Hanyu Yu Sheng Playing Cards Series Colour Joker Buyback
Regular price $999,999.00(Get a quote now)
Colour Joker: Recognized by collectors as the rarest surviving card, the masterpiece of the Card Series
Among the two jokers in the Hanyu Playing Card series, the Colour Joker has consistently had higher demand in the secondary market than the Black Joker. The collector community generally regards it as the last and most difficult card to acquire in the entire series, almost always drawing the most attention at auctions. For owners, this means that when selling, they face a group of eager buyers who have been waiting for a long time and are willing to pay actively.
The Origin of the Hanyu Ichiro's Malt Playing Card Series
The Hanyu Distillery, located in Saitama Prefecture, ceased production and closed in 2000. Ichiro Akuto then rescued and preserved approximately 400 casks of original whisky left by his father, bottling them individually as single casks between 2005 and 2014, creating the Ichiro's Malt Card Series with a playing card theme. The complete set consists of fifty-four cards (fifty-two regular cