52 Plus Joker

52 Plus Joker
Formation1985; 39 years ago (1985)
Founders
  • Phil Bollhagen
  • Bob Harrison
  • Lenny Schneir
Merger ofChicago Playing Card Collectors Club
TypeNonprofit (501(c)(7))
Membership~1,000 (2022)
President
Lee Asher
Vice president
Bill Kalush
Publication
Clear The Decks
Website52plusjoker.org

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]

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 the club's president is Lee Asher.[15]

Annual conventions

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52 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

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ Schneir, Leonard (August 1985). "The President...". Clear the Decks. 1 (1): 2.
  3. ^ a b Floyd, Ingrid (1 May 2022). "For 52 Plus Joker Members Card Collecting Is The Real Deal". Antique Trader. ISSN 0161-8342.
  4. ^ Hyman, Tony (1994). Trash Or Treasure: How to Find the Best Buyers of Antiques, Collectibles, and Other Undiscovered Treasures. Treasure Hunt Publications. ISBN 9780937111031.
  5. ^ Wastrack, Harry (2005). Price Guide for Collectable Playing Cards. Xlibris. ISBN 1413493300.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ Dawson, Judy (March 2007). "The Queen in Court". Clear the Decks. 21 (1).
  8. ^ Gold, Anita (November 14, 1988). "Value of Antique Cards Depends on Many Factors". The Lewiston Journal. No. 125. p. 8B.
  9. ^ Depaulis, Thierry (January–March 2005). "From the Chairman's Desk". The Playing-Card. 33 (3): 139. ISSN 0305-2133.
  10. ^ Dawson, Tom (December 2014). "The President's Reflections". Card Culture. 1 (1): 3.
  11. ^ Bostock, Paul (December 2021). "52 Plus Joker's New-Deck Night". Clear the Decks. 35 (4): 18.
  12. ^ "About". 52 Plus Joker. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  13. ^ Hawes, Rhonda (April–June 2016). "Thomas Commerford Dawson". The Playing-Card. 44 (4): 232.
  14. ^ Huxford, Sharon; Huxford, Bob (1999). Garage Sale and Flea Market Annual (7th ed.). Collector Books. ISBN 9781574321111.
  15. ^ Asher, Lee. "52 Plus Joker Playing Card Collectors Club". Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  16. ^ "Previous Years". 52 Plus Joker. Retrieved 24 April 2024.

See also

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