Budapest souvenir
Colour views of the Hungarian capital, Budapest, on all the courts and Aces.
Most souvenir playing cards are issued as single packs and more often than not have a view on every card. In this instance, they have been issued as a double pack in a typical Piatnik drop-lid box and only the court cards and Aces have colour photographic views. The statues, monuments, palaces and bridges are not named but one can recognise the Hungarian Parliament Building (AD and one of the backs) and the Széchenyi Chain Bridge (AH and KH). The numeral cards are plain. Curiously, both of the photographs of the Parliament Building must have been taken at a time when the front of the building was covered in scaffolding – not very pretty!
Above: Budapest souvenir playing cards printed and published by Piatnik, Vienna & Budapest, c2005. Piatnik No. 2573. 2 x 52 cards + 3 Jokers in drop-lid box. Size: 58 x 89 mm.
See the box►
By Roddy Somerville
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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