The World of Playing Cards Logo

Continental Card Co

Published May 30, 2010 Updated February 14, 2023

The Continental Card Company, 220 North Second Street, Philadelphia, started in 1874, manufacturing various qualities of playing cards, including Continental Steamboats, Manhattans, Continental Moguls, etc. Single-ended and double-ended decks are known, also a "Highest Trump" Joker.

1875 USA Continental Card Co Moguls

Continental Card Co., Philadelphia (1874-1880)

The Continental Card Company, 220 North Second Street, Philadelphia, started in 1874, manufacturing various qualities of playing cards, including Continental Steamboats, Manhattans, Continental Moguls, etc. Single-ended and double-ended decks are known, also a "Highest Trump" Joker. However, they do not appear to have remained in business for very long.

cards produced by The Continental Card Company, Philadelphia, c.1875

Above: cards produced by The Continental Card Company, Philadelphia, c.1875. The single-headed courts in this example are very similar in design to those produced by Dougherty, c.1855, The Union Playing Card Co and N.Y. Consolidated Card Co. (Samuel Hart) and also those sold under the name of Thomas Crehor and by Russell & Morgan Co., 1881 in its Tiger 101 brand, with and without indices. The ace of spades featuring a horseshoe and a four-leafed clover, symbols of good luck, might have been better suited as a Joker!

avatar
1,475 Articles

By Simon Wintle

Member since February 01, 1996

Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.

Related Articles

1972 The UCR Deck

The UCR Deck

Giant-size cards designed by Thomas Sanders to advertise courses and facilities at UCR.

2015 Fredericks & Mae playing cards

Fredericks & Mae playing cards

A rainbow pack from the design team of Fredericks & Mae and Benjamin English.

2004 Red Hat Society playing cards

Red Hat Society playing cards

Society that encourages women in their quest to get the most out of life.

1975 Mountain Dream Tarot

Mountain Dream Tarot

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

2021 Junior Playing Cards

Junior Playing Cards

Child-friendly versions of standard English pattern cards designed by Louie Mantia, Jr.

2021 Last Call Cats playing cards

Last Call Cats playing cards

Bar-crawling cats, designed by artists Arna Miller and Ravi Zupa.

2006 Covered bridges playing cards

Covered bridges playing cards

Historical covered bridges with photography by Bill Miller, 2006.

1981 Motherpeace Round Tarot

Motherpeace Round Tarot

An original and imaginative feminist tarot based on Goddess energy.

1986 Victorian playing cards

Victorian playing cards

54 different card designs including people, animals, flowers, costumes and ornaments popular during ...

1980 Crown Hill playing cards

Crown Hill playing cards

Crown Hill playing cards with illustrations by Corrine Guiney, USA,

1974 O-Shlemiel card game

O-Shlemiel card game

O-Shlemiel card game with Yiddish words and phrases.

2024 Hesslers Four-Colour “No Revoke” Deck

Hesslers Four-Colour “No Revoke” Deck

Hesslers Maiden Back Four-Colour “No Revoke” Deck, with enhanced visibility and a traditional look. ...

2011 The Heart Deck™

The Heart Deck™

Useful information about heart health on every card.

1996 Star Trek® – The Original Series

Star Trek® – The Original Series

Promotional pack for CIC Video with characters and starships from the original series of Star Trek. ...

1973 Colonial Art

Colonial Art

A collection of 53 pieces of art showcasing detailed scenes from early American colonial life.

2012 Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom

Crafted by Hatch Design and benefitting the World Wildlife Fund, animal heads replace the traditiona...