Polygo™
Cards of irregular, four-sided shape for playing word and colour games as well as more traditional ones.
As card shapes go, this must rate as one of the most unusual. The inventor, a certain “Dr P.”, proposes 12 ways of playing games with these cards in the accompanying leaflet . These range from traditional card games to word games to matching games (by shape or by colour). Solitaire (or patience) games are also included. On five of the cards, one can read “Polygo™ / © 1998 P S M Products Ltd / Patents pending”.
These cards almost certainly had quite a short life. Perhaps the inventor was trying too hard to create a multipurpose set. Would they have worked better if they had not had rounded corners?
Above: Polygo™ made by Richard Edward Ltd, Plumstead, UK. Published by PSM Products Ltd, London, UK, 1999. 52 cards + 2 (identical) Jokers + 1 bridge scoring card + fold-out leaflet in clear plastic box housed in a tuck box with tab. Size: 55 x 80 mm approx. (at widest point).
Publicity leaflet
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.
Related Articles
The European Interchanges Quartets
A card game based around motorway intersections from European countries.
Songs with Flute accompaniment
Eighteenth century English engraved cards with music for voice and flute.
Love Tests
Vintage novelty “Love Test” cards of a slightly saucy nature but all in good fun!
Briefmarken-Quartett
Quartet game featuring postage stamps from the Zones of Occupation in post-WWII Germany.
Ben 10 playing cards
Characters from the American animated television science fantasy series Ben 10.
Doctor Who Trump Card Game
Game for two players in which Doctor Who and the Legendary Legion join battle with the Alien Hordes....
Disney’s Aladdin playing cards
Characters from the 1992 Disney film Aladdin.
2011 Worshipful Company Pack
Celebrating the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Dickens, with characters adapted from drawings b...
Jockey Club de Buenos Aires
Spanish-suited pack by Chas Goodall & Son Ltd for the Jockey Club, Buenos Aires.
New interest in old games
Games once fashionable are now eclipsed by quicker gratifications.
Polygo™
Cards of irregular, four-sided shape for playing word and colour games as well as more traditional o...
Treasures from the Bodleian Library
Rare books, manuscripts, music scores, portraits, maps, gospels, chronicles and other valuable artef...
Victorian grocer’s scale plate
Large flat plate decorated with highly coloured English cards and royal arms.
Queen of Arts
A wide variety of women artists celebrated on cards with illustrations by Laura Callaghan.
The Glasgow Pack
Issued to celebrate Glasgow’s reign as European City of Culture in 1990, with city views and works o...
Verkeers Kwartet
A helpful quartet game celebrating the 75th anniversary of road safety exams making traffic safer.
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 28 days
