Does anyone collect single cards?

[Anthony]

I know the majority of the members here collect modern decks and there are only a few "Vintage" collectors, but I was wondering if anyone collected individual/single cards? I would assume the back designs, or the AoS and Jokers would be a bit of a draw. I've seen some on eBay for a $1 or 2 with some very cool designs.

I guess their also called "Swap" cards? If I'm confusing two things please let me know. I need to add to my collecting list like I need a hole in my head, but I do head out to antique malls once a month or so, so I was just wondering if there were any "Educated" members on the topic.

[JacksonRobinson]

Tons of people only collect a few cards.

[ronyo_faukx]

Personally I don't collect single cards, but as you said it's the back designs which draw the crowds of interested buyers.

You can't really focus too much on particular cards like AoS or Jokers (as much as these WOULD be the cards of greatest interest), as the sellers tend to sell a 'random' card. You could ask for a particular card, but I sense that many would say no either because they don't want to or because the particular card you're interested in has already been sold.

[John B.]

I collected a bunch of ad cards and taped them all over my walls. You cant be anywhere in my house and not see something playing card related.

[Anthony]

I collected a bunch of ad cards and taped them all over my walls. You cant be anywhere in my house and not see something playing card related.

lol, very nice John 

[Nurul]

I never use to collect single cards, but I use to buy them to do little packet effects. I know a guy who does collect jokers of all sorts though. Some people pay a pretty penny for single cards

[vintagecandy.com.au]

I know the majority of the members here collect modern decks and there are only a few "Vintage" collectors, but I was wondering if anyone collected individual/single cards? I would assume the back designs, or the AoS and Jokers would be a bit of a draw. I've seen some on eBay for a $1 or 2 with some very cool designs.

I guess they're also called "Swap" cards? If I'm confusing two things please let me know. I need to add to my collecting list like I need a hole in my head, but I do head out to antique malls once a month or so, so I was just wondering if there were any "Educated" members on the topic.

Yes!  I collect single vintage playing cards!  I also buy full decks, keep the ace of spades and jokers and then swap or sell the rest to other collectors.  Many collectors hate people like me because I am splitting up the deck, but I collect them for both the artwork and the thrill of researching where and when the card came from.  The ace of spades usually has a special stamp or code which can be researched.  Research can also be done on the design of the aces, the royal cards and the joker.  People do refer to them as swap or trading cards.  I believe the idea of swap cards came from medieval times when artists used to create works of art the size of a playing card and swap them with other artists.  It was their way of learning new techniques and styles of art.

[Don Boyer]

The majority of the people here don't collect single cards or "swap cards" as they're commonly called.  It's got a lot to do with the fact that many people here are actually using the cards we buy, and a solitaire game, a special flourish or most magic tricks with a single card are nowhere near as interesting...hell, cuts become impossible! 

But, on the serious side, the hobby of collecting singles came from the desire to own a piece of history in the form of vintage deck designs combined with the limited funds of someone who can't afford all that many vintage decks, particularly the ones in the best condition.  Someone realized that for many of these people, owning a single card was enough to give them an example of the design work, and furthermore realized that the buyer gets a deal in that he's not forced to pay for an entire vintage deck while the seller also gets a deal in that he can sell a deck piecemeal for more money than he'd get selling it whole.  (This was also a plus for those who obtained decks that were missing cards, which reduced the the value of the deck.)  Thus, the subgenre of the hobby was born.

Sometimes you'll have collectors that also specialize in getting a single card from a deck - for example, they might get swap cards that are all Sevens of Diamonds or Jacks of Spades.  Courts and Aces will often be sold at a slight premium, since they're more interesting visually and more popular among that type of collector.

If I recalled, there is a Chicago-based card collecting society that has had joint conventions with 52 Plus Joker in the past.  Those guys would be worth checking out, if you really wanted to get into the hobby of collecting swap cards.  Honestly, swap card collecting's not the worst idea in the world - it makes vintage collecting something that an ordinary mortal earning an ordinary salary can afford.

[Anthony]

Honestly, swap card collecting's not the worst idea in the world - it makes vintage collecting something that an ordinary mortal earning an ordinary salary can afford.

Kind of hit the nail on the head there Don, while I'm enjoying the research into the modern decks that I've been picking up and the amazing work represented on them, I would like to add some vintage items to my collection. As I looked into it more, there is just a huge jump in price for vintage decks, even in fair condition. I think singles would be the route to pursue for me at this point, most likely a specific face card or if the back design is that impressive the face won't matter.

Thanks all 

[Don Boyer]

Honestly, swap card collecting's not the worst idea in the world - it makes vintage collecting something that an ordinary mortal earning an ordinary salary can afford.

Kind of hit the nail on the head there Don, while I'm enjoying the research into the modern decks that I've been picking up and the amazing work represented on them, I would like to add some vintage items to my collection. As I looked into it more, there is just a huge jump in price for vintage decks, even in fair condition. I think singles would be the route to pursue for me at this point, most likely a specific face card or if the back design is that impressive the face won't matter.

Thanks all 

The most commonly sought-after swap card is probably the Joker.  But the older a deck is, the fewer Jokers it will have.  Jokers didn't exist until sometime in the 1870s-1880s, and the idea of two in a deck becoming a common thing didn't come about until somewhere between the Spanish-American War and the Roaring '20s.  That may seem really old to you, but vintage collectors will go that far back - hell, as far back as they can - to find fantastic decks.  I personally have a deck that's over 100 years old, and I know people who have decks much, MUCH older in their collections, many of them originating from Europe.

[dtsang]

In my opinion, I'd rather have a full deck rather than one.