On page 21 in the June 2014 issue of Clear the Decks (Volume XXVIII, Number 2) under the heading "A New Discovery" I brought to the 52 Plus Joker Club's attention a previously unknown variation of the Bicycle Racer back which was noticeably different from the familiar Racer # 1 back. At that time, it was only speculated that this was an example of the very first printing of the Racer back in 1895 based upon the use of the US8b Ace of Spades, jester hat joker and original box from that period. Today, I am pleased to be able to update and upgrade this speculation into a confirmation. I am finally able to do this because I have uncovered an advertisement for Bicycle playing cards that shows this very same back design (please see picture below). This advertisement is contained in one of USPC's numerous playing card booklets, this one entitled "National Method of Duplicate Whist" which contains 40 pages of rules and laws pertaining to the game of whist followed by their customary 4 pages of advertising at the back. The inside back cover shows their Wholesale Price List No. 7 dated July 1st, 1896. In a different version of a whist handbook which was the 10th edition, copyrighted 1897, less than a year later, this same advertisement for Bicycle playing cards appears in the back pages but this particular version of the Racer back has now been replaced with the well-known and commonly seen Rider back.
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