Aviator Playing Cards were first introduced by the U.S. Playing Card Company (USPCC, Cincinnati) in 1927. This pack, dated 1942 (WW2 era) is also marked “Gift of the American Red Cross” on the back. They were a cheaper alternative to USPCC’s top brand (Bicycle), but still high quality and widely sold. During the war, Aviator became one of the standard-issue brands supplied to U.S. troops, both domestically and overseas.

This pack here is missing one single card. The King of Hearts. Someone, has taken the Joker card, and marked it King of Hearts as a replacement. Aside from this, every single card is present (we checked!). In addition, there are two ‘advert’ cards. One for a rule book for 125 different card games and one for a specific book on Poker, claiming the book will make you an ‘expert’. There’s a third card included, that mentions the mark of a particular stamp indicates a better quality product. An American WW2 version of a quality stamp, however, this card also states it can be used as an extra joker and has the same back design as all the other playing cards.

The box is in fair condition, some general wear and tear but it still opens and closes perfectly fine, and the ink in the printing of the design is bright and the date is CLEARLY readable. It also has the classic ‘Made in the USA’ mark on the side of the pack, and being an ‘Aviator brand’ there’s a design of a plane on the front and back of the pack.