Two Old Tally Hos Post 1965

[Aptombstone]

Hello, I'd like some info about two Tally Ho decks I have in my collection.

The first deck is an opened Tally Ho Pinochle deck that was the first deck I ever "collected." I say "collected" because my dad got it for me at a garage sale and although I remember liking the back design as a kid, I hated the fact that it wasn't a normal 52 card deck and just ignored it rather than play with and ruin it like I would other decks of cards at the time. Now that I'm a card collector, I think its pretty cool I've held on to it long enough to appreciate it.

I'm never going to sell it, but I'd like to know if its from the year 1968 like I believe to be and how much it is worth. I've uploaded some pics. I notice the production letter "k" (1948 1968 1988), the lack of a bar code on the bottom of the box, and the fact that the partial USPCC seal is stamp-like rather than circular edged (not pictured).

The other Tally Ho deck I have is a recent addition. It's still sealed and pretty much looks like any tally ho purchased today except for two things, a blue seal signifying Ohio production and no "original fan back" on the back. Can anyone tell me around when this deck was made and what its value might be. I'm going to guess an 80's manufacture date and a value of like $6-8.

Thanks

[52plusjoker]

Looked at the pictures and guessed 1970 before reading your post - so 1968 is right for the well thought out reasons you state. Sentimental value much higher than commercial value [maybe $4-5]!

Not sure about the second one - I think they made these until recently [say when they moved to Erlanger].

[Aptombstone]

Thanks! The good thing is I can handle it without worry of it losing much value. For a 46 year old deck it handles pretty good!

[Don Boyer]

You did good on your research, I think.  I would draw the same conclusions on your '68 deck - it matches the code, has no barcode and has a stamp-type USPC seal rather than a tax stamp or a sticker seal.

Could you take some better photos of the other deck?

[Aptombstone]

Thanks. Both the pictures I uploaded are of the same pinochle deck.

The other deck is really nothing special, just a blue sealed red circle back without the "original circle back" marker on the back.

I'll post the pics of it anyway.

[Don Boyer]

Thanks. Both the pictures I uploaded are of the same pinochle deck.

The other deck is really nothing special, just a blue sealed red circle back without the "original circle back" marker on the back.

I'll post the pics of it anyway.

I don't think they said "Original Circle Back" until recently, relatively speaking.

Is that a sticker seal?  I know that there was a period, I can't recall if it was in the 1990s or 2000s, when USPC was using sticker seals with a peculiar defect: the white edges turned semi-transparent as it aged only a short while, much like how yours appear in the (rather distant) photo!

[Aptombstone]

Yeah sorry about the pics. Anytime I try to take one close up my camera doesn't capture the details. But you are right the outer part of the sticker has gone translucent and slightly yellow. Interestingly, I can clearly see two blue seals, one overlapping the other. Kinda weird. I got this deck as part of a small lot on ebay. I opened one of the other decks in the lot and it turned out it was made for and distributed by the International Playing Card Company.

[Lee Asher]

I opened one of the other decks in the lot and it turned out it was made for and distributed by the International Playing Card Company.

OH Canada....

International Playing Card Company was a division of USPC up here in Ontario, Canada. Originally, they were in Windsor, right across the border from Detroit. Times were good! However, the dollar isn't the same as it used to be, and I think they are virtually non-existent now when it comes to producing playing cards (I could be wrong).

However, I believe they still have a small business office in Markham where you can send defects in Canada (DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE YOUR ACE OF SPADES!).

Is that a sticker seal?  I know that there was a period, I can't recall if it was in the 1990s or 2000s, when USPC was using sticker seals with a peculiar defect: the white edges turned semi-transparent as it aged only a short while, much like how yours appear in the (rather distant) photo!

I'll have to check, but I might have decks older than 1990 with these kinds of semi-transparent stickers. I'll double check. If not, that might be another interesting way to date certain sealed decks of cards.

[52plusjoker]

I opened one of the other decks in the lot and it turned out it was made for and distributed by the International Playing Card Company.

OH Canada....

