The Souvenir CardCollectors Society

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(F) Forerunner ( Union Cards )    The International Plate Printers, Die Stampers and Engravers Union (IPPDS&EU) formed from a confederation of smaller unions in 1893. After a few years special cards, typically engraved, were produced for social events and conventions. The conventions soon became a showcase for the various Union affiliates and folders with numerous cards were printed and distributed; these were sometimes bound into booklet form. Since these early cards pre-date any "official" souvenir card program, they were designated "Forerunners" (F) in the SCCS numbering system. Union cards continue to be produced up to the present, making the forerunner designation somewhat awkward, but for the sake of continuity it remains in place. Production records were not kept for most of these cards, but today early cards are all quite scarce and even contemporary convention folders tend to have print runs in the low hundreds. SCCS #:  F-1983B(a) Show/event:  80th IPPDS&EU Convention - NYC Year:  1983 Dimensions:  8.75" x 11" # Printed:  350 Printer:  ABNC Type:  Other Back:  Image Notes:  Folder, intaglio printed, North America map on front, and American Bank Note logo on back [Image] containing 7 intaglio cards and 9 offset advertising cards; red and blue tassles along the side. SCCS #:  F-1983B(b) Show/event:  80th IPPDS&EU Convention - NYC Year:  1983 Dimensions:  10" x 8" # Printed:  500 Printer:  BEP Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Three Medals of Honor, embossed and engraved in five colors. Similar to F1983C but with "Fraternal Greetings" text from Washington Local No. 2 at bottom. 150 extras were printed. SCCS #:  F-1983B(c) Show/event:  80th IPPDS&EU Convention - NYC Year:  1983 Dimensions:  10" x 8" # Printed:  350 Printer:  ABNC Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  View of New York and Brooklyn Bridge in black ink, with names of NYC Local 58 officers SCCS #:  F-1983B(d) Show/event:  80th IPPDS&EU Convention - NYC Year:  1983 Dimensions:  10" x 8" # Printed:  350 Printer:  ABNC Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Empire State Building vignette in black ink, with names of Local 26 members SCCS #:  F-1983B(e) Show/event:  80th IPPDS&EU Convention - NYC Year:  1983 Dimensions:  10" x 8" # Printed:  350 Printer:  ABNC Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Statue of Liberty vignette in black with best wishes to convention delegates from NY Local 29 SCCS #:  F-1983B(f) Show/event:  80th IPPDS&EU Convention - NYC Year:  1983 Dimensions:  10" x 8" # Printed:  350 Printer:  ABNC Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Two vignettes of Writing and Signing of the Declaration of Independence and portraits of various signers in blue ink SCCS #:  F-1983B(g) Show/event:  80th IPPDS&EU Convention - NYC Year:  1983 Dimensions:  10.5" x 8.5" # Printed:  350 Printer:  ABNC Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Central vignette of sailor and Native American, with lathe patterns and numerals in blue ink SCCS #:  F-1983B(h) Show/event:  80th IPPDS&EU Convention - NYC Year:  1983 Dimensions:  10.5" x 7" # Printed:  350 Printer:  ABNC Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Five nautical vignettes (circa 1850s), two tall ships and three sailors in blue ink SCCS #:  F-1983C Show/event:  Napex - Arlington, VA Year:  1983 Dimensions:  8" x 10" # Printed:  2,000 Printer:  BEP Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Three Medals of Honor, embossed and engraved in five colors. Similar toF-1983B(b) but with text at bottom for Napex Int'l Philatelic Exhibition with show dates and IPPDS&EU triangle. SCCS #:  F-1987E(a) Show/event:  82nd IPPDS&EU Convention - Philadelphia Year:  1987 Dimensions:  9" x 11" # Printed:  200 (est.) Printer:  USBNC Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Folder w/ large vignette of Liberty Bel and Union logo, containing 5 intaglio cards and 10 offset advertising cards SCCS #:  F-1987E(b) Show/event:  82nd IPPDS&EU Convention - Philadelphia Year:  1987 Dimensions:  6" x 8" # Printed:  200 (est.) Printer:  ABNC Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Large vignette of allegorical female figure with shield, flag and eagle, red ink SCCS #:  F-1987E(c) Show/event:  82nd IPPDS&EU Convention - Philadelphia Year:  1987 Dimensions:  6" x 8" # Printed:  200 (est.) Printer:  ABNC Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Large vignette of allegorical female figure holding wheat sheaf and branch (Agriculture), red ink SCCS #:  F-1987E(d) Show/event:  82nd IPPDS&EU Convention - Philadelphia Year:  1987 Dimensions:  10" x 8" # Printed:  200 (est.) Printer:  ABNC Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Large vignette of old New York City skyline and letterhead text for Local 28-58, purple ink SCCS #:  F-1987E(e) Show/event:  82nd IPPDS&EU Convention - Philadelphia Year:  1987 Dimensions:  8" x 10" # Printed:  200 (est.) Printer:  ABNC Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Statue of Liberty vignette in purple with best wishes to convention delegates from NY Local 29 SCCS #:  F-1987E(f) Show/event:  82nd IPPDS&EU Convention - Philadelphia Year:  1987 Dimensions:  8.5" x 10.5" # Printed:  200 (est.) Printer:  USBNC Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Vignette of gold miner (same as SO-1) under header for USBNC with "Bit of Americana" text