How to start collecting playing cards?
All over the world, there are casual individual playing card collectors, well-established local groups, international societies, and museum-based curators. Whether you are just starting or you are an established collector there are like-minded people all around the world eager to share their knowledge and enthusiasm for finding, collecting, and preserving playing cards. We help you get started with your collection.
Finding your first playing cards
The first stop in finding your first playing cards is your family toy box. There is probably a Bicycle deck, somewhere down the bottom. It might even be an Uno deck. The next stop is a visit to your grandparents. I would be very surprised if they don’t have a couple of decks floating about in the back of a cupboard. A Canasta deck perhaps. Maybe there are some loose single cards as well.
My next favorite places are weekend markets, secondhand shops, and vintage markets. What can you find? What cards take your eye? There is lots of stuff online as well (eBay, Facebook marketplace). No need to get carried away. Just let your interest grow organically.
Which playing cards do collectors collect?
Playing card collectors collect anything and everything imaginable. They regularly develop a specialty category or niche. There are even sub-categories of sub-categories. The sky is the limit. If you can imagine a category, there is probably someone, somewhere, collecting them.
Here is a teasing sample of playing card niches:
- Aces, Black aces, Spades aces
- Vintage cards, circa 1950s, pre 1920’s
- Travel related, cards with ships, cards with cars
- Shaped, Round Cards, Triangle cards
3 Playing Card Collecting Considerations
#1. Is Card age important?
Very, very old cards were probably made in smaller volumes and fewer have survived over the centuries. There are new cards being manufactured every year. There are also modern card manufacturers who print new limited editions. Another interesting group of cards are “Reproduction Cards”. These are re-issues of previously popular or special designs. What is collected is completely up to the collector. Some collectors will buy or trade cards in their particular category or niche irrespective of age.
#2. Are some cards more valuable than others?
The value, or the price depends on how many collectors are wanting the same card and how much they are prepared to pay. Trading cards (Sports and Non-sports ) can be very eye-watering valuable (millions of dollars). Playing cards in museums or private collections tend to be priceless.
#3. Are new or used playing cards better?
If you have 2 identical card decks or singles with one in perfect condition and the other one looking scruffy, the perfect one will always be more collectible
If you have 2 identical cards decks or singles that are both used and worn, but are particularly artistic, rare or in demand, then both will be collectible.
There are card grading standards. A look at this article on card conditioning will help you understand how professional buyers and sellers grade cards
Terminology for Card Collecting
Card collecting is truly international. Collectors and collections can be found in Asia, Europe, America, and Australia. It is generally accepted that cards, or precursors of cards, date back to the 800’s AD (Ref: Melbourne Playing Card Collectors Inc) That is about 1200 years ago. It is not surprisingly that various terminology has emerged and entangled itself
Very Basic Terminology
- Playing cards generally come decks of 52 cards in four suits. Some have Jokers
- Blank Back cards may be part of a deck of playing cards to be used as a spare.
- Swap Cards ( a term mainly used in Australia) started as Blank Back cards. In the 1940’s onward special Blank Back cards with a range of attractive, arty, fronts were manufactured specifically to be swapped amongst girls. Swap cards now include special blank back and playing cards blank backs.
- Trading Cards are divided into Sporting and Non-Sporting Cards. Cards are collected to form sets in an area of Sports interest (e.g.Soccer) or Collectible Card Games(e.g. Pokemon) or Fantasy Art Work (Ref:Wikipedia)
- Trading cards are not Playing cards
Other Card related terminology
- Cartophily the hobby of collecting cigarette cards
- Deltiology the study and collection of postcards
- Vintage Cards any cards older than 20 years
How should I store or display my playing card collection?
If you are collecting full decks of playing cards, the short answer to this question is…store your playing cards in their original tuck box ( the little cardboard box they came in), store them flat, avoid humidity, moisture, heat and light. The best article I have ever read on storing playing cards is here
And the best brief article I can find is here.
If you decide to keep using your collectibles to play cards with you will need to handle them sensibly. Have a quick look at our care tips.
Single Cards or Small Displays
Collecting single cards that you wish to display will be best moved into plastic sleeves or plastic (polyester) sleeve pages. Laying the cards flat in a dry, cool, well-aired environment is still important. Using a paper scrap book with photo corners was hugely popular in the 20th Century. Unfortunately it increases the risk of damaging the card corners. This style of display is no longer recommended for the serious card collector.
Framing a special small card collection for a permanent on-wall display takes special care. Daylight can fade and damage cards. The air moisture and temperature is important and mounting the cards vertically can be problematic. I would encourage a professional framer with experience in playing card displays. Proceed with care.
Are there playing card collecting clubs?
Collecting playing cards is truly international. Here are some starter organisations
52 plus Joker American society for playing-card collectors
International playing Card Society
Australian Playing Card Collectors Society
Melbourne Playing Card Collectors Inc
The age and scope of the playing cards held by individuals and organisations is phenomenal and continues to thrive. The emergence of electronic playing cards has not slowed the popularity of paper and card playing cards. How will you start your playing card collection? One playing card is a card. Two playing cards is the start of a collection.