International Playing Card Company was a division of USPC up here in Ontario, Canada. Originally, they were in Windsor, right across the border from Detroit. Times were good! However, the dollar isn't the same as it used to be, and I think they are virtually non-existent now when it comes to producing playing cards (I could be wrong).

However, I believe they still have a small business office in Markham where you can send defects in Canada (DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE YOUR ACE OF SPADES!).

Is that a sticker seal?  I know that there was a period, I can't recall if it was in the 1990s or 2000s, when USPC was using sticker seals with a peculiar defect: the white edges turned semi-transparent as it aged only a short while, much like how yours appear in the (rather distant) photo!

I'll have to check, but I might have decks older than 1990 with these kinds of semi-transparent stickers. I'll double check. If not, that might be another interesting way to date certain sealed decks of cards.

Oh Canada indeed!
NOTE - dates of moving to Canada and to Windsor have been corrected.
International stopped manufacturing at least 10 years ago not long after USPC started moving production to other plants like Fournier in Spain. USPC started manufacturing in Canada in Toronto in 1914, moved to Windsor in 1918 and stayed there until they became strictly a selling agency in the late 1990's.

[Lee Asher]

USPC started moving production to other plants like Fournier in Spain.

Can you blame them? Fournier manufactures some of the nicest decks in the world. Just saying...

USPC started manufacturing in Canada in Toronto in 1916.

Where exactly in Toronto were they located?

[Don Boyer]

As far as I know, USPC prints the IPCC decks at Erlanger now, and Cincinnati before that - within the time frame mentioned by Tom.  I could be mistaken, but to my knowledge the only regular-production decks they use Fournier for today would be the Bicycle Prestige decks.  I wouldn't be shocked to hear that Kem deck production was moved there as well - those guys in Vitoria really seem to know their plastic decks.  I do know, however, that at least in 2011 the Kem decks were still being made in the US - remember the huge WSOP controversy over marked decks at the Main Event?  I recall reading that two players and at least one USPC employee were busted for that.

[52plusjoker]

USPC started moving production to other plants like Fournier in Spain.

Can you blame them? Fournier manufactures some of the nicest decks in the world. Just saying...

USPC started manufacturing in Canada in Toronto in 1916.

Where exactly in Toronto were they located?

They were on College St. By the way they moved to Windsor in 1918 not 1929 (typo).

[Lee Asher]

They were on College St. By the way they moved to Windsor in 1920 not 1929 (typo).

College St., and what? I wonder what's there today?

[52plusjoker]

They were on College St. By the way they moved to Windsor in 1920 not 1929 (typo).

College St., and what? I wonder what's there today?

Think I have exact address at home on sample book from there.

Found it
243 College St, Toronto [near Spadina] and here's what's there now!!
http://www.esbinproperty.com/wp-content/plugins/thethe-image-slider/timthumb.php?w=400&h=600&zc=1&src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.esbinproperty.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F03%2FProperty-Management-Toronto-College-Street-2.jpg

[Don Boyer]

Is that a sticker seal?  I know that there was a period, I can't recall if it was in the 1990s or 2000s, when USPC was using sticker seals with a peculiar defect: the white edges turned semi-transparent as it aged only a short while, much like how yours appear in the (rather distant) photo!

I'll have to check, but I might have decks older than 1990 with these kinds of semi-transparent stickers. I'll double check. If not, that might be another interesting way to date certain sealed decks of cards.

I'd be very interested in hearing what your research uncovers.  It can be really difficult dating a sealed deck to anything less than the nearest handful of years in many cases, especially after tax stamps moved to the "1 Pack" design - if this helps, I'm happy to have pointed it out!

I wonder if anyone's done an article in Clear the Decks about design changes in tuck boxes for USPC standard brands over the years?  That, too, would be valued information for dating sealed decks.

[HeartQ]

An interesting idea for an article as we have never done this before, probably because there has not been much in the way of changes in the designs.  However for example, the Bicycle tuck boxes have changed a little over the years and in some cases with the very first decks, Tigers for example, they have slightly changed the box designs. 

I am going to try to do some research on this but probably won't have enough material to cover the later years (after 1912). If I do, you will be the first to know!