THE ACE OF SPADES
The Ace of Spades is the most elaborate card in the deck, especially in the 1800s and into the early 1900s. The Hochman Encyclopedia of American Playing Cards assigned alphanumeric designators to the ace of spades according to manufacturer and chronological order. For Congress playing cards, the designation is US for United States Playing Card Company, 6 (presumably) for the 606 line (404s are included in this), and a/b/c etc. for the order of production, starting with US6 as the first ace, US6a for the second, and so on. However, there are two US6 aces, one with shading and one without.
NOTE: There may or may not be a US6d, as no known photos currently exist of this particular ace. From the Hochman: USPC, 1899. Around this time USPC made some Congress decks with an early USPC Ace of Spades with no mention of RM Fact. (Russell and Morgan Factories), yet dated 1899. This type of anomaly is bound to cause a problem when trying to positively date a deck that is found without its box. The ace is not pictured, as it is the same as US6, without the RM Fact. reference.
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