52 Plus Joker (52+J) is an American non-profit social organization focused on playing cards, founded in 1985 by Phil Bollhagen, Bob Harrison, and Lenny Schneir.[1][2] The club has about 1,000 members.[3]
| Formation | 1985 |
|---|---|
| Founders |
|
| Merger of | Chicago Playing Card Collectors Club |
| Type | Nonprofit (501(c)(7)) |
Membership (2022) | ~1,000 |
President | Lee Asher |
Vice president | Bill Kalush |
Publication | Clear The Decks |
| Website | 52plusjoker |
In addition to hosting annual conventions, 52 Plus Joker publishes a quarterly newsletter called Clear The Decks,[4][5][6] originally created by Bollhagen,[7] and has released a monthly digital magazine called Card Culture since late 2014.[8][9][10] The club also produces annual custom playing card decks sold exclusively to members.[11][3]
52 Plus Joker merged with the Chicago Playing Card Collectors Club in 2018.[12]
The club's founding president was Lenny Schneir. Tom Dawson previously served as president,[13] as did Ray Hartz.[14] As of 2024[update] the club's president is Lee Asher.[15]
Annual conventions
edit52 Plus Joker has held conventions annually since 1987.[16]
| Year | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Joint event with the Chicago Playing Card Collectors Club |
| 1988 | Chicago, Illinois | Joint event with the Chicago Playing Card Collectors Club |
| 1989 | Indianapolis, Indiana | Joint event with the Chicago Playing Card Collectors Club |
| 1990 | New Haven, Connecticut | |
| 1991 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Joint event with the Chicago Playing Card Collectors Club |
| 1992 | Las Vegas, Nevada | |
| 1993 | Kissimmee, Florida | |
| 1994 | Arlington, Virginia | |
| 1995 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Joint event with the Chicago Playing Card Collectors Club |
| 1996 | Las Vegas, Nevada | |
| 1997 | Kansas City, Kansas | |
| 1998 | Toronto, Canada | |
| 1999 | Cincinnati, Ohio | |
| 2000 | New Haven, Connecticut | Joint event with the International Playing-Card Society |
| 2001 | Albuquerque, New Mexico | |
| 2002 | Atlanta, Georgia | |
| 2003 | Wilmington, Delaware | Joint event with the Chicago Playing Card Collectors Club |
| 2004 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | |
| 2005 | San Francisco, California | |
| 2006 | Montreal, Canada | |
| 2007 | Westborough, Massachusetts | |
| 2008 | Las Vegas, Nevada | |
| 2009 | Toronto, Canada | Joint event with the International Playing-Card Society |
| 2010 | New Orleans, Louisiana | |
| 2011 | Denver, Colorado | |
| 2012 | Erlanger, Kentucky | Joint event with the Chicago Playing Card Collectors Club |
| 2013 | Las Vegas, Nevada | |
| 2014 | Charleston, South Carolina | |
| 2015 | Orlando, Florida | |
| 2016 | Chicago, Illinois | |
| 2017 | Erlanger, Kentucky | |
| 2018 | Cleveland, Ohio | |
| 2019 | Charlotte, North Carolina | |
| 2020 | Virtual event due to COVID-19 | |
| 2021 | Virtual event due to COVID-19 | |
| 2022 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | |
| 2023 | Cleveland, Ohio | |
| 2024 | Niagara Falls, New York | |
References
edit- ^ Liebenson, Bess (October 1, 2000). "How a Passion for Tarot Cards Led to a Full-Time Business". The New York Times.
The museum exhibitions are results of interest expressed by three organizations to which Mr. Kaplan belongs: the International Playing Card Society; the 52-Plus Joker Club; and the American Game Collectors and Puzzle Association.
- ^ Schneir, Leonard (August 1985). "The President...". Clear the Decks. 1 (1): 2.
- ^ a b Floyd, Ingrid (1 May 2022). "For 52 Plus Joker Members Card Collecting Is The Real Deal". Antique Trader. ISSN 0161-8342.
- ^ Hyman, Tony (1994). Trash Or Treasure: How to Find the Best Buyers of Antiques, Collectibles, and Other Undiscovered Treasures. Treasure Hunt Publications. ISBN 9780937111031.
- ^ Wastrack, Harry (2005). Price Guide for Collectable Playing Cards. Xlibris. ISBN 1413493300.
- ^ Meikle, Margaret (1992). Dear Answer Lady: a Compendium of Astonishing Facts and Arcane Origins for the Passionately Curious and Easily Distracted. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre. p. 125. ISBN 9781550540499.
- ^ Dawson, Judy (March 2007). "The Queen in Court". Clear the Decks. 21 (1).
- ^ Gold, Anita (November 14, 1988). "Value of Antique Cards Depends on Many Factors". The Lewiston Journal. No. 125. p. 8B.
- ^ Depaulis, Thierry (January–March 2005). "From the Chairman's Desk". The Playing-Card. 33 (3): 139. ISSN 0305-2133.
- ^ Dawson, Tom (December 2014). "The President's Reflections". Card Culture. 1 (1): 3.
- ^ Bostock, Paul (December 2021). "52 Plus Joker's New-Deck Night". Clear the Decks. 35 (4): 18.
- ^ "About". 52 Plus Joker. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
- ^ Hawes, Rhonda (April–June 2016). "Thomas Commerford Dawson". The Playing-Card. 44 (4): 232.
- ^ Huxford, Sharon; Huxford, Bob (1999). Garage Sale and Flea Market Annual (7th ed.). Collector Books. ISBN 9781574321111.
- ^ Asher, Lee. "52 Plus Joker Playing Card Collectors Club". Retrieved 24 April 2024.
- ^ "Previous Years". 52 Plus Joker. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
See also
editExternal links
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