A new way to date sealed Bicycle cards?

[xela]

For a while now I had a mysterious deck of Bicycle cards. It was an odd one because it had very slight differences from my normal Bikes. Keep in mind I am talking about Cincinnati Rider Backs here, not the new Erlanger stuff.

The differences are the following:

Different fonts on the side of the box.
The mysterious deck has the bar code on the right at the bottom, and the logo on the left. Normal Bikes have the bar code on the left, and the logo on the right.

For a while I had no idea what in the world this deck was, and I didn't want to open it to date it (I did this once before only to find out I opened a 1975 Rider Back. Sad faces all around).

I looked at vintage Bicycle decks and noticed that all the decks in the 1980s had the same logo configuration. Logo on the left, bar code on the right seems to indicate when the cards were printed.

Can anyone verify this theory?

[john]

I have a few of bikes that came with the texas hold'em sets from 03 that have the same layout just as you say.

[NathanCanadas]

I only have one deck of riderbacks, surprisingly, and unfortunately. How can I check its date?

[shutupdangit]

As John mentioned, I think it has something to do with when the Texas Holdem sets started coming out. Here's some pictures of my decks (sorry for the crappy quality).

[D_bag]

What year is this bicycle deck?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq5hiEq2mrU
 
From deckreview's video. It doesn't have a barcode 

[digipunk]

What year is this bicycle deck?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq5hiEq2mrU
From deckreview's video. It doesn't have a barcode 

It should be 1940-1955.

[jmrock]

Ouch... Opening such a rare sealed deck - wax paper and all...

[xZEROx]

What year is this bicycle deck?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq5hiEq2mrU
From deckreview's video. It doesn't have a barcode 

It should be 1940-1955.

Hmm if you're checking from the USPC Dating Code on cypressfilms.com, it should be 1940-1965.

[xZEROx]

Ouch... Opening such a rare sealed deck - wax paper and all...

 Ah I feel you.. 

[Don Boyer]

For a while now I had a mysterious deck of Bicycle cards. It was an odd one because it had very slight differences from my normal Bikes. Keep in mind I am talking about Cincinnati Rider Backs here, not the new Erlanger stuff.

The differences are the following:

Different fonts on the side of the box.
The mysterious deck has the bar code on the right at the bottom, and the logo on the left. Normal Bikes have the bar code on the left, and the logo on the right.

For a while I had no idea what in the world this deck was, and I didn't want to open it to date it (I did this once before only to find out I opened a 1975 Rider Back. Sad faces all around).

I looked at vintage Bicycle decks and noticed that all the decks in the 1980s had the same logo configuration. Logo on the left, bar code on the right seems to indicate when the cards were printed.

Can anyone verify this theory?

The guy who created the cypressfilms.com site is probably one of the better people to ask about this.  I couldn't even begin to guess, other than by saying they're pre-2009 - which doesn't help you one bit.

[xZEROx]

The guy who created the cypressfilms.com site is probably one of the better people to ask about this.  I couldn't even begin to guess, other than by saying they're pre-2009 - which doesn't help you one bit.

The name is Joseph Pierson. Maybe someone with time could look up his contact information. Apparently he's a producer/director of films, not quite sure if he's still active in the film production field though.

He's got some SWEET vintage collection. Some of you may have been directed to these sites before:
http://www.countryliving.com/antiques/what-to-collect/collecting-playing-cards-0907
http://ephemera.ning.com/photo/photo/listForContributor?screenName=30j0hxrpf5smh&test-locale=&exposeKeys=&xg_pw=&xgsi=&groupId=&groupUrl=&xgi=&page=1

[jmrock]

What an effing collection this guy has... I've seen him before online and such... He owns not only one of the most wonderful collections I've seen, but the posters and memorabilia as well... He also happens to own my most sought after cards, the Bicycle NASA cards...


If you didn't know, Bicycle designed cards for NASA on fireproof paper to be used in Skylab in space, where the astronauts would play cards... The deck was a Bicycle Rider Back, but in the center, the NASA logo was placed...They were being auctioned off years ago in straight flush hands for around $130 a hand, unbeknownst to me... WOW - Can you imagine???

[dmbaggs]

That is insane!! The NASA deck... wow. They really do have the coolest stuff. Blows my mind

[xZEROx]

What an effing collection this guy has... I've seen him before online and such... He owns not only one of the most wonderful collections I've seen, but the posters and memorabilia as well... He also happens to own my most sought after cards, the Bicycle NASA cards...


If you didn't know, Bicycle designed cards for NASA on fireproof paper to be used in Skylab in space, where the astronauts would play cards... The deck was a Bicycle Rider Back, but in the center, the NASA logo was placed...They were being auctioned off years ago in straight flush hands for around $130 a hand, unbeknownst to me... WOW - Can you imagine???

