Bicycle first printed the expert back design in 1895, and looked to recreate an antique feel with this standard poker sized deck reissue.  The first run of this deck however, featured the old fan back design (1885-1894). The fan back and expert back are very close in look, but it was eventually caught by an astute card collector, and the cards were corrected.  While I do not have one of the mistake decks with the fan back design, everything I read (and seen) has said the same thing: The corrected run overdid it on the antique effect on the cards, and they just look uniformly muddy, and that the mistake cards had a more subtle, and nicer, effect. That said, I like the old card back style reissues. A way to add some USPCC history to my collection without the cost of paying for a 150 year old deck of cards.

expertfront expertback

Bicycle Steampunk Playing Cards

Front of deck

The Bicycle Steampunk playing cards are standard poker sized deck. This is the bronze edition, and and features cog and gear covered backs, and a metallic bronze tuck case. Original artwork is found on the ace of spades, joker, card back design, and tuck case. A subtle touch is the USPCC closure stamp, which is usually black, is a golden bronze color on this deck.

While the artwork is lovely, and the deck does sport the name “steampunk,” there are other artist decks out there that really run with the steampunk theme. I would say that these are more steampunk lite. This deck is unopened in the original packaging. 

“Politicards 2012 casts today’s most popular political players as characters from classic feature films. Selected and ranked by national polls, the leading election year politicians, pundits and celebs are caricatured by Politicards creator and award-winning illustrator Peter Green.”

This deck a standard poker sized deck with 52 cards, each card face featuring a different caricature, with blue spade and club pips, and two jokers, the Democrat donkey and the Republican elephant. This deck is still sealed. Politicards have been issued for every election year beginning in 1996, though the first deck was released in 1972. I have a deck for every year except for 1996.

2012 Politicards, Guess who's who, doing what in D.C.?

Front of deck

Everyone's a wild card!

Back of deck

Feminist Playing Cards is a project from Homoground, a music website that promotes visibility for minority musicians. The deck features custom illustrations of 52 feminist musicians drawn by 14 feminist artists. Some of the musicians featured include Joan Jett, Liz Fair, Nina Simone, Loretta Lynn, Joni Mitchell, Grace Jones, PJ Harvey, and more. Each card is different. This is a 56 card deck, with two jokers, still sealed in its original package. The tuck box is not a standard tuck box, and the edges are not glued securely. I have to tape the edges to keep the box together.  For all of the card faces, and information from the artist who drew it, visit Feminist Playing Cards.

Feminist Playing Cards By Homoground Riot Grrrl Inc

Front of deck

Design on the backs of each card

Card back design

This is a standard bridge sized deck of playing cards from Maryland. The cards read “Deal me out… I’m Crabby!” with an angry caricature of a crab. He definitely doesn’t want to be a part of your crab cake. These are typical souvenir shop style cards you would pick up in a tourist shop, made in China, still sealed in shrink wrap. Date unknown, but there appears to have been other souvenir offerings featuring this crab and theme, such as coffee mugs (Claws Off My Coffee!”

Deal me out... I"m Crabby!

Front of deck

Joker card shown. Made in China.

Back of deck