Vintage Kem's - circa 1962

[alittle]

On Christmas Day, I was showing my dad the new Copag's that my wife got me. I was explaining that they were plastic and why that was better and he says, "Plastic? Those have been around forever - I have some from the 60's". He can't remember the brand, but when I say Kem, he says that's it.

When he got home, he called back to say that he found them. Still in the case and only one deck is used. He also still has all the jokers, misc instruction cards, and some paper instructions. So, I borrowed them from him and took some pictures.

I know he played a lot of poker in the 60's and into the 70's. He said that the cards would get bent up, so he really wanted some plastic ones. He thinks these are from 1962, but maybe even earlier.

Here are some pictures - Vintage Kem (http://www.alittlepoker.com/VintageKem.html)

[TenPercenter]

[ QUOTE ]
On Christmas Day, I was showing my dad the new Copag's that my wife got me. I was explaining that they were plastic and why that was better and he says, "Plastic? Those have been around forever - I have some from the 60's". He can't remember the brand, but when I say Kem, he says that's it.

When he got home, he called back to say that he found them. Still in the case and only one deck is used. He also still has all the jokers, misc instruction cards, and some paper instructions. So, I borrowed them from him and took some pictures.

I know he played a lot of poker in the 60's and into the 70's. He said that the cards would get bent up, so he really wanted some plastic ones. He thinks these are from 1962, but maybe even earlier.

Here are some pictures - Vintage Kem (http://www.alittlepoker.com/VintageKem.html)

[/ QUOTE ]

Very cool. I have a set that old too, but they are pinochle cards. Same case, bakelite I think.

Ten

[smoore]

So very, very cool.

[Andy B]

You've never noticed the 1935 copyright date which is on the Ace of spades in every KEM deck I've ever seen, including the one in your pictures? /images/graemlins/grin.gif Those are pretty cool. There is no ZIP code on the return post card, so 1962 is about as late as those could be. With the 1947 date on the exchange card and 1951 on the instructions, they might be even earlier.

My dad played a ton of bridge in the 1960s, and KEM cards were very much standard back then.

[gmunny]

Nice cards...those backs are really cool too...I'd buy a pair of those. I'll have to hit up my Dad..but I doubt it, he doesn't keep a lot of unused things around.
G$

[Richard Tanner]

The way to check the age of a KEM deck is to look at the small number to the lower left of the Ace of spades. That three or four digit number corresponds to the printing date.

1298=Dec 1998
675= June 1975

THis will tell you the exact age.

Cody

[TenPercenter]

[ QUOTE ]
The way to check the age of a KEM deck is to look at the small number to the lower left of the Ace of spades. That three or four digit number corresponds to the printing date.

1298=Dec 1998
675= June 1975

THis will tell you the exact age.

Cody

[/ QUOTE ]

This has been the method for many years, but it used to be different. Do you know when they adopted this marking method?

Ten

[Spook]

so these would be May of 57?

[Andy B]

Umm, March 1957.

[ott]

I thought 3 corresponds May. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[csuf_gambler]

damn son you could probably get some cash money off that sh1t

[Richard Tanner]

Sorry Ten, I'm not sure. I do think that it's been that way for a long (read: Long enough) time that these should fall under that marking.

Cody

[warewulf]

Nice find! That mint deck is probably worth a lot!

[Fins]

[ QUOTE ]
The way to check the age of a KEM deck is to look at the small number to the lower left of the Ace of spades. That three or four digit number corresponds to the printing date.

1298=Dec 1998
675= June 1975

THis will tell you the exact age.

Cody

[/ QUOTE ]
I figured they were style numbers. The ones I have are listed as 363 & 663... seems odd they would package them together in a set but yet mfr'd 3 months apart?? Seems like a long time to hold inventory to pack out sets?? I'll check mine again when I get home... they seem old but not that old and I noticed alittle's KEM's have the same number.

If the coding system changed from date of mfr what did it change to? Are there 3 numbers on more recent KEM's that signify something else?

Thanks,
Fins

[TenPercenter]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The way to check the age of a KEM deck is to look at the small number to the lower left of the Ace of spades. That three or four digit number corresponds to the printing date.

1298=Dec 1998
675= June 1975

THis will tell you the exact age.

Cody

[/ QUOTE ]
I figured they were style numbers. The ones I have are listed as 363 & 663... seems odd they would package them together in a set but yet mfr'd 3 months apart?? Seems like a long time to hold inventory to pack out sets?? I'll check mine again when I get home... they seem old but not that old and I noticed alittle's KEM's have the same number.

If the coding system changed from date of mfr what did it change to? Are there 3 numbers on more recent KEM's that signify something else?

Thanks,
Fins

[/ QUOTE ]

Decided to go look at my double Pinochle KEM's: Two decks, one made in Jan 1948, the other in May 1948. Very cool. The cards are a bit yellowed, but otherwise appear good as new. Not even warped in the slightest.

On the inside of the Bakelite case is the laquered-on label from the card shop, Harrisburg PA. It has no zip code, but a five digit phone number. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Ten