During World War II, the United States Playing Card Company collaborated with American and British intelligence agencies to help Allied POWs escape from German imprisonment with an absolutely remarkable custom deck of cards.
The original “Map Deck” featured a map of top-secret escape routes masterfully hidden between its paper layers. By soaking the cards in water, these layers could be separated revealing a life-saving guide to safety for many prisoners.
In the stressful years following the completion of the war when war crimes were being heavily prosecuted, these decks remained a closely-guarded secret. Even when their existence was finally acknowledged, it wasn’t made public how many were ever produced or how many decks could possibly remain. The only known existing deck is currntly on display at the Spy Museum in Washington D.C.
These amazing collectable Bicycle Escape Map Playing Cards are a lovely tribute to the original Map Deck and the individuals it saved. While there is no map printed on the interior of the cards, there is one visible on each of the completely customized faces that forms an incredible, full map when organized in a particular order.
Bicycle Escape Map Playing Cards are proudly printed in the United States by the USPCC on premium stock with a quality finish. See pictures below.
