Jerry's Nugget Playing Cards
From the most trusted source in the world!
From the most trusted source in the world!
We regret to inform you that the iconic 1970 Jerry's Nugget Playing Cards, known for their unmatched quality and rich history, will temporarily cease sales on LeeAsher.com.
It took some time to come to this conclusion. Still, with a dwindling stock, security issues, and a myriad of other difficulties that come with selling these wonderful vintage decks, it's time to put the remainder back in the playing card vault for now..
However, I don't want to leave you empty-handed. Therefore for those still looking to purchase JNugg decks, find information below designed to help you identify real ones from fakes. Be careful when buying cards from unknown sources. Deals too good to be true usually are. Educate yourself as much as possible about these decks before spending real money on counterfeit cards. Also, at the very bottom, find a short guide to help you care for your JNuggs if you own any.
WHERE ARE THESE CARDS FROM?
Born in the heart of Cincinnati, Ohio, the Jerry's Nugget Playing Cards were meticulously crafted by the renowned US Playing Card Company in 1970, exclusively for the illustrious gaming tables of Jerry's Nugget Casino. Once manufactured, they were driven to the Vegas casino via trucks, where they sat in storage for years. They never saw any real action in the casino & were ultimately sold one-by-one in the gift store. They sold out in 1999.
WHY ARE THESE CARDS SO SPECIAL?
Jerry's Nugget Casino has no plans to reprint the playing cards, nor could they recreate the process to make them again. The reason was, Jerry's Nugget Playing Cards were only one-sided embossed decks, unlike all the modern playing cards produced today.
THESE CARDS CANNOT BE DUPLICATED?
Back then, they used a cotton roller to paint the emboss on the front of the playing card. Finally, a dip coat technique was used to finish the cards. Modern decks are not produced in this manner. Nowadays, a steel roller is used to make an impression. The previous method would be near-impossible to recreate because of current technological developments in playing card production.
With the perfect combination of stock & finish, this deck is sadly a relic of the past.
Some historical information taken from Wikipedia.
In a world filled with convincing knock-offs, how can you ensure the authenticity of your purchase? The answer lies in trusting your source. Let us guide you on how to distinguish the real from the fake. The information presented here is by no means meant to be a definitive guide. The bullet points below are only provided for educational purposes and for you to familiarize yourself with authentic Jerry's Nugget playing cards.
NOTE: It is worthwhile to have a third party evaluate expensive playing cards before making large purchases.
The genuine 1970 Jerry's Nugget playing cards were exclusively printed in classic red and blue. Beware of imitations in other colors such as orange, black, yellow, or green.
The cellophane contains a red security band if you're lucky enough to purchase an AS ISSUED deck. If it's any other color or none, then perhaps the cards are not authentic.
Authentic Jerry's Nugget decks have perforated United States Playing Card Company tax-like labels. If your stamp is a sticker, then it's not legitimate.
Genuine Jerry's Nugget card faces feature vertical lines running from top to bottom while the backs display an overall textured pattern of dimpled squares.
Take a look at the tuck flap of your deck. It should be the traditional long style flap you see on most vintage decks, and not the newer reduced sized version.
Genuine decks have 1970 printed on the inside flap of the tuck box. You must rip open the box to see it. This is not a preferred method of authentication.
Familiarize yourself with this small list of deceptive words to describe fakes compiled from selected eBay pages selling JNugg knock-offs.
Educate yourself & never be duped by this kind of manipulative language!
Spot the fakes! If these words appear in an eBay description, the deck is likely not authentic. Stay informed and protect your investment.
Two legitimate white border editions of Jerry's Nugget playing cards have surfaced in the past several years.
The first is a USPCC printing from 2010. Thanks to Dan Dragojevich for sharing this information with the playing card world.
The second edition of JNuggs worth noting was printed by Arrco Playing Card Company out of Chicago. While we aren't sure when these decks were manufactured, our best guess is somewhere between 1964-1976. Thanks to Hanson Chien & River Tsai for sharing this information with the playing card world.
2010's Red and Blue Jerry's Nugget Playing Cards printed by United States Playing Card Co.
Jerry's Nugget Playing Cards printed in Chicago by Arrco Playing Card Co. (circa unknown).
Keeping your valuable Jerry's Nugget playing cards in the best condition possible doesn't have to be complicated. Simple changes to your handling habits can drastically improve their lifespan. Learn how & greatly benefit. You will receive the care guide, then automatically get added to Lee Asher's private playing card mailing group.