Souvenir of Panama
A photographic souvenir of Panama consisting of 52 cards and 2 jokers.
An undated locally produced photographic souvenir of Panama consisting of 52 cards and 2 jokers. The words “Play’n Post Card” appears on one edge of the box, and “Playing Postcard” on the other. It is not clear whether this is the publisher.



Above: photographic souvenir of Panama consisting of 52 cards and 2 jokers. 52 cards + 2 jokers. Undated.

By Peter Burnett
Member since July 27, 2022
I graduated in Russian and East European Studies from Birmingham University in 1969. It was as an undergraduate in Moscow in 1968 that I stumbled upon my first 3 packs of “unusual” playing cards which fired my curiosity and thence my life-long interest. I began researching and collecting cards in the early 1970s, since when I’ve acquired over 3,330 packs of non-standard cards, mainly from North America, UK and Western Europe, and of course from Russia and the former communist countries.
Following my retirement from the Bodleian Library in Dec. 2007 I took up a new role as Head of Library Development at the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) to support library development in low-income countries. This work necessitated regular training visits to many sub-Saharan African countries and also further afield, to Vietnam, Nepal and Bangladesh – all of which provided rich opportunities to further expand my playing card collection.
Since 2019 I’ve been working part-time in the Bodleian Library where I’ve been cataloguing the bequest of the late Donald Welsh, founder of the English Playing Card Society.
Related Articles

Baraja de Juan Martín Zamorano
Deck inspired by El Pendón de los Zamorano, a military pennant dating from 1501, published by Priego...

Jim Lyngvild playing cards
Photographs of Danish royalty as imagined by fashion designer Jim Lyngvild.

Tarot Actuel 1984
Major arcana to cut out, issued with the French magazine Actuel, using photographic images.

The Glasgow Pack
Issued to celebrate Glasgow’s reign as European City of Culture in 1990, with city views and works o...

Cathedrals, Abbeys & Minsters playing cards
54 pictures of different famous cathedrals, abbeys and minsters in England and Wales.

Baraja Turística del País Vasco
Basque poker deck of 55 cards published by Fournier with scenic views of the Basque Country.

Mountain Dream Tarot
Groundbreaking Tarot created by Bea Nettles, using photographs and photo montage.

English Heritage
52 different colour photos of historic sites managed by English Heritage.

The Malt Whiskies of Scotland
Three packs featuring photographs by Duncan McEwan of malt whisky distilleries in Scotland.

Covered bridges playing cards
Historical covered bridges with photography by Bill Miller, 2006.

Hispania Romana
Educational card game depicting the Roman period in Spanish history.

Go Go Gorillas!
Go Go Gorillas! charity playing cards sponsored by the Eastern Daily Press and the Norwich Evening N...

Piatnik’s 200th Anniversary
A special philatelic souvenir for Piatnik’s 200th anniversary, combining playing cards an...

Tarot – Images du Pays Basque
Seventy-eight photographic images of the French Basque Country on a pack for playing the game of Tar...

Sissi playing cards
produced for the Austrian tourist market.

North American wildlife playing cards
From humid wetlands to frozen tundra, the wildlife in North America is extremely diverse.
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 28 days