Vintage Japanese Menko Cards

Menko is an old Japanese game where players take turns tossing cards on the ground. If one player is successful in flipping another's card, she gets to picks up both. The winner is the one with the most cards at the conclusion of the game.

Menko cards are typically made from thick paperboard material. They can be round or rectangular and have printing on one or both sides. They are usually illustrated with images that are popular in the culture. This set of cards features cartoon characters from the late 1930s and early '40s. Included in the group is Doc and a couple forest animals from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

The cards vary is size. Popeye is the largest at 4" (10 cm) across. The others all measure about 2.25" (6 cm) and appear to be unauthorized reproductions of Disney characters: Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket, Hiawatha, Mickey Mouse, and a couple of the Three Little Pigs.