Black Ltd Edition Reserve Note: Federal 52 Part II Series
The Black Limited Edition Reserve Note (Federal 52 Part II Series) is card and game designer Jackson Robinson’s exclusive card deck brainchild, part of a larger series that takes its inspiration from classic United States currency. Like other Robinson-decks, the Reserve Note Deck was funded with a successful Kickstarter campaign – and printed by the United States Playing Card Company.
Original copies of the Black Limited Edition Reserve Note Decks reportedly sold for around $250, and only 1, 000 of them were ever made.
You can almost always expect to pay more than the original listed price if you’re collecting cards after an initial release: with rare cards, the amount only goes up. That’s why they’re rarities.
They’re one of the most sought-after card decks for several reasons: they’re a classic artistic tribute, and they’re made by one of the biggest names in card collection circles. Everyone who collects cards wants at least one Jackson Robinson deck in their collection!
The whole series, including the Black Limited Edition Reserve Note Playing Cards (and others like the Green Series), are inspired by United States currency: it’s something you might want to own if you’re a high-roller or frequent gambler – or just happen to be a fan of Robinson’s art.
If you’re wondering: yes, there are specific laws that govern how artists are allowed to draw currency. While you aren’t allowed to create “replicated” dollars that resemble the real thing, Title 18, United States Code, Section 504 allows an artist to make “black and white reproductions” of currency for some selected, creative purposes.
Deck Detail
The Reserve Note Deck (and the larger Federal 52 Playing Cards series) is based around classic United States currency – particularly the early-1900s.
The Reserve Note Deck, along with other decks in the Federal 52 series, was printed by the United States Playing Card Company. The USPCC only produced about 1, 000 of these rare decks. A subset of these decks, 162 in total, were signed by Robinson and initially offered to top-tier subscribers of Kings Wild Project, Robinson’s company.
Its original sale price is listed as $250, though you can expect to pay more at auctions – especially for any of the signed editions that are considered even more rare.
Original run Federal 52 Playing Cards were only made available to Kings Wild subscribers: signed decks went to the inner circle first! After this, the remaining decks sold to members of the public, according to the Kings Wild website.
The Reserve Note Playing Card Deck follows an artistic tradition: Basquiat and Warhol also included United States currency in some of their work.
Other editions expand the series with the Green Limited Edition, and the Gilded Edition: both are considered highly collectable.
An interesting note about US Currency design, U.S. law, specifically Title 18, Section 504 of the United States Code, regulates the reproduction of currency images. It allows for black and white reproductions for artistic purposes under certain conditions. So you won’t be able to buy your next coffee with one of these cards, but hey, it’s worth many coffees if you are lucky enough to own a deck.
Deck Design
Here are some detailed aspects of the deck’s design:
- Color Scheme: The deck predominantly uses a black colour palette, enhanced with intricate silver and white accents that mimic the metallic and ink finishes found on actual currency.
- Card Faces: The faces of the cards include custom illustrations that echo the portraits and intricate engravings typical of U.S. banknotes. Each card is unique, featuring detailed borders and sophisticated graphic elements that reflect the style of traditional money design.
- Back Design: The back of each card is symmetrically patterned, resembling the ornate and geometric designs seen on the reverse side of dollar bills. This might include complex line work and scroll details.
- Packaging: The packaging of the deck itself is likely to be just as luxurious, often featuring embossed or foil-stamped elements on a sturdy, finely textured box. This enhances the premium feel of the deck as a collector’s item.
- Additional Features: Limited edition decks like this one sometimes include gold or silver gilding on the edges of the cards, adding a shimmering, opulent finish that complements the currency-inspired theme.
About the Creator
Jackson Robinson is from Texas and proud of it, according to his Kings Wild Project biography. The company creates weird, rare playing cards that are purely inspired by pop culture – and can almost be called reminiscient of Andy Warhol if he had a modern, gothic update.
He’s produced rare decks including The Lord of the Rings Playing Cards (officially licensed) and Maduro Playing Cards. Maduro was inspired by cigar box art, and copies of this hand-illustrated deck are still for sale on his website.
He’s also the creator of the Arthurian Holy Grail Deck and Sherlock Holmes playing cards. There’s something about Robinson that says he loves the craft of epic stories: one more rare deck is inspired by the Odyssey.
The Kings Wild Project specializes in rare decks. Some of his luxury decks are priced from $15, like LOTR Fellowship of the Ring Playing Cards. His website also has much rarer ones for sale, like the Gilded Edition Arthurian Deck for $100.
Robinson is particularly proud of his Lord of the Rings Playing Cards, which required being granted an official license from Tolkien’s Estate to produce them. That’s as good as having an official blessing from Middle Earth.
Robinson launches many of his cardistry projects through Kickstarter, though some of the exclusives are made available aftewards through the Kings Wild Project (KWP).
If you’re looking for specific decks from Robinson’s collection, you should look through the artist’s store. Cards that are sold out there can be found at auction, or bought through private sellers – if you can convince anyone to sell you theirs!
Rare Decks Series
Rare decks of cards are special collections that often include hard-to-find editions, old cards, and uniquely designed sets. People collect these cards because they look beautiful, have interesting stories behind them, and sometimes become more valuable over time. These decks aren’t just for playing games; they’re also pieces of art and history that can be enjoyed for their uniqueness and the special stories they tell.
In our Rare Decks series, we’ll dive into what makes these decks so special and why collectors are so passionate about them.
Click here to view other articles in this series.
