Introduced in 1918 and apparently withdrawn from circulation in 1918. Toward the end of the first World War, the United States Playing Card Company produced four “War Series” decks under the Bicycle brand to represent each of the branches of the U.S. armed services: Big Gun for the Army, Dreadnaught for the Navy, Flying Ace for the Air Force,  and Conquerer (aka Invincible) for the Marine Corp. The decks were printed in 1917, and perhaps only given an extremely limited release before being withdrawn from circulation. It is unknown why the decks were not circulated, but one theory is that they were intended to be distributed to the troops overseas, and USPCC destroyed its inventory of the War Decks when Armistice was declared in 1918.

Only six of these extremely rare decks are in collectors’ hands today. Of these six, one is a red Conqueror deck, pictured below. But this raises an interesting question for us all: why did Mrs. Robinson name this deck “Invincible” in her scrupulously researched pamphlet when what may be the only known original box is clearly marked “Conqueror?” The second image below does nothing to put this issue to rest. This is a page from an extensive salesman’s sample book of all USPCC decks produced around 1917 and it offers a very nice overview of the War Series. Each deck is named on its respective sample card with the exception, of course, of Invincible/Conqueror.

To see the other three War Series designs, click on these links: Big Gun, Dreadnaught, and Flying Ace. The final image, below, is my display of the four complete War Series decks that I own.