A reader writes:

“I have Movie Souvenir Playing Cards – 53 most prominent stars in filmdom – price 50 cents – 1918 by M. J. Moriarty – Movie Souvenir Card Co. – Cincinnati, U.S.A.

Could you possibly tell me anything about these cards….or direct me to someone that might know or be interested in purhasing the cards?”

The interesting thing is some of the cards appear to be signed:

“To name a few of the film stars on the playing cards: Charlie Chaplin, Norma Talmadge, Lillian Walker, Ethel Clayton, Julie Swayne Gordon… a signed Marguerite Clayton, Cleo Madison, Dolores & Helen Costello…. a signed King Baggot, Francis X Bushman, a signed Billy Quirk, a signed Pearl White, Francis Ford, Crane Wilbur, Mary Miles Minter, and many more.”

We did a cursory check on possible prices on eBay, and found the following:

“Looks like eBay is your best bet for selling them. There seems to be a range of prices, depending on the set (who’s in it) and the condition that it’s in. Here’s what we found out:

1916 MJ MORIARTY –MOVIE SOUVENIR PLAYING CARDS –VG
Sold For: $115.87 – Date: 5/30/05

1916 Movie Star Playing Cards, Chaplin, Tom Mix, Hart
Sold For: $81.00 – Date: 3/17/05

1916 Movie Souvenir playing cards
Sold For: $44.47 – Date: 2/27/05

1916 MOVIE SOUVENIR PLAYING CARDS
Sold For: $42.50 – Date: 6/18/05

1916 MJ MORIARTY Movie Star Playing Cards FULL DECK
Sold For: $39.25 – Date: 6/12/05

COMPLETE DECK C 1916 MORIARTY MOVIE STAR PLAYING CARDS
Sold For: $33.35 – Date: 9/15/05”

If anyone is interested in these cards, or has any other information about them, leave us a comment or drop us a line at editor@bidtrendz.com, and we’ll forward it on.