How to Sell Antique Playing Cards
No one really knows who invented playing cards, but it is thought that they arrived in Europe along Eastern trading routes in the 13th century. Spanish sailors then brought them to the New World. Because packs used to be thrown away once they were damaged or incomplete, pre-19th century playing cards are very rare and can command thousands of dollars. However, this is a specialist collecting area, so you would be advised to either market your cards online or take them to a specialist auction.
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Instructions
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Telephone your local auction houses and ask if it holds any suitable specialist auctions. Most hold themed auctions on a regular basis, or have themed sections of a general auction. Look for auctions of "Toys and Games" or "Paper and Ephemera."
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Ask the auctioneer if he has sold antique playing cards before and, if so, what prices they achieved. Show him your cards and ask him to tell you about them. If his answers are evasive, move on swiftly to another auction house.
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Find specialist auctions by joining a playing cards collectors' club, such as the 52 Plus Joker Club, which holds its own regular auctions.
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Auction your cards online through a site such as eBay. On eBay, go to "Collectibles," then the "Paper and Ephemera" section. Remember to tick the appropriate subcategory for "Modern," "Vintage" or "Antique." Write a clear, detailed title, and put as much information as possible in the Item Specifics menu to help your cards connect with collectors' keyword searches. See resources for tips on dating your cards.
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Sell each pack or incomplete pack (even if it only consists of two or three cards) in a separate lot, including any remnants of the original case. If all you have is one solitary card that you found pressed inside a book, it will still be worth selling as long as it is old and unusual. Never break up a complete pack, as it will massively devalue it.
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Tips & Warnings
Look at the four suits in your pack. Before the early 18th century, most countries and even regions had their own variants, then gradually everyone adopted the French suits (spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs) known worldwide today.
"Double-ended courts" (the printing of court figures as two-headed mirror images so they can be held either way up) didn't catch on in America until the 1850s. If your cards have "single-ended courts," that would suggest an early date.
Check to see if your cards have "indices," value markers printed in the corners. America was the first country to introduce these in the 1870s.
Rounded corners didn't appear until the late 19th century. Before then, cards had square corners, although they often grew rounded with use.
Never throw away the playing card case, even if all that remains of it is a few scraps of cardboard. It will help to convince suspicious collectors that your cards are genuine.
