Got my KEMS today. Please take a look? WTH is that?

[ricochet420]

Hey all, thanks for looking.

I rec'd. my KEMS (along w/ chips and case) from 5star an hour ago, and when I was looking at the cards, I noticed on one of the two jokers, in each deck, has a letter written on the chest, it actually looks like pencil, or maybe pen. I have never heard of this. Is it normal? Any one else see this before? Here is a picture.

Backs (http://members.cox.net/ric.o.chet/Pics/PokerChipsCase%20011.jpg)
Jokers! Is that a J and an E hand written on my KEM JOKERS????? (http://members.cox.net/ric.o.chet/Pics/PokerChipsCase%20013.jpg)

[spicychili]

Just checked mine…. None of my decks have letters on the jokers.

Also my KEMs came in black plastic boxes with gold lettering, not a red box.

[ricochet420]

mine are bridge size, do you have poker?

[Mojo Tooth]

Wow, looks like they may have sold you used Kems.

[guller]

Just checked mine, I have 2 decks, one poker blue arrows, one bridge size alhambra.

Bridge size no letters

Poker Size 1 joker has a V or a check mark, same location as yours. The other joker is clean.

Probably an inspection letter I guess. On a side note my initials are JE and no I don't work at the Kem factory.

[AngryCola]

They have obviously been opened and/or used.

The specific marks are probably becuase KEM jokers both look the same.

If you take a deck of Bicycles or Bees out and look at the jokers, you will notice there is a difference between the two. I believe this is to mark one joker as a "high" and the other as a "low".

I haven't been playing cards long enough to be aware of the games which this aspect of jokers is used. But I'm pretty sure that's the reason for the markings. I'm not sure what J and E would stand for though.

Regardless, it's no good that you got an opened/used deck.
Those decks are getting pretty hard to find too.
That's the casino style.

[ricochet420]

They were sealed in what looked to be factory cellophane or whatever they use. They do NOT look used in any fashion. I am kinda familiar with the H/L on Jokers, don't why there'd be a J or an E. Should I contact 5star and see what's up? I have no idea. They seem pretty dam BRAND NEW to me? Pretty stinky too.

[guller]

I doubt they were opened or used.

My decks were purchased from Games by Jake inside the mall of america about 6 years ago and were definately new in the hard plastic boxes and wrapped in plastic. I bet more people will be looking at letters on their jokers before too long. Has to be from the factory.

[TenPercenter]

I have five sets, (10 decks).

Millenium, bridge: No marks
Arrow, wide: No marks
Pharoah, bridge: No marks
Paisley, bridge: No marks

the fifth is a REALLY old pinochle set...


Ten

[AngryCola]

[ QUOTE ]
They were sealed in what looked to be factory cellophane or whatever they use. They do NOT look used in any fashion. I am kinda familiar with the H/L on Jokers, don't why there'd be a J or an E. Should I contact 5star and see what's up? I have no idea. They seem pretty dam BRAND NEW to me? Pretty stinky too.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmm.. that's very weird. Maybe it did happen at the factory. If that's the case, who knows what the J and E might stand for.

I suppose you could contact 5star and ask them what's up. I probably would, just to satisfy my own curiosity.
But so long as the deck is solid and stinky /images/graemlins/smirk.gif, I'd say keep them and enjoy.

Still... very odd.
If you do contact 5star, post the answer they give you.
I'm curious.

[ricochet420]

For thirty bucks, they better NOT be USED!!

[warewulf]

I have that same setup, but got them from gameland sports: http://www.gamelandsports.com/.sc/ms/cat/1098117784932995/9/nc/Playing%20Cards^2FDice-------------%20KEM

No marks, came with the plastic case, not box. Since the price is less at gameland sports and you get the plastic box, probably better to buy them there in the future.

What chips did you get?

[MeridianFC]

I have 6 decks of KEMs (4 bridge size casino, 2 arrow back poker size). None have anything on the Jokers.

[spicychili]

[ QUOTE ]
mine are bridge size, do you have poker?

