???vintage kems??? Can i get a little info. On these???

ablackcar · Tweet this Post! #1 05-05-2009, 05:28 PM

I bought these two decks together at a thrift store about two years ago...i believe i paid about .50 cents for them. I have read some posts about the numbers on the ace of spades, but i am not totally sure what they mean...the one green deck is not playable because the king of diamonds has a nick on the top of it effectively making it "marked". I have posted a front and back pic of that card. However they are both in very good condition to my eyes and they both smell like mothballs...i think they were owned by old people

. The case they came in is not a kem case but it is kinda cool and quite old looking. If anyone could give me any info. On them i would appreciate it...things like age, value, collectability. I don't plan on trading them or selling, but it would be nice to know...they do not have a uspc logo on them anywhere that i can see.
Thanks for looking...

Abc.

hod · Tweet this Post! #2 05-05-2009, 05:46 PM

Last two digits is the year, first one or two the month, of manufacture.

So 1177 Nov '77. And 278 Feb '78.

The marked deck will be worth very little. The other, a bit more. $10 maybe? A lot depends on who is bidding on ebay on the day.

SIOUXICIDE · Tweet this Post! #3 05-05-2009, 06:46 PM

I'd recommend getting another set up for replacement cards. There my personal fave of all vintage KEMs in terms of durability and thickness

\
How's the Sioux Falls scene these days?? I'll be there in 90 minutes! j/k

ablackcar · Tweet this Post! #4 05-05-2009, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hod

Last two digits is the year, first one or two the month, of manufacture.

So 1177 Nov '77. And 278 Feb '78.

The marked deck will be worth very little. The other, a bit more. $10 maybe? A lot depends on who is bidding on ebay on the day.

thanks for the info...i really appreciate it.

MarfFL · Tweet this Post! #5 08-27-2009, 07:33 PM

I just love this site.

After I found this thread I just had to go check my Kems. Found all of mine older than me but one set, from 1960 to 1970. Just can't get enough of this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hod

Last two digits is the year, first one or two the month, of manufacture.

So 1177 Nov '77. And 278 Feb '78.

The marked deck will be worth very little. The other, a bit more. $10 maybe? A lot depends on who is bidding on ebay on the day.

luckychick · Tweet this Post! #6 08-27-2009, 11:41 PM

My father-in-law, who was an avid bridge player in his university days, recently passed. Among his possessions I found 7 setups of the green/brown KEMs and one setup of the maple leaves. One of the two maple leaf decks was missing a card. One of the 7 setups was had the 9h missing from the deck, and the other deck had a knicked king. I can't remember which king, and if it was the green or the brown deck, but I had set that setup aside as "replacement cards".

If the green Kd is there, I'm happy to send it to you. PM me your address. I'm on the middle of moving, so I'm not sure when I'll send it off, but I'll try to do it ASAP if you send me your address before Monday.

Bad Toad · Tweet this Post! #7 03-15-2010, 08:22 PM

Just thought I'd add that the pattern of the cards is called Kem Club. It is one of the more popular casino style sets in pre UPC days. I got started collecting KEM cards before chips. I like the dal negro and modiano sets that are bridge size and regular index. Paper cards are not worth the paper they are printed on.