Lonely Planet playing cards

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By Matt Probert

Member since March 02, 2012

I have adored playing cards since before I was seven years old, and was brought up on packs of Waddington's No 1. As a child I was fascinated by the pictures of the court cards.

Over the next fifty years I was seduced by the artwork in Piatnik's packs and became a collector of playing cards.

Seeking more information about various unidentified packs I discovered the World of Playing Cards website and became an enthusiastic contributor researching and documenting different packs of cards.

I describe my self as a playing card archaeologist, using detective work to identify and date obscure packs of cards discovered in old houses, flea markets and car boot sales.

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