Bicycle Heritage Series

[Bruce]

Are there any differences that can help one tell the difference between an original card and one from the Heritage Series. One I'm specifically looking at is the Acorn Brown.

I appreciate any insight you can share.

[Chuqii]

For the court cards, the size of the King Queen or Jack.  Around 1950, Bicycle shrunk the court cards, and it looks like the Heritage series uses the modern, smaller courts.  See pic for example of full size courts (1927 Bicycle Eagle back) vs shrunken courts (2014 Bicycle Cupid back).  Pip Color could also be an indicator.

[Bruce]

Thanks for the reply.

It's helpful to know that they used the modern court cards.

Are there any tells on the back design? It looks the Heritage Acorn are a lighter brown and have a thinner outside border but I'm working from pictures online. Do you know if that's true?

[Chuqii]

I don't own any of the Heritage Acorn backs, so I couldn't tell you about the margin.  I assume all the heritage backs are Air Cushion finish.  Prior to 1909, the Bicycle decks only came in Ivory (smooth) finish, and Ivory finish continued to be an option for some time, so you could check for that as well.  Also, I would expect some aging on the original Acorn back cards, seeing as how they are at least 75 years old (and maybe older for Brown decks).  Check out link for more info - http://bicyclecards.org/cards_post/acorn/

[Bruce]

Thanks....appreciate it.

[Don Boyer]

I don't own any of the Heritage Acorn backs, so I couldn't tell you about the margin.  I assume all the heritage backs are Air Cushion finish.  Prior to 1909, the Bicycle decks only came in Ivory (smooth) finish, and Ivory finish continued to be an option for some time, so you could check for that as well.  Also, I would expect some aging on the original Acorn back cards, seeing as how they are at least 75 years old (and maybe older for Brown decks).  Check out link for more info - http://bicyclecards.org/cards_post/acorn/

While smooth-finish decks aren't at all common these days for Bicycle branded decks, they do still use them, most notably for decks like their Lo-Vision Jumbo Index (four-color/two-color hybrid) decks.  The most widely sold smooth-finish deck USPC makes today is probably either that or Aviators - or, if you count international market sales, Aladdins in Singapore.