Hoyle Maverick: A Closer Look

Mavericks are another brand that USPC acquired from Hoyle, and one of the few that's not made in the USA. These come from China, and are generally not up to the quality of other USPC cards. They just feel ... ordinary.

The reason I'm including them is because they really are an odd cultural relic. When I first started looking at them, I noticed they had a western theme, from the Maverick font, to the horse on the Joker, to the stylized Ace.

That's because Mavericks almost certainly entered the market as a tie-in (either official or unofficial) to the James Garner TV show of the same name. Since Bret Maverick was a card sharp, cards featured heavily in the show, so it was natural tie-in.

The show began in 1957 and went off the air in 1962, which means that this is a pop culture artifact that survived 48 years longer than the show it was based upon. I just think that's cool.

Brand loyalty is the reason decks like Aviator and Maverick remain in print. As a company representative told me, "Each brand we manufacture has a deep history and avid followers. People remember playing with specific brands growing up and want to continue that tradition."