Ripley’s Believe It or Not! playing cards
Strange facts from Robert Ripley’s ‘Believe It or Not’ books, in the form of cartoons.
The 53 hard-to-believe facts presented in this largely black and white pack are all taken from Robert Ripley’s ‘Believe It or Not’ books. They are conveyed in the form of cartoons with accompanying text. There was an earlier edition (1963)1 of the same pack produced by the Creative Playing Card Co. of St Louis, Missouri. An easy way to distinguish between the two is that the 1963 pack did not use serifs for the word ‘JOKER’ on the two Jokers. See the box►
Above: Ripley’s Believe It or Not! playing cards designed and manufactured by Stancraft Products, Minneapolis, MN, USA, c1970. 52 cards + 2 Jokers in tuck box. Size: 63 x 88 mm. The back design is reproduced on the back of the box.
Reference
1. Dawson, Tom and Judy. The Hochman Encyclopedia of American Playing Cards. Stamford, CT, USA: U.S. Games Systems, Inc.; 2000. p.305, N26.
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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