Vintage WWII Uncle Sam Bicycle Playing Cards Complete Set Sealed

[badpete69]

And this is my other recent purchase. I had to go on ebay to find pics of the cards themselves since my deck is sealed. I see many Uncle Sam pinochle decks but only a few non pinochle decks

[Don Boyer]

And this is my other recent purchase. I had to go on ebay to find pics of the cards themselves since my deck is sealed. I see many Uncle Sam pinochle decks but only a few non pinochle decks

I'd bet that has something to do with the typical GI being more interested in games like poker, rummy or solitaire.  Those 52-card standard decks got used, abused and eventually destroyed while the pinochle decks apparently didn't see as much action on the battlefield.

That's a really nice specimen you've got there.  It's a little odd to see it with a tax stamp, though.  To my knowledge, those packs were typically given a "tax-free, for government use only" seal.  Perhaps that makes it even more rare!

Someone (in fact, several someones!) around here must know more about this deck than I do.  Any thoughts?

[52plusjoker]

And this is my other recent purchase. I had to go on ebay to find pics of the cards themselves since my deck is sealed. I see many Uncle Sam pinochle decks but only a few non pinochle decks

I'd bet that has something to do with the typical GI being more interested in games like poker, rummy or solitaire.  Those 52-card standard decks got used, abused and eventually destroyed while the pinochle decks apparently didn't see as much action on the battlefield.

That's a really nice specimen you've got there.  It's a little odd to see it with a tax stamp, though.  To my knowledge, those packs were typically given a "tax-free, for government use only" seal.  Perhaps that makes it even more rare!

Someone (in fact, several someones!) around here must know more about this deck than I do.  Any thoughts?

I think they sold this for some time after 1945

[Don Boyer]

I think they sold this for some time after 1945

Like, sold to the general public?  I know they were around after WW2 ended - in fact I think they stopped making them available tax-free for government use some time just before the Korean War.  But I've been wrong before...

[andrew daugherty]

Note the Uncle Sam boxes do not say for government use. I have several with tax stamps, red and blue, poker size.  Generic ace of spades as found in Aviators of the era, the nice leaf back not withstanding.

[Don Boyer]

Note the Uncle Sam boxes do not say for government use. I have several with tax stamps, red and blue, poker size.  Generic ace of spades as found in Aviators of the era, the nice leaf back not withstanding.

You're right about the lack of a "government use only" label!  Good catch on that.

It seems like the Aviator deck has become sort of a "catch-all" deck for when USPC wants to sell something cheaper.  I've seen decks like Caravans, Torpedoes, etc. all packed with Aviator cards, and they have to be recent enough since the Aviator logo has a jet plane in it.

[andrew daugherty]

Caravan, Torpedo, Planet, Target, Draw, Mohawk, Tuxedo, Transogram Toys and any number of drug store decks were Aviators.  Derby may be another, though that name may also have been a Whitman/Western product in the 30s. The USPC go-to generic became Streamline in the 90s.

Arrco used Streamline and Lombardy as its similar generics; Whitman's was Invincible, and Hoyle's was Maverick.

I have purchased Mavericks in Buxton, Delta and CVS boxes 1987-2004.

[Don Boyer]

Caravan, Torpedo, Planet, Target, Draw, Mohawk, Tuxedo, Transogram Toys and any number of drug store decks were Aviators.  Derby may be another, though that name may also have been a Whitman/Western product in the 30s. The USPC go-to generic became Streamline in the 90s.

Arrco used Streamline and Lombardy as its similar generics; Whitman's was Invincible, and Hoyle's was Maverick.

I have purchased Mavericks in Buxton, Delta and CVS boxes 1987-2004.

You might be interested to know that the Family Dollar chain of stores recently started stocking Bicycles and Mavericks in custom-printed tucks with the price printed on them.  Bicycles are marked $3 while Mavericks are marked $1.  To my knowledge, with the expansion of the Family Dollar chain, it's the first time Mavericks have made it as far north as New York.  Then again, my historical knowledge is limited.

I remember not long ago spotting some Streamlines on sale at WalMart for only $1 a pack - and they were US made, from the Erlanger factory.  Unfortunately, they don't seem to be carrying them any longer, though they do get some occasional custom decks designed by USPC.  The new Bicycle Pluma in orange wasn't an easy find for me until I discovered that they were selling there.

