Hi all,
 
Those cards sound like props for a magic trick.  Fan the cards one way and one set of numbers appears.  Fan them upside down and another set appears.  Here is an example of such cards in use: http://magic.about.com/od/libraryofsimpletricks/ss/110608cards.htm
 
Travis

On Thu, Aug 13, 2009 at 2:06 PM, bobbie <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Has anyone ever come across playing cards that have one number and suit printed on the top half of the card (for example, a two of hearts with 1 heart printed in the center of the top, and an 8 of spades printed on the bottom half with 4 of the spades printed)?

Does anyone know the story behind such playing cards? I have come across three of them that were in a box that contained family memorabilia from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Thanks.

Bobbie Scott
Programs Manager
Sherburne History Center
Becker, MN

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Travis Nygard
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http://www.haa.pitt.edu/graduate/nygard.html
http://arthistoriansatwork.blogspot.com/
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