SwissCard Toffen
The Only Swiss Manufacturer Left Over
I know of no manufacturer that changes the looks of the cards as frequently as SwissCard does. Even though this company with seat in Toffen near Bern was founded around 1997, I can distinguish eight different versions of Jass cards. Nevertheless, I am quite certain, that there are more variations around. In addition, just by looking at the cards, it is impossible to bring the separate versions in the correct chronological order. Therefore, it is most likely that the types, I gave, are incomplete and wrong.
The cards all have the unchanged format 89 x 57 mm.
Type
A
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The first edition looks quite like the Müller original.
Unbroken frames with rounded corners
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Type
B
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SwissCard did an entire redesign of the pattern and the cards now look totally different.
To the previous version the most outstanding differences are:
the design of all suits and pictures are very much simplified, especially the court cards
each suit has its own colour in which the indices are written: bell = black, shield = blue, roses = red and acorn = green
the dividing lines of roses and acorn are also in the same colour as their indices; in the suits bell and shield the lines have switched colour compared to their indices
all cards have four indices, some are different on the right and left side
the ace of bell now is mirrored (used to be rotated)
the ace of shield has only one "wing" (used to have two)
the ace of roses has red stalks
the pips of roses also have red stalks
the manufacturer name now reads "SWISSCARD" on the aces of bell and shield (used to be "SWISS CARD TOFFEN" on the ace of bell only)
No frames
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Type
C
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The aces of bell and shield have a white background in the centre part of the card.
Broken frames consisting of straight lines in the colours of the indices, no corners
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Type
D
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Compared to the previous version the indices and dividing lines are now all black again.
Broken frames with rounded corners
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Type
E
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These cards are like type "C" (and not the previous type "D"). The big difference though is the changed centre of the aces of bell and shield that now have ornamentation with a dominant blue colour.
No frames
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Type
F
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With this deck the cards come much closer to the Müller original again. So it is not too obvious, the centre part of the aces of bell and shield are much smaller than before. The most important changes are:
the ace of bell is rotated again
the ace of shield has two "wings" again
the ace of roses has a blue and red stalk again
the banners come much closer to the Müller original again
the dividing lines are all white now
the font has changed back to the original one, even though the letters are bigger now
all indices are written in black
the indices on the aces have disappeared
the second pair of indices on the court cards was replaced by a suit index
the king of roses newly carries the information "Swisscard"
the cards have an edging again
Unbroken frames with rounded corners
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Type
G
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The centre part in the aces of bell and shield is enlarged again. Yet this is a step closer to the Müller original again.
Unbroken frames with rounded corners
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Type
H
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It is unknown, if this is new version or if it is an older version that - for some reason - was brought to the shelves of some kiosks in Zurich at the beginning of the year 2006. The cards very much resemble type "D". The main difference though, is that some colour red has changed to brown. In addition, the frames are different.
Unbroken frames with rounded corners
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At the end of this chapter you find all aces, court cards and a selection of pips of a recent deck (Type "G").
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