Was it off of eBay? I wonder how many of those decks were actually produced...

[jmrock]

It wasn't eBay... It was an obscure auction house that obtained the decks from a space memorabilia auction... These were novelties compared to the space suits and such that were being auctioned off... As was previously mentioned in another thread... Sometimes people in one venue don't quite know what they have if looked at from a different venue... I have tried everything from contacting NASA, to contacting the auction house, to contacting the company that supplied the space related items... No luck in securing any cards so far...  These are one of the few instances when I will accept a single swap, however a straight flush sounds cooler... I don't know if a complete deck is known to exist, and if it does I couldn't fathom the price...

[xZEROx]

On Bicycle's page (http://www.bicyclecardgames.com/c-9-history-of-bicycle.aspx), it says in the 1900's that "USPC supplied NASA with cards of flameproof paper suitable for use in spacecraft. Astronauts aboard Apollo 14 used Bicycle Playing Cards."

I did a little search on google and came across this:
http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/153607

So 5 cards sold for $250 in 2003. Price may have double by now.
It also says "Made from a special fireproof paper, the company made "several hundred" decks of these cards, most of which have not survived the test of time." Probably only a few decks are still in existence.

From these two sites, I think it's safe to say the deck was produced for a few years in the 1960's and production stopped in 1967, and it was last used in 1971.

[digipunk]

What year is this bicycle deck?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq5hiEq2mrU
From deckreview's video. It doesn't have a barcode 

It should be 1940-1955.

Hmm if you're checking from the USPC Dating Code on cypressfilms.com, it should be 1940-1965.

Nope, I still say it's 1940-1955 because of the wax paper.
USPC started using cellophane from 1955 on.

[xZEROx]

Nope, I still say it's 1940-1955 because of the wax paper.
USPC started using cellophane from 1955 on.

Oh I didn't know that. Sorry!
Do you have any idea what years did they use wax paper? From the beginning of production until 1955?

[digipunk]

Do you have any idea what years did they use wax paper? From the beginning of production until 1955?

I don't know but... at lease we already saw the wax paper on jmrock's 1920 Bees.

[xZEROx]

Do you have any idea what years did they use wax paper? From the beginning of production until 1955?

I don't know but... at lease we already saw the wax paper on jmrock's 1920 Bees.

I'm not sure. I looked at the picture again. The second from the left has a strap across the box. Either that's a cellophane at 1920's, or it's not a 1920's deck. 

Edit: Hold on. He said 1920-1965. That one's between 1940-1965. You're talking about another deck aren't you. Which one of those Bees is opened? I don't see any wax paper. o.O

[digipunk]

@sxjy0109, you have to visit the subforum often
http://aethercards.com/discourse/index.php?topic=1512.0

[xZEROx]

@sxjy0109, you have to visit the subforum often
http://aethercards.com/discourse/index.php?topic=1512.0

I actually paid a visit to all the threads in this board. I did read this but didn't recall it while posting here.
So wax paper, then from the war series, we could say that it's been used at least since the WW1.

[jmrock]

What year is this bicycle deck?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq5hiEq2mrU
From deckreview's video. It doesn't have a barcode 

It should be 1940-1955.

Hmm if you're checking from the USPC Dating Code on cypressfilms.com, it should be 1940-1965.

Nope, I still say it's 1940-1955 because of the wax paper.
USPC started using cellophane from 1955 on.

Thanks Digi... That would explain why some of my Tax Stamp decks have cellophane, and some do not... I always wondered if cellophane was removed from some of my Tax Stamp decks, but never gave much thought to it... Your explanation is simple and helps me discern another ten of the twenty-five year stamp... Thank you...

[digipunk]

Thanks Digi... That would explain why some of my Tax Stamp decks have cellophane, and some do not... I always wondered if cellophane was removed from some of my Tax Stamp decks, but never gave much thought to it... Your explanation is simple and helps me discern another ten of the twenty-five year stamp... Thank you...

We all know the wax paper was used to wrap the cards until USPC began using cellophane to protect the whole deck. However, it is a simple logic: you can not say a stamp sealed deck w/o cellophane is from 1940-1955 unless you open it and verify the wax paper is inside the box. In contrast, it is always true to say a stamp sealed deck w/ cellophane is from 1955-1965.

[dancards]

The only way I can help to date the deck is if you upload pictures of the box , all sides , and a picture of the seal.

There is no way to tell if a deck is from the 80's only by the bar code on the right , I have many Bicycle decks that are not from the 80's with the bar code on the right.