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308 Articles

Matt Probert

  • United Kingdom • 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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Marine Lives of Maldives

Souvenir deck from The Maldives depicting marine life in the Indian Ocean.

2008 Souvenir of Kos

Souvenir of Kos

Souvenir playing cards from the Greek island of Kos, published by Eurocard. Each card has a different scene, with many Greek and Roman antiquities and archaeological treasures.

1990 Gemaco

Gemaco

‘Gemaco’ playing cards produced for the Princess Cruises Casino.

2006 Manchester United Playing Cards

Manchester United Playing Cards

Deck produced for Manchester United Football Club published in 2006.

1982 Folklore

Folklore

“Folklore” by Altenburger Spielkarten Fabrik, c.1982

Penang Souvenir

Souvenir of Penang with a different photograph on every card, manufactured by Yong Guan Heng & Co, Penang, Malaysia.

Souvenir from Crete

Souvenir from Crete - 54 full colour playing cards © Editions Eurocard.

2010 Sense of Bulgaria

Sense of Bulgaria

Stylish Bulgarian souvenir playing cards with a different photo on every card, c.2000-2010.

Starlight

‘Starlight’ playing cards - brightening the lives of seriously ill children - published by Simon Lucas Bridge Supplies Ltd.

Chinese Dragon Robes

Deck featuring 54 different images of Chinese Dragon Robes that emperors, empresses and royal family members wear on important occasions.

2003 Nana Poker

Nana Poker

Every card carries a different cartoon image in the Manga style, expressing moods and emotions.

Abbey Playing Cards

Abbey Playing Cards made in Belgium by La Turnhoutoise, c.1950s.

1991 Screen Legends

Screen Legends

‘Screen Legends’ playing cards published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

2009 Hello Kitty

Hello Kitty

Waddington’s “Hello Kitty” themed deck produced in 2009.

2011 Hornby Playing Cards

Hornby Playing Cards

Hornby Playing cards are a retro deck designed and produced by Wild and Wolf copyright 2011.

1958 Arthur Lee & Sons Ltd

Arthur Lee & Sons Ltd

Advertising deck produced for Arthur Lee and Sons Ltd of Sheffield by Thomas De la Rue around 1958.

1948 Permalon Ltd

Permalon Ltd

Miniature playing cards advertising "Perma" smoking-related products featuring the "Perma Girl" on the backs and Joker.

1991 Wild Flowers of America

Wild Flowers of America

"Discover Wildflowers of America Playing Cards" manufactured by Carta Mundi (US), and created by Mark Hamilton and Sea to Sky Photography.

2010 Playboy Fragrances, 2010

Playboy Fragrances, 2010

In 2010 Playboy Fragrances (Coty) released a 'gaming' set promotion comprising two decks of identical cards, one set of five dice and poker chips.

Happy Families No.5367

Tower Press “Happy Families” No.5367

1999 Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels

Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels

“Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels” playing cards based on the cult film, 1999.

1975 Rococo No.2130

Rococo No.2130

Piatnik: Rococo No.2130 playing cards designed by Prof. Kuno Hock, c.1975

1968 Binary Playing Cards

Binary Playing Cards

Promotional deck for Honeywell Computers by Brown & Bigelow c.1968 with the cards marked in binary notation

1915 Southern Pacific Souvenir

Southern Pacific Souvenir

Southern Pacific Souvenir of the Golden West playing cards - Sunset, American Canyon and Shasta Routes - published by the Interstate Company exclusively for Southern Pacific News Service, c.1915.

Modern Aces of Spades

Many modern aces of spades are anonymous so that, in the absence of any other information, the collector has difficulty deciding who made them.

1901 Niagara Falls Souvenir

Niagara Falls Souvenir

Niagara Falls Souvenir Playing Cards copyrighted 1901 by the Niagara Playing Card Co. Buffalo NY PO Box 795.

1950 Souvenir of Scotland

Souvenir of Scotland

52 Selected Views of Scotland produced for United Cigar & Tobacco Co. Ltd, Glasgow, Scotland by Raphael Tuck & Sons Ltd.

1923 Panama Canal Souvenir

Panama Canal Souvenir

Souvenir of Panama playing cards by USPCC 6th Edition produced in 1923.

1974 Mao Zedong & International Friends

Mao Zedong & International Friends

Playing cards celebrating the story of the Chinese leader and statesman Chairman Mao / Mao Zedong & International Friends.

1914 Première Guerre Mondiale

Première Guerre Mondiale

“Première Guerre Mondiale 1914-1918” playing cards published by Éditions J.C. Dusserre (Maitres Cartiers Boéchat Frères), Paris.

2014 DC Comics Originals

DC Comics Originals

Waddingtons ‘DC Comics Originals’ deck from 2014 featuring ‘Batman’,‘Wonder Woman’, ‘Justice League’ and ‘Superman’

Monty Python

Monty Python playing cards marketed by ‘re:creation’ and made in China.

1960 Eldar by Memco

Eldar by Memco

‘Eldar’ upholstery fabrics advertising deck by Middle East Manufacturing Co of Beirut, Lebanon, c.1960.

Teddy Bear

Teddy Bear playing cards designed by Peter Wood for Lyons Quickbrew Tea.

2009 Wallace & Gromit

Wallace & Gromit

Wallace & Gromit playing cards published by Marks & Spencer, 2009.

2012 Olympics 2012

Olympics 2012

Each card features a representation of a different sport at the London 2012 Olympic or Paralympic games.

1960 Lion Brand No.1492 : Jet Fuel

Lion Brand No.1492 : Jet Fuel

Advertising deck for "Jet" fuels, and "Lion Brand" No.1429 manufactured in Belgium by Biermans, 1960s.

2011 Mr. Men™

Mr. Men™

Mr. Men™ & Little Miss™ playing cards by Roger Hargreaves

2002 Star Wars

Star Wars

‘Star Wars’ playing cards produced by Character Games, 2002

Titicaca ® Playing Cards

Each card in this novelty deck, subtitled “Funny Card”, carries information about a prestigious or popular brand.

1995 Toy Story 3

Toy Story 3

Animated playing cards featuring full colour illustrations of the Toy Story 3 characters.

2005 Dr Who

Dr Who

Dr Who is a long-running science-fiction television series produced by the BBC, first airing in 1963.

2006 Dr Who Adventures

Dr Who Adventures

‘Doctor Who Adventures’ is a weekly magazine aimed at younger readers. From time to time free playing cards are included with the magazine

2015 Doctor Who

Doctor Who

Doctor Who fan cards produced by Winning Moves under the Waddington's label, 2015.

1960 Pneumatic c.1960-1965

Pneumatic c.1960-1965

De la Rue were producing Pneumatic cards with the “special graining for ease of handling” as late as early 1960s

Johnnie Walker Whisky

Johnnie Walker Whisky playing cards by Héron.

2010 Fable III

Fable III

“Fable III” playing cards created by Lionhead Studios depicting characters in the role-playing video game published by Microsoft Game Studios in 2010

2003 History of Flight

History of Flight

“History of Aviation” playing cards published by Lo Scarabeo (2003) in which every card carries a painting representing an aspect of the history of powered flight.

1930 Gibson Playing Card Co

Gibson Playing Card Co

Gibson Playing Card Co., Cincinnati and New York.

Play it Safe

“Play it Safe” health & safety playing cards.

1966 Lanzarote Souvenir

Lanzarote Souvenir

Souvenir of Lanzarote playing cards by NEGSA (Naipes Comas).