[/ QUOTE ]

bridge size. I have never actually found poker size anywhere

[ricochet420]

I got 750 of the Nexgens. With that nice mahogany case.

[tantan]

I have two KEM decks (4 total), purchased at different times. Arrow bridge, no marks. Casino club bridge, THERE WERE SIMILAR MARKS ON MY JOKERS. They were brand new. I can check to see what letters were written, but like you, I was very confused

[tomb1]

Two nice new decks of red Kem Arrows (bridge regular index) -- with no marks on the jokers. Matching green/brown set of Kem Casino Club (bridge super index) -- no marks. Matching set of red/blue Foxwoods Casino (bridge regular index) -- no marks.

Maybe once the workers found out the company was sold, the factory was closing and they were losing their jobs... maybe they got cute toward the end and "made their mark" before wrapping the decks.

But that sure is weird!

[guller]

My marked kems most definately predate any factory closing news or rumors. But that is probably what it is, some clowns putting their initial on the jokers chest like superman or something. I wonder if it will wash off? At least they didn't screw with the aces or other real cards.

[Hardmix]

Who cares, its the joker, as long as the others are clean should not matter. That is as long as you dont play jokers will games.

[TenPercenter]

When I was 14 I bought a Led Zeppelin III album (or was it In Through The Out Door?) at the mall. Sitting with my friend at the mall theater (waiting for Return of the Jedi or something to start) I decided to open it to see the inside. When I opened it, there was a "3" written with ballpoint pen on the top corner of the inside cover (the centerfold). This made me think I had a rare, special copy, and it was probably very valuable. (I was 14, give me a break) This made me look closer at everything, and I found the word "strawberry" engraved on the inside blank ring of the album itself. Then I was SURE that I was going to be rich.

I'm sorry, was that out loud? I was just thinking back....

Ten

[duma]

ricochet,
im curious, what is the grain like on the plastic? is it like a horizontal wood grain lines along the card?

just curious because i have a set of green and brown kems same design, they are more like blotched grain. they are thick. i am thinking that they are vinyl.

please help me figure out. also, what does your Ace of spade say? mine is 687 meaning made in 1987.

THANKS

[ricochet420]

I care. If you don't care about stuff like that, I've got a boatload of "brand new" stuff to sell you.

[ QUOTE ]
Who cares, its the joker, as long as the others are clean should not matter. That is as long as you dont play jokers will games.

[/ QUOTE ]

[ricochet420]

yeah, they are kinda like wood grains going from side to side, more like palm prints in that they are wavy. They say C101 on them, I'm guessing that means January 2001?

[ QUOTE ]
ricochet,
im curious, what is the grain like on the plastic? is it like a horizontal wood grain lines along the card?

just curious because i have a set of green and brown kems same design, they are more like blotched grain. they are thick. i am thinking that they are vinyl.

please help me figure out. also, what does your Ace of spade say? mine is 687 meaning made in 1987.

THANKS

[/ QUOTE ]

[duma]

USPC (KEM) can't even get the ink to stick and had to ask the old printers from the real Kem to help them and who knows if they will do that. Which might mean never serving the public with cards of same quality or worse never producing cards again.

i just heard this from another msg board. can this be true? anyone know anything about this? not good news if this is true.

[Twitch1977]

I tried to check my jokers to see if they had anything written on them, but last week during Arts & Crafts me and Howard Lederer turned them all into homemade cut cards /images/graemlins/frown.gif

T

[Hardmix]

lets see the list.

[ricochet420]

Well for starters I have a "brand new" deck of Red/Blue Casino Club Bridge size regular KEM playing cards. I have a TON of Hoyle and bicycle poker chips the real nice half gram ones;), I have some handmade Cuban cigars, I have a bunch of autographed stuff. etc...
[ QUOTE ]
lets see the list.

[/ QUOTE ]

[ricochet420]

Here's what they responded with.

We will get a new joker in red and blue sent to you. Sorry for the inconvience

[ QUOTE ]

Still... very odd.
If you do contact 5star, post the answer they give you.
I'm curious.

[/ QUOTE ]

[Hardmix]

checks in the mail.

