Novelty/fake cards have been around since the mid 70’s. They can be seen as a harmless fun item but also a real concern to a collector. When these cards are passed off as the authentic jokers it undermines both trust and integrity within our collecting community.

Sometimes these cards are produced very cheaply and on a large scale. Some are very convincing, even appealing but they are not genuine. Each time one of these is knowingly traded or passed over as a genuine joker, a collector is being deceived and placed at a disadvantage. There have been cases whereby Novelty/fake items have entered our community undetected or gone unnoticed. A lot of collectors will invertedly have some of these items in their collections and not be totally unaware them.

Unfortunately, or fortunately for some, joker collecting has become a new and up and coming collectable. An item that has increased in popularity and value. An ideal opportunity for those, shall we say, with less than good intentions, to make capital or create mischief. Money isn’t always involved but real genuine jokers are exchanged and technically lost.

We’ve long since entered the digital and technological age where these things are more easily conjured up. We owe it to each other and our shared interest to do the right thing. It’s a collective as well as an individual responsibility, to call out these phantom cards, to circulate this information and make others aware.

Novelty/Fake Jokers

These can still be brought off the Chinese online store Temu. They are 100% novelty/fakes and should be avoided at all cost. Their heavy use of ink, odd designs and poor card quality, are obvious giveaways.

Yes, former US president Joe Bidden and currant president Ronald Trump feature in this line up. Yes more novelty/fakes, this time from the North American company called the House of Chuckles. These are all custom made using, with scores of variations and characters. Printed on US playing card blanks with the traditional Rider backs. These are not real or orphan jokers, they were never part of a deck. Although these are no longer available, there are thought to be many in circulation. Avoid at all cost.