Introduction to collecting Playing Cards.

Swap cards are mostly from a deck of normal playing cards. Collectors take one of each design or pattern from the deck for their collection. Usually there are a pair, but sometimes there may be four decks in a box, with different colours or pictures in each deck. Sometimes there is no 'pair' for a card, if just one pack was produced by the manufacturer, using the same pattern for the entire deck of cards. (Swap cards were also produced by Coles and Woolworths in the 1950's. These are now rare, and highly valued among collectors.)

A matching pair of cards can be the same design with variations in colour, or different pictures with the same kind of border to show they are a pair. There may even be four varieties of the one pattern in different colours. The subjects on the front of cards are endless. Some collectors only save a certain topic, such as animals, or just one kind of animal. Old fashioned or vintage-style pictures such as crinoline ladies and Old Masters paintings are popular. Other collectors specialise in Jokers or Aces.

In 1956, Coles Stores produced four separate sets of cards to commemorate the Olympic Games in Melbourne. There are 28 cards in each set, with flags of the competing nations, flora, fauna, industry, and sporting events pictured on them.

Saturday 10 February 2007

Scotty dogs



Scotty dogs on playing cards were immensely popular for some reason.

2 comments:

maggieep said...

Hi Gina

I love the Scotty Cards, I dont know why they were so popular but when I was a kid they were highly prized and I'm still collecting them now!
Regards Maggie

Gina E. said...

Hi Maggie,
I was delighted to find you here - I didn't think anyone was reading this blog, as apart from some friends at the start, there hasn't been much interest. I found your blog, but you seem to have just started blogging, and I couldn't post a comment. Are you in Melbourne? If so, would you like to meet for a coffee and swappies show and tell? If so, email me direct.
Cheers,
Gina