This deck is great all the way. I'll agree with the basically insignificant critique from Helshawk. When seen side by side, the hearts and diamonds look a little off on the joker. I think that's partly because the red suits are "attached" to the jester's hat in a different spot than the black suits are. The hat (curling up vs. down) emphasizes it. Seen apart from each other, I don't notice it.

So here is a deck of De la Rue cards from King Edward VII's coronation, june 1902. I love the tiny indices and the quality, colorful printing on the backs. Let's talk about that joker, though. I found a one-off reference to jokers finally being "allowed" into French-style decks in 1902 (http://www.numericana.com/answer/cards.htm).

There are absolutely no indentations where the word Joker appears on the card. I'm lead to believe that the text might have been stamped on the card. (The line weight and ink coverage don't suggest handwriting; felt tipped pens weren't popular until the 1950s; who would both have ~and write on~ a spare 2 of diamonds on a card that was already 50 years old?

Does anyone have a De la Rue joker from 1902 or earlier?

Received in Dallas, TX! I've mentioned this before, but 1 of these 2 is off to my sister's house to have her kids color and give back to me for Christmas!

Nice bit of cards here!
PM sent.

I've got 2 sealed sets, so I'm hesitant to break one up. I feel like a jerk mentioning it, but want to acknowledge your post all the same.

I've been known to deal blackjack a few (hundred) times. For me personally, I need standard or near standard faces for recognition. I'd stumble trying to add these cards at a glance and players might, too. I don't think pulling cards from their short edges would be an issue, though. I like the deck and the shoe, but I'd never use them together.

+1 KaiH

Received in good order, well packed, fair price.

I want to give each of my nieces and nephews (and adult friends) these...to color and give back to me! I want them to color the boxes, too!

I really, really like these. If you can't find someone to offer an uncoated playing card stock, I'd be interested in them even if they were printed with a traditional printer (as opposed to a playing card company). Sure, they'll wear out quickly in either case. Sure, the crayon or colored pencil might smudge on the next card's back, but I'm not exactly going to wear them out bringing them to the poker table. Bonus points if you can find an opaque stock that could handle crayons, colored pencils, or markers without soaking / ruining the back design.

For me to give the kids, I think they're awesome. They function much like a coloring book.

For me, though, (and ~some~ of my adult friends  ), I would prefer room for creativity beyond coloring. Thinking of traditional court cards, I'd like to be able to draw the their faces, crowns, or even their outfits and gear. I humbly suggest a more traditional design, less structured...and more looking "like people," as Don suggests.

Stretch goal idea - a less-structured second deck? A grown-ups version? Something like that?

I'm down for a couple decks if I have to use permanent markers. I'm down for six if the cardstock works with the crayons, colored pencils, and markers that my young nieces and nephews are allowed to use and already have. I'm down for a couple extra in a grown-ups version.

2¢.

They were up at bicyclecards.com for $20 for a long time "until sold out." I finally went to buy one after a couple weeks up in Canada and, of course, they sold out. I know I should have purchased sooner. 

Anyone know where I can get one reasonably priced?

...and they come in red! I also really like these.

I've got nooks in the game room that I'm filling. Here's the top half of the first nook.

I'm doing some rearranging because I decided to try the Bee promo boxes up there. That idea is still up in the air.

Edit: I do effectively access them. 

Last update from the project -
"Sep 28 2015
And everything has arrived - Starting Shipping."

...but no decks anywhere.

madscienceatwork - help us out?

Since I couldn't find the eBay deck retail anywhere, I decided to ask the seller. After all, that might be his product.

He told me, however, that he didn't know, but perhaps De La Rue. That led me to WWPCM British cards and I came across this after a while... Goodall 1880s. I think that's it.