[ricochet420]

I prefer cash please.[ QUOTE ]
checks in the mail.

[/ QUOTE ]

[ott]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey all, thanks for looking.

I rec'd. my KEMS (along w/ chips and case) from 5star an hour ago, and when I was looking at the cards, I noticed on one of the two jokers, in each deck, has a letter written on the chest, it actually looks like pencil, or maybe pen. I have never heard of this. Is it normal? Any one else see this before? Here is a picture.

Backs (http://members.cox.net/ric.o.chet/Pics/PokerChipsCase%20011.jpg)
Jokers! Is that a J and an E hand written on my KEM JOKERS????? (http://members.cox.net/ric.o.chet/Pics/PokerChipsCase%20013.jpg)

[/ QUOTE ]

Just took a look at my Foxwoods KEM (overruns), one of the Jokers did have a M written on the chest of the Joker. The cards were brand new too.

[ricochet420]

Where?

[ QUOTE ]

Just took a look at my Foxwoods KEM (overruns), one of the Jokers did have a M written on the chest of the Joker. The cards were brand new too.

[/ QUOTE ]

[ott]

Here.

http://img187.exs.cx/img187/4732/card7cm.gif

[ QUOTE ]
Where?


[/ QUOTE ]

[SamIAm]

Obviously there's a scientific genius trapped in a KEM factory, and the only way for him to get word out to the 2+2 community is to write his message on the jokers. With, uh, one letter on each card.

It's our sworn duty as poker players to collect all of his message and help this poor man.

Gotta catch 'em all.
-Sam

[Jersey Nick]

[ QUOTE ]
USPC (KEM) can't even get the ink to stick and had to ask the old printers from the real Kem to help them and who knows if they will do that. Which might mean never serving the public with cards of same quality or worse never producing cards again.

i just heard this from another msg board. can this be true? anyone know anything about this? not good news if this is true.

[/ QUOTE ]

I just picked up a new set of bridge size golf design and found that the ink on some of the /images/graemlins/club.gifs was missing. /images/graemlins/mad.gif I'll try to do a scan later this week to show.

[Sebster]

Is it made by USPC though? The USPC KEM's say USPC on the ace of spades. I wasnt aware of the fact that they were making the golf designs?

[AngryCola]

[ QUOTE ]
Is it made by USPC though? The USPC KEM's say USPC on the ace of spades. I wasnt aware of the fact that they were making the golf designs?

[/ QUOTE ]

No.

Any KEM with the golf design isn't of the USPC variety.

[thebrokenone]

I picked up the bridge sized red and blues off of 5 Star when I bought my chips... My red deck is perfect (one of the Joker's has the letter A written on his chest... same position as the others) My blue deck is... dissapointing. The face side of the cards have streaks of blue ink on them -- mainly on the clubs, but some of the other suits have it as well. Odd... I hope they replace them for me.

[lighterjobs]

i have two sets (four decks). my first were the binions that they use at the world series that i got in the giftshop at the horseshoe and they were flawless. but the second set i bought online and the ink from the back of the cards seeped through to the downside of the card on about ten cards. not real bad, but you can definately see it. the thing that really uspet me was the design on the back of one deck is slightly crooked. that one gets on my nerves.

[Jersey Nick]

[ QUOTE ]
No.

Any KEM with the golf design isn't of the USPC variety.

[/ QUOTE ]

AngryCola,

Are my Golf Kems a lesser quality card? If USPC doesn't make the Golf design, then who does?

Just curious,
I remain,
a Kem newbie,
Jersey

[ott]

[ QUOTE ]
I picked up the bridge sized red and blues off of 5 Star when I bought my chips... My red deck is perfect (one of the Joker's has the letter A written on his chest... same position as the others) My blue deck is... dissapointing. The face side of the cards have streaks of blue ink on them -- mainly on the clubs, but some of the other suits have it as well. Odd... I hope they replace them for me.

[/ QUOTE ]

Mine had streaks of red ink on my Kem Magnum deck. It's cool though. The place I bought them from, refunded half my money and I kept the deck. I still use that deck too. /images/graemlins/grin.gif