guestbook
The Holland America Line Collectors Reference Library
Playing Cards



The Holland America Line has a long history of on-board sale or complimentary playing cards that started very early in the 20-th century. The oldest deck of cards known to the author dates from around 1910 with a depiction on the back of the ss Statendam II, planned to be delivered to the Line around 1915, however because of the outbreak of WWI she was confiscated by the British Government and consequently completed as the HMS Justicia, which was torpedoed and sunk. Playing cards are still sold on board today.

The below collection is thought to be incomplete and if you have a card not shown, or not shown to be in "Collection: Spits" below, please email me at tiemen @ halpostcards . com (spaces inserted to prevent autobot searches). I would welcome either a 300dpi scan or the opportunity to purchase/trade the actual card or deck.

Contributions from other collectors are credited by name in the "Collection: xys" below the respective cards. We thank them greatly for their interrest in this site and their contribution to the overall knowledge of the Holland America Line collectibles.
Thank you
Tiemen Spits


The N.A.S.M. logo era

If identical card decks existed in different colors, they will be shown in the table side by side.

Collection Spits
nasm-001 (red)
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
nasm-001a (dark red)
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
nasm-002
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
nasm-005
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
nasm-006
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
nasm-006a
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
nasm-010
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
nasm-011
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
nasm-015
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
nasm-016
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
nasm-020
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
nasm-021
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
nasm-025
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
nasm-026
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
nasm-027 (mauve)
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
nasm-027a (deep purple)
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
nasm-027b (purple)
Collection: Spits
blank space blank space blank space


 The Tri-wave logo era

If identical card decks existed in different colors, they will be shown in the table side by side.. 
.
Collection Spits
tw-001
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
tw-002
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
tw-005
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
tw-006
Collection: Spits
Collection O'Donnell
tw-007

Collection: Spits
Collection O'Donnell
tw-008t
Collection: Spits
w-
Collection O'Donnell
tw-009
Collection: Spits
Blank 
Collection Spits
tw-010
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
tw-011
Collection: Spits

Collection Spits
tw-015
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
tw-012a in box with tw-012
Collection: Spits


The Half Moon logo era

If identical cards exist in different colors, they will be shown in the table side by side.

Collection Spits
logo-001
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
logo-002
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
logo-004
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
logo-005
Collection: Spits
Collection Manahan
logo-006

Collection: Manahan
Manahan
logo-007
Collection: 
Manahan
Collection Manahan
logo-008

Collection: 
Manahan
Collection Manahan
logo-009

Collection: 
Manahan
Collection Spits
logo-010
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
logo-011
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
logo-012

Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
logo-013

Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
logo-015

Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
logo-016

Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
logo-017

Collection: Spits
Red logo missing
logo-018
Collection Spits
logo-019

Collection: Spits
Blue logo missing
logo-020
Collection Soits
logo-025

Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
logo-026

Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
logo-027
Collection: Spits

Collection Spits
logo-028

Collection: Spits
Collection Soits
logo-030   

Collection: Spits
White  logo missing
logo-031
Collection Spits
logo-032
Collection: Spits
Red  logo missing
logo-033
Collection Spits
logo-034

Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
logo-035

Collection: 
Spits
Collection manahan
logo-040

Collection: 
Manahan
white  logo missing
logo-041
Collection manahan
logo-042

Collection: 
Manahan
Blank Blank Blank Blank
   

The Modern era

If identical cards exist in different colors, they will be shown in the table side by side.

Collection Spits
mod-001
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
mod-002
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
mod-003
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
mod-005
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
mod-006
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
mod-007
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
mod-008
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
mod-009
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
mod-009a
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
mod-010
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
mod-011
Collection: Spits
Collections Spits
mod-012
Collection: Spits
Collections Spits
mod-013

Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
mod-014

Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
mod-015

Collection: Spits


Casino playing cards

Casino playing cards are used for a certain time, after which they are taken out of circulation. These used card decks are then made available to passengers for their own use, but to prevent cheating at the casino tables, the decks are invalidated by the casino before being put on sale. I have noticed the following ways of invalidation:

If identical cards exist in different colors, they will be shown in the table side by side.

Collection Spits
cas-001
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
cas-002 (green)
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
cas-002a (dark green)

Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
cas-003 (blue)
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
cas-003a (dark blue)
Collection: Spits
Collction Spits
cas-004 (black)
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
cas-010 (yellow)
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
cas-015

Collection: unknown
Collection Spits
cas-016
Collection: Spits

Collection Spits
cas-021
Collection: 
unknown
Collection Spits
cas-018

Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
cas-018a

Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
cas-018b
 Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
cas-018c
Collection: Spits
blank


Commemorative playing cards

The images of the ss Rotterdam cards exist in green, blue and gray background in each of three different versions for a total of 9 cards:
  1. THE FLAGSHIP ss ROTTERDAM 38,645 GROSS TONS
  2. THE FLAGSHIP ROTTERDAM 38,645 GROSS TONS
  3. NEW FLAGSHIP ROTTERDAM 38,645 GROSS TONS 
One additional card is known to exists in the collection of Joan Manahan where the corners of the image are sharp, rather than rounded.
.
If identical cards exist in different colors, they will be shown in the table side by side.

Collection Spits
rot-1974-001
(Jaffa Temple)
Collection: Spits

Collection Spits
rot-the-ss-001
(THE ....ss Rotterdam)
Collection: Spits

Collection Spits
rot-the-ss-002
(THE ...ss Rotterdam)
Collection: 
Spits
image missing (gray)
rot-the-ss-003
(THE ....ss Rotterdam)
Collection: 
unknown
image missing (green)
rot-the-001
(THE ....Rotterdam)
Collection: 
unknown
Collection Spits
rot-the-002
(THE ....Rotterdam)
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
rot-the-003
(THE ....Rotterdam)
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
rot-new-001
(NEW....ss Rotterdam)
Collection: unknown
Collection Spits
rot-new-002
(NEW....ss Rotterdam)
Collection: Spits
image missing (gray)
rot-new-003
(NEW....ss Rotterdam)
Collection: unknown
Collection Spits
rot-1999-001
1999 Grand World Voyage
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
rot-2000-001
2000 Grand World Voyage
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
rot-2000-02
2000 Grand World Voyage
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
135year-001
135 year Anniversary
Collection: Spits
Collection Spits
135year-002
135 year Anniversary
Collection: Spits
need
rot-fincantieri
Fincantieri Ship Builders
Collection: 
unknown
blank blank blank blank


Holland America Line subsidiaries

In this segment we will display playing cards of the subsidiaries of the Line. Criterium for listing playing cards here is that the Line must have had at least a 50% stake in the subsidiary.

The Home Lines were acquired by the Holland America Line after the Oceanic was converted from steam to diesel, hence the only cards that are applicable to this collection must be either no qualification, or "ms" but not "ss". The ms Oceanic was the only ship of the Home Lines actively sailing under Holland America Line (co-)ownership.

Collection Spits
ecl-001
Europe Canada Line
Collection: Spits

Collection Spits
ecl-001
Europe Canada Line
Collection: Spits

blank blank
blank
Collection Spits
ms homeric-001
Home Lines ss Homeric
Collection
unknown
need
homeric-001
Home Lines generic
Collection: 
unknown
need
homeric-001
Home Lines generic
Collection: 
unknown
blank blank 


Copyright Tiemen Spits 1999-2014