Private Exploration of Exquisite Playing Card Sets
Playing Cards and Their Political Twist
Ever excited about unique card decks? Well, there's a whole world out there, where the focus is more on the packaging design than the playing rules themselves! These are known as souvenir card decks, and they can come with themes ranging from history to pop culture.
Take, for example, the famous card decks of the U.S., designed with images of Iraqi leaders during war times. These were distributed among American soldiers to help identify enemies on the field. Similar decks featuring iconic Afghan landmarks were also released, offering soldiers a fun way to learn about enemy territories.
No souvenir shop would be complete without locally-themed card decks. However, only a few manufacturers have managed to craft collectible masterpieces from these decks, becoming the envy of philatelists worldwide.
One of the most successful examples of this idea is the series Playing Cards by American illustrator, designer, and cartoonist Peter Green. Green's first deck, released in 1972 during Richard Nixon's re-election, depicted Nixon as the king of spades wearing a golden crown, followed by J. Edgar Hoover sneaking a peek as the spade six. The deck was backed financially by the Los Angeles Times and quickly skyrocketed in popularity.
Since then, Green has been churning out decks illustrated with caricatures of famous politicians, intermingled with Hollywood stars in recent years. Every deck costs around $8, but Green's millions in profits can attest to their massive print runs.
Another noteworthy politician-themed deck is the United States of Tarot. Created by Elena McCune, this 80-card deck spans events from the Founding Fathers to the Trump presidency, featuring historical and political figures within its design. While it may not classify as a caricature deck, the deck's symbolic representation of political history aligns perfectly with the spirit of politically themed souvenir decks.
Beyond these examples, traditional tarot symbolism blending with American political history can be found in decks like the United States of Tarot. However, research reveals few American illustrators specializing in political caricature decks beyond Elena McCune and her symbolic representation work. Nonetheless, the world of politically themed souvenir decks remains an exciting playground for designers and enthusiasts alike.
What are some examples of politically themed souvenir card decks? One unique deck is the 'Playing Cards' series by Peter Green, released in 1972, featuring caricatures of politicians like Richard Nixon and J. Edgar Hoover. Another noteworthy deck is the 'United States of Tarot', created by Elena McCune, spanning historical and political events from the Founding Fathers to the Trump presidency. Despite fewer American illustrators specializing in political caricature decks, the world of politically themed souvenir decks continues to offer an exciting playground for designers and enthusiasts.
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