Bookish swap cards

This Labor Day entry is a stretch for staying within the scope of this blog's content. But in honor of the holiday, no labor--let's play cards.

Just when I think I've found all the different kinds of paper collectible relating to books, another one pops up. Swap cards. These are single playing cards out of a regular 52-card deck (plus jokers). I didn't know there was a name for this collectible. Nor did I didn't know that single cards were all that collectible, except for the truly antique.

Although I have picked up a few here and there because of certain subjects portrayed on the card, it only recently dawned on me to look for book-themed cards. I'm late to the game, but deal me in.

The swap cards that introduced me to this new world of collectibles are pictured below. Two cards from what appears to be companion decks, because of the color variation, contain an image of an Antebellum-looking couple browsing books through a shop window.



The next set, two cards again, possibly from the same deck, feature old books on bookshelves.



There you have it--my inauspicious beginning to the world of swap cards. I'll keep an eye out for more, but I don't think I'll put a lot of labor into it.

Following are links that delve into the world of swap cards:

Collecting Swap Cards

Swap Cards - Storage and Display

Other Branches of Swap Card Collecting

Swap Cards - Terminology

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