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Vintage Lot of 5 Bicycle Playing Card Decks – 1944–1956
Offered is an excellent vintage group of five Bicycle playing card decks manufactured by The United States Playing Card Company, Cincinnati, Ohio.
The group includes several different Bicycle back designs and styles, with original boxes and vintage federal playing-card tax stamps/seals.
Included are:
- Four Bicycle 808 decks, including Rider Back and New Fan Back examples
- One Bicycle Bridge Size 86 deck
- Original Bicycle boxes
- Red and blue back designs
- Vintage playing-card tax stamps/seals
Dating
The decks retain U.S. Playing Card Company production/date codes on their Ace of Spades. When interpreted in conjunction with the federal “1 PACK” playing-card tax stamps used from 1940 through 1965, the codes date the decks as follows:
F1316 – 1944
H2306 – 1946
U1402 – 1955
W1317 – 1956
W1329 – 1956
Together, the five decks represent a particularly nice group of Bicycle playing cards dating from approximately 1944 through 1956.
Of particular interest is the Bicycle New Fan Back deck with its elaborate fan-and-bicycle back design, along with the assortment of Rider Back and other period Bicycle designs.
Contents
Each of the five decks contains all 52 standard playing cards.Jokers and instruction/advertising cards are also present as shown in the photographs. Some decks are missing their instruction cards.
Condition
All five decks have been opened and are in vintage used condition. Cards show varying degrees of age and use.
The original boxes show expected age and storage wear including edge wear, staining, discoloration, creasing and small tears. The tax stamps/seals have been opened and show varying degrees of wear and loss. One box has old clear tape, as photographed.
Please examine all photographs carefully as they are an important part of the description and show the exact cards, boxes, back designs, seals and condition of the lot being offered.
A very appealing group for collectors of Bicycle playing cards, USPCC material, vintage card decks, gambling memorabilia and playing-card ephemera.
Sold together as one lot of five complete 52-card decks, as found.
