How to date GPI / Gemaco Cards

[devaldragon]

I have recently started collecting Casino Playing Cards. The USPCC cards are very easy to date because of the codes on the Ace of Spades and all the useful decoding tables.

Gemaco / Paulson / GPI cards are more of a mystery. I know that Gemaco and Paulson have combined to become GPI and consolidated production in Blue Springs MO, but I don't know how decode the Ace of Spades.

For example a deck of Gemaco cards from Jumer's in Rock Island IL has the code GC307487 and a Paulson Deck from Motor City in Detroit MI has the code GC320610.

I have looked on Google but have not found anything.

Any ideas?

[Don Boyer]

I have recently started collecting Casino Playing Cards. The USPCC cards are very easy to date because of the codes on the Ace of Spades and all the useful decoding tables.

Gemaco / Paulson / GPI cards are more of a mystery. I know that Gemaco and Paulson have combined to become GPI and consolidated production in Blue Springs MO, but I don't know how decode the Ace of Spades.

For example a deck of Gemaco cards from Jumer's in Rock Island IL has the code GC307487 and a Paulson Deck from Motor City in Detroit MI has the code GC320610.

I have looked on Google but have not found anything.

Any ideas?

Well, as the company has changed hands more than once, it's possible that there's no consistent, universal method to use their serial numbers for dating from owner to owner.

Speaking of which, have you tried contacting the new owner, GPI?  If anyone would know, they would.

BTW, a little known fact - before GPI owned Gemaco, it was briefly owned by USPC!  They were forced to sell, as I heard it, due to antitrust pressure from the government.

[devaldragon]

Paulson card production was moved from Mexico and is now done at Gemaco's plant in Missouri.

Before the move, Paulson cards said "Made in Mexico" on the box and did not have a date code. Now they are in the same date series as Gemaco - LL######.

So far I have not had any luck contacting GPI / Gemaco - seems their contact info got jumbled during the merger.