Las Vegas History: 110 pics in two playing card decks ~ $9.99 plus $2.99 postage = $12.98 total ~ PayPal OK ~ Return privileges

I recently bought a case of these neat double decks of pictorial souvenir playing cards. Only $12.98 total postpaid. Great gifts. The two decks have a total of 110 cards, which equals 110 different Las Vegas historical photos. And the two boxed decks fit snugly into the slot machine styled presentation box. See the pictures above and below. PayPal OK.

For only $9.99 you are getting this magnificent set of limited edition, casino quality, mint, pictorial, scenic souvenir playing cards. You are getting two decks of poker-sized (2-1/2" wide) playing cards. Each deck consists of 52 cards-plus-3-jokers, comes in its original box, and has 55 different monotone photos on the cards. Thus, the two decks give you a total of 110 different Las Vegas-Nevada historical photos, from 1905 to 1980, but mostly from 1940's, 50's and 60's. As seen in the bottom picture, the two boxed decks fit snugly into the slot machine-styled presentation box (picture is not to scale).

The 110 images were selected with the assistance of the Special Collections Department of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, from over 100,000 photos, many which have never been in print or seen by the public. The resulting monotone design is reminiscent of the valuable souvenir scenic decks of the turn of the 20th century.

The images have been cleverly and methodically arranged. Deck One has been divided into four categories of images by suits:
¶ clubs -- hotels : El Rancho, Flamingo, Thunderbird, Sands, Tropicana, Mourn Rouge, Dunes, El Cortex, Landmark, Arizona Club, etc.

¶ hearts -- landmarks: like the 1950 Showboat, 1960 Castaways sign featuring Tom Jones, 1980 Frontier sign (Siegfried & Roy), Vegas Vic sign at the Pioneer Club c. 1950, 1958 Stardust sign, 1949 Golden Nugget, 1950 Dunes sign, 1950 Silver Slipper, aerial views of the strip day and night, etc.

¶ spades -- gambling scenes: roulette at the Flamingo 1956, craps at El Rancho 1960, slot action at Sands 1950, Jimmy Durante playing blackjack at Stardust 1950, Sinatra dealing baccarat at Sands 1959, keno, faro, wheel of fortune, etc.

¶ diamonds -- moments: atom bomb test as seen from Fremont St. 1953, Liberace stepping out of carriage at Hilton 1970, Binion's $1,000,000 display, Dunes opening with Sinatra and Harem Showgirls 1955, Jerry Lewis and Jayne Mansfield at Sands 4th anniversary party 1956, etc.

Deck Two has these categories:
¶ spades -- movers and shakers: Howard Hughes 1966, Bugsy Siegel 1946, Wilbur Clark of Desert Inn (DI) 1950, John F. Kennedy & Peter Lawford at the Sands 1960, Liberace helping open the Riviera 1955, Pres. Harry Truman playing piano with Jimmy Durante 1962, Benny Binnion 1968, President Eisenhower at Hoover Dam 1955, Bob Hope and Bing Crosby golfing at DI, Wilbur Clark and Lyndon Johnson 1965, etc.

¶ hearts -- pairings: Ronald and Nancy Reagan on Last Frontier boat 1954, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans at Sam's Town, 1980, Elvis and Priscilla Presley with Tom Jones 1970, Rita Hayworth marries Dick Haymes at Sands 1953, Janet Leigh married at Sands w/ Dean Martin looking on 1962, Sammy Davis Jr. at Sands 1956, Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward w/ El Rancho Vegas owner Beldon Kattleman 1958, etc.

¶ diamonds -- female celebrities: Cyd Charisse, Debbie Reynolds at DI, Lena Horne Sands 1962, Betty Grable & Harry James El Rancho 1960, Lucille Ball Sands 1953, Carmen Miranda 1951, etc.

¶ clubs -- male celebrities: Elvis w/ Ann Margret on Viva Las Vegas set 1964, all five Rat Pack guys on stage in the Sands Copa Room 1960, Donald O'Connor w/ Wilbur Clark DI 1953, Nat King Cole Sands 1963, Paul Anka Caesar's Palace 1977, Tony Bennett Sahara 1979, Wayne Newton Sands 1977, etc.

Robert