Dating congress playing cards

How do you date a USPCC deck of cards?

USPCC DATING CODE A reliable way to date decks made by the United States Playing Card Company (USPCC) is the dating code printed on the ace of spades or joker at the time it was manufactured. The code is helpful in dating decks after 1904, the year it started, according to the Hochman Encyclopedia.

When did the USPC start using the same playing card codes?

Right from the beginning in 1904, the same codes were used by National Playing Card Co. and New York Consolidated Card Co., subsidiaries by then of USPC. Andrew Dougherty and Russell Playing Card Co. also used these codes, as they became part of USPC in 1907 and 1929 respectively.

Do you know the grade of your playing cards?

Like knowing the grade of your cards, a dating aid can be very useful. For decks manufactured by United States Playing Card Co., a dating code was placed on the Ace of Spades at time of manufacture. The code first came into use in 1904 and it applies only to Aces of Spades that bear a letter plus a four digit number.

Is there a tax stamp for playing cards?

Taxes on playing-cards were abolished in the U.S.A. in 1965. Many manufacturers continued using stamps with their own design to seal the package. For some time, there also was a stamp for tax-free playing cards. To the left is a stamp that was in use by the U.S. military c. 1946.

How do you date a USPCC deck?

A reliable way to date decks made by the United States Playing Card Company (USPCC) is the dating code printed on the ace of spades or joker at the time it was manufactured. The code is helpful in dating decks after 1904, the year it started, according to the Hochman Encyclopedia.

Why choose USPCC for custom playing cards?

In fact, if you own a deck of custom playing cards, there is a good chance that it was made by USPCC. There are some competing publishers, to be sure, but when it comes to producers of quality playing cards, there is no doubt that USPCC is the big fish besides which most other publishers look like minnows.

What do the numbers on a USPCC card mean?

The code consists of a letter usually followed by a number. The letter is really the only thing helpful to collectors; the numbers are likely related to the printing run. National Playing Card Co. and New York Consolidated Co., at the time subsidiaries of USPCC, also used these same codes.

When did the USPC start using the same playing card codes?

Right from the beginning in 1904, the same codes were used by National Playing Card Co. and New York Consolidated Card Co., subsidiaries by then of USPC. Andrew Dougherty and Russell Playing Card Co. also used these codes, as they became part of USPC in 1907 and 1929 respectively.

What are playing card stamps?

New revenue stamps, designed specifically for the federal tax on the sale of playing cards, were introduced in 1894. This new series of playing card stamps would continue in use, until the tax was abolished in 1965.

When did the tax on playing cards end?

New revenue stamps, designed specifically for the federal tax on the sale of playing cards, were introduced in 1894. This new series of playing card stamps would continue in use, until the tax was abolished in 1965. The four major type playing cards tax stamps shown above were issued between 1894 and 1902.

When did they stop stamping on playing cards?

Playing Cards Tax Stamps 1894-1940. This new series of playing card stamps would continue in use, until the tax was abolished in 1965. The four major type playing cards tax stamps shown above were issued between 1894 and 1902 . The design features a playing-card-hand and the denomination.

What is the difference between a tax stamp and a pack?

I am using the term tax stamp nevertheless. Packs were usually stamped when they were marketed: the cards may have been printed years or even decades earlier than the stamp indicates. Stamps were often used until they were no longer usable/available: the cards may have been produced much later than the stamp indicates.