The UCR Deck
Giant-size cards designed by Thomas Sanders to advertise courses and facilities at UCR.
There are many reasons why this pack is unusual and perhaps unique: the cards are giant size, printed in red and black only, have 54 different backs and use old English faces for the courts. The pack was designed by Thomas H. Sanders, Publications Manager at the University of California/Riverside. The aim was to advertise the courses and facilities offered by the university to aspiring students in a novel manner. Most of the cards have information on both sides but with no uniformity of style. One curious card is the King of Clubs: he is identical to the Jack of Clubs except for the addition of a moustache and an attempt at a crown! Perhaps the original pack from which the court card designs were taken lacked the King of Clubs and so the Jack was suitably adapted. One wonders whether this pack helped to boost admissions! See the box
Above: the UCR Deck published by the University of California/Riverside, CA, USA, c1972. 52 cards + 2 Jokers in tuck box. Size: 121 x 172 mm. Printer unknown, the cards are flimsy and see-through, i.e., not on proper playing-card board.
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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