Standard Bicycle cards are available everywhere, but commemorative decks are created to set a specific anniversary or event down in history – and sometimes, these commemorative decks make their way to bridge or poker games around town.
Anniversary decks can be rare, but even when they aren’t, they’re special.
Do you have any special occasions tied to a commemorative or anniversary deck? Do you have commemorative card decks in your collection, or are you looking out for more to add?
Here are 5 commemorative card decks for collectors (and tips on where to find more):
Where to Find Commemorative Card Decks
Looking for more decks to add to your collection?
Here’s where to start.
1. Ask Other Card Collectors
If what you’re looking for is specific, contact other card collectors and enthusiasts first. They might have what you’re looking for (or know someone who does).
2. Frequent Card Forums
Card forums can also help point to local collectors, stores or websites where you might find what you’re looking for.
3. Thrift Stores, Pawn Shops and Yard Sales
Whenever I go past any of the above places, I always ask: do you have any card decks? Often times, the answer is yes – and sometimes rare finds are hiding away if you have the time to look.
1: The SIMF 2017 Commemorative Deck
The SIMF 2017 Commemorative Deck was released as an official tribute to the Shanghai International Magic Festival.
It’s memorable because it marks an amazing two decades for the festival’s existence, and because it’s their first card deck.
True to card decks that are preferred by magicians, I’ve heard this deck handles (and shuffles) smoothly.
2: Qantas 75 Years Deck
Did anyone else here grow up knowing what a Qantas is?
I had a parent in the airline industry, and therefore I never questioned it. As an adult, I’ve wondered why they couldn’t save themselves some time and effort by putting the word “airline” in the name for just a little bit of help.
This Qantas deck commemorates 75 years in the airline industry for this company.
That’s a big thing, considering that their main area of business is keeping things up in the air.
3: The Bicycle Millennium 2000 Deck
The Bicycle Milennium 2000 Deck is a great deck to own for fans of Bicycle, and it comes with a commemorative tin.
It’s solid, it shuffles as well as any other Bicycle standard deck you could imagine, and the deck imagery fits the era.
The only thing missing is a reference to the Y2K panic.
4: The 007 Deck
The 007 Deck marks the 40th anniversary of the movie franchise.
While it makes a great gift for fans of the series, it’s a great addition for any bridge players.
We know that both James Bond and his creator (that’s Fleming) were avid bridgeurs.
So, well, why not?
5: The USPCC 1901-2009 Deck
The USPCC 1901-2009 Deck marks a special landmark in card production history.
When the main United States Playing Card Company factory relocated from Ohio to Kentucky, the company created this deck to remember years of card playing history.
For some reason, the deck also comes with a calculator, as can be seen on this unboxing YouTube video.