And then there were the Bicycle Standard that were made custom for WalMart...
www.playingcardforum.com/playing-card-plethora/bicycle-standard-new-box-design-(walmart-bikes)/
www.playingcardforum.com/playing-card-plethora/an-odd-pair-of-bicycle-standards/

But I'm digressing from the main topic long enough!

[Mike Ratledge]

I have a pair of these without tax stamps, appear to have been sealed with a white tape or gummed sticker. One red open and one blue sealed both Pinochle decks. Pix attached.

Mine came from a 50-ish lady in Australia whos father sold them to American GIs getting off the boat there during WWII.

[Mike Ratledge]

Sorry for the double post, but I forgot to add the WWI Standard PCC pix. I'll go with December 1919 since the code is 1219.

[Don Boyer]

Sorry for the double post, but I forgot to add the WWI Standard PCC pix. I'll go with December 1919 since the code is 1219.

Standard was founded in 1890 but was an independently-operated USPC subsidiary by 1894, eventually being merged into Consolidated Dougherty in 1930.  The AoS code created by USPC in 1904 is usually a letter followed by four numerals and the four numerals didn't correspond to a date - to the best of my knowledge, no other part of the code corresponded to the date until circa 2010 when they started adding a four-digit prefix corresponding to the week and year of printing.  Other codes occasionally appear on Aces of Spades for various USPC brands, but it's unclear precisely what they mean beyond some sort of internal inventory code.

Unless we know that Standard was using a different type of simpler code while owned by USPC and that we know what the code is, we can't automatically assume that "1219" is indeed an indication of a December 1919 printing date, or if it even corresponds to any date.  It could be December 1919, the 12th week of 1919, the 19th week of 1912 or simply print batch number 1219.

[Mike Ratledge]

Darn, Don. I'll take April 1919 if it's WWYY - just said "I'm going with...". No tax stamp, you've got to figure it was made during the war, most likely - but maybe not.

[52plusjoker]

Sorry for the double post, but I forgot to add the WWI Standard PCC pix. I'll go with December 1919 since the code is 1219.

Code has no relationship to a date. Deck looks to be 1910-20 period but if I could see a full scan of the extra card showing in the background it will help considerably.

[Mike Ratledge]

Sorry for the double post, but I forgot to add the WWI Standard PCC pix. I'll go with December 1919 since the code is 1219.

Code has no relationship to a date. Deck looks to be 1910-20 period but if I could see a full scan of the extra card showing in the background it will help considerably.

Of course. But when I go to put my hands on it, I find the two WWII examples, the Arpac No Revoke decks, various old Bikes, New Fan Back, two racer backs, a Red Seal #16,Regal #85 and see what I think is it and it's a darned old Battle Axe. Close (color of tuck, anyway but no cigar. I am of course in the middle of recataloging things. I am sure that I will lay hands on it tomorrow when I look harder.

As always I remember all the details, it has a 50¢ coupon card for Bunco that expires in 1921 and a Liberty Bell Joker...

[52plusjoker]

Sorry for the double post, but I forgot to add the WWI Standard PCC pix. I'll go with December 1919 since the code is 1219.

Code has no relationship to a date. Deck looks to be 1910-20 period but if I could see a full scan of the extra card showing in the background it will help considerably.

Of course. But when I go to put my hands on it, I find the two WWII examples, the Arpac No Revoke decks, various old Bikes, New Fan Back, two racer backs, a Red Seal #16,Regal #85 and see what I think is it and it's a darned old Battle Axe. Close (color of tuck, anyway but no cigar. I am of course in the middle of recataloging things. I am sure that I will lay hands on it tomorrow when I look harder.

As always I remember all the details, it has a 50¢ coupon card for Bunco that expires in 1921 and a Liberty Bell Joker...

Then 1918-20 would seem likely.

[Mike Ratledge]

I agree. I found a picture looking through my archives and that coupon card expired 1-July-1921

[Mike Ratledge]

Here's a scan of the main cards, AoS, Joker, ad card and the coupon card that I mentioned and the back design.

[52plusjoker]

interesting that Uncle Sam came with the Liberty Bell Joker.

[Mike Ratledge]

interesting that Uncle Sam came with the Liberty Bell Joker.

Yes, certainly not surprising, frankly.  Tom, what was it that you were looking for in the extra card - specifically?  I don't see anything that gives me any clue(s), but then again I'm certainly nowhere near as good as you are at putting things together and coming up with an informed decision about dating.  I have to agree with your previous observation that it's likely somewhere around the 1918-1920 time-frame, but - what is it that tells you more?  I do know that it's the first time I can remember seeing something like that in the deck itself.  I guess because - just like the jokers and tuck boxes being missing a lot of times for truly antique decks - i.e. 100+ years old: people just took those out when they opened the deck and discarded the darned things.  I looked twice at the joker before I bought it, but I never even think about trying to clean up a card in the deck.  I'm waiting on delivery of a deck of Steamboat #999 (US7-j), with a really nice joker.  I'm guessing that the joker was put away and never used, but rejoined the deck when it was found later.  In that case the joker appears to be in the best condition of any of the cards in the deck.  Question about the pricing you show in the Hochmans "Supplement & Pricing Guide": is that meant to say that the joker itself in good condition is as rare as the rest of the deck itself?  (just asking because when you think about the way it's listed, it's almost as if they are two separate listing for US7 & US7-j.  The deck is in reasonably good condition for one of that timeframe, but the joker is just fabulous (comparatively)!

When I find something like that listed and know that the seller really doesn't have any idea of what he has, I don't feel bad about giving them a little more than I would more of the time, because as in this case it's just a fantastic find.  This deck isn't as hard to find in great condition as the Tiger 101, though.  That deck was just so marginal as far as quality when it was made that putting your hands on a good copy in great shape is really hard to do.

[52plusjoker]

interesting that Uncle Sam came with the Liberty Bell Joker.

Yes, certainly not surprising, frankly.  Tom, what was it that you were looking for in the extra card - specifically?  I don't see anything that gives me any clue(s), but then again I'm certainly nowhere near as good as you are at putting things together and coming up with an informed decision about dating.  I have to agree with your previous observation that it's likely somewhere around the 1918-1920 time-frame, but - what is it that tells you more?  I do know that it's the first time I can remember seeing something like that in the deck itself.  I guess because - just like the jokers and tuck boxes being missing a lot of times for truly antique decks - i.e. 100+ years old: people just took those out when they opened the deck and discarded the darned things.  I looked twice at the joker before I bought it, but I never even think about trying to clean up a card in the deck.  I'm waiting on delivery of a deck of Steamboat #999 (US7-j), with a really nice joker.  I'm guessing that the joker was put away and never used, but rejoined the deck when it was found later.  In that case the joker appears to be in the best condition of any of the cards in the deck.  Question about the pricing you show in the Hochmans "Supplement & Pricing Guide": is that meant to say that the joker itself in good condition is as rare as the rest of the deck itself?  (just asking because when you think about the way it's listed, it's almost as if they are two separate listing for US7 & US7-j.  The deck is in reasonably good condition for one of that timeframe, but the joker is just fabulous (comparatively)!

When I find something like that listed and know that the seller really doesn't have any idea of what he has, I don't feel bad about giving them a little more than I would more of the time, because as in this case it's just a fantastic find.  This deck isn't as hard to find in great condition as the Tiger 101, though.  That deck was just so marginal as far as quality when it was made that putting your hands on a good copy in great shape is really hard to do.

When the extra card is a score card it sometimes has a date which sets the earliest it could be but not the latest as we have seen them used for several years. Also, with the xc that having auction bridge storing there are periods where the scoring changed which helps narrow the approximate date to a range.
The Steamboats are interesting -  the decks with the first Ace had two Jokers - one with the boy eating the watermelon and one with a Steamboat and a small circle showing a boy eating a watermelon. The latter one is rarer than the first. These decks probably double [at least] when accompanied by the Joker and also a box in exc3llent condition is rare because they were fragile [cheaply made]. The first Tigers, in fact the subsequent ones as well, are pretty scarce.
The jokers are often in better shape because, if not discarded when the deck was opened, they were not used in many games - they just sat patiently in the box waiting for a collector to desire them!!
Hope this helps Mike.

[Mike Ratledge]

Exactly my observations as well, Tom. This particular deck has the original "politically incorrect" Joker, not the US7a Steamboat with guy eating melon in a small vignette Joker. Unfortunately this particular example has no box at all, I am used to finding those rarely especially for the US1 to US7 group. US1 "Tiger" seems almost unobtainable although I am sure there are some rare examples.

Again, finding the deck itself in great shape is tough, and finding the OB is rougher still simply because of the cheap construction of them.