Cards used as both coupons and playing cards and their method of manufacture and use

• US 5,466,010 A
• Filed: 12/17/1993
• Issued: 11/14/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Entertainment Publications LLC (SurveyMe, Limited.)
• Original Assignee: James J. Spooner
• Inventors: Spooner, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): PAYER, HWEI SIU CHOU
• Application Number:
  US08/169,979
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 283/56, 283/67, 283/117, 273/292, 273/294, 273/297, 273/308, 273/307, D21/42-47
• US Class Current: 283/67
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/02 Cards; Special shapes of cards card-printing methods B41K, B41M
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2011/0004 Bags
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/001 Games or toys connected to, or combined with, other objects; Objects with a second use as a toy or game

Abstract

A plurality of cards, usable as both coupons and playing cards. Each card has a playing card indicia and a coupon message printed on one of its faces. The set of cards is a compilation of coupons in which each coupon is redeemable for valuable goods or services. The coupon playing cards may have a round, casino chip design. The design of the card aids in the promotion of the set of cards and the discounts offered in the cards to a number of consumers.

Claims

1. A method of using a plurality of cards as both a playing card set and a coupon set wherein each card has printed on a face thereof a coupon message from a vendor and at least one playing card indicia for allowing the card to be presentable by a consumer for a type of good or service and to be used as a playing card, comprising the steps of:

using each card as a playing card according to the playing card indicia printed on the face of the card; and

presenting each card to the vendor for obtaining the type of good or service according to the coupon message printed on the face of the card; and

wherein the step of presenting each card further comprises the step of invalidating the card as a coupon when the good or service has been provided by the vendor so that the consumer can still retain the card for use as a playing card.

2. A method of making a plurality of cards usable as both coupons and playing cards, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of cards wherein each card has a playing card indicia printed on a front face for allowing the card to be used as a playing card;

compiling a number of coupon messages from at least one vendor of goods or services; and

printing a coupon message on at least one of the faces of each card describing the card as presentable for a type of valuable good or service.

3. The method of making a plurality of coupon playing cards according to claim 2 wherein the step of compiling coupon messages further comprises the step of:

obtaining the coupon message from at least one vendor who is willing to offer at least one valuable good or service in exchange for redeeming the card as a coupon.

4. The method of making a plurality of coupon playing cards according to claim 2 wherein the step of printing a coupon message further comprises the step of:

printing a message on the card which states that the card may be redeemed by exchanging it with the vendor for the valuable good or service.

5. The method of making a plurality of coupon playing cards according to claim 2 wherein the step of printing the coupon message further comprises the step of:

printing a message on the card which states that the card may be redeemed upon presentment of it to the vendor for obtaining the valuable good or service only if the card has not been invalidated.

6. A plurality of cards usable as both coupons and playing cards, wherein each card comprises:

a front face having at least one playing card indicia printed thereon for allowing the card to be used as a playing card;

a back face; and

a coupon message printed on at least one of the faces describing the card as presentable as a coupon for a type of valuable good or service.

7. The plurality of cards according to claim 6 wherein:

the cards are round.

8. The plurality of cards according to claim 7 wherein:

one of said faces of each round playing card has a casino chip design.

9. The plurality of cards according to claim 6 wherein:

the cards make up a complete deck of playing cards.

10. The plurality of cards according to claim 6 wherein:

the cards are a compilation of coupons.

11. The plurality of cards according to claim 6 wherein:

the coupon message of a card relates to redeeming the card for an entertainment type good or service.

12. The plurality of cards according to claim 11 wherein:

the entertainment type good or service described in the printed coupon message is related to casinos.

13. The plurality of cards according to claim 6 wherein:

the coupon message relates to redeeming the card for a travel type good or service.

14. The plurality of cards according to claim 6 wherein:

the coupon message relates to redeeming the card for an accommodation type good or service.

15. A set of cards usable as both coupons and playing cards, comprising:

a plurality of cards wherein the cards have printed on their faces a plurality of playing card indicia and a plurality of coupon messages from a number of vendors identifying the cards as presentable for a number of goods or services.

16. The set of cards according to claim 15 wherein:

the plurality of cards are designed in the shape of a round, flat casino chip.

17. The set of cards according to claim 16 wherein:

each card in the plurality of cards has a value printed on a face of a card as part of the casino chip design which corresponds to the value of a discount being offered for the good or service printed in the coupon message.

18. The set of cards according to claim 15 wherein the coupon messages each comprise:

an identification of the vendor;

an identification of the good or service being offered at a discount; and

an identification of an amount of the discount for the good or service.

19. The set of cards according to claim 15 wherein:

the number of vendors are solely casinos.