1876 Mauger Centennial Playing Cards

Victor E. Mauger was born in England and emigrated to New York in 1855. He started a business importing metal goods. Around 1870 he also began importing playing cards from the Chas. Goodall & Son company from England. The Goodall Company began making special decks with a unique Ace of Spades for their American decks. By 1873 Mauger started to print his own brand of cards and dropped Goodall due to high import duties.

His first, the Centennial Exposition Deck is thought to be the first deck to commemorate a fair. They were made in conjunction with the world's fair in Philadelphia. The deck also commemorates the 100 year anniversary of the signing of the declaration of independence. They were slightly larger measuring 90mm x 62mm as opposed to the standard poker size and indices were just beginning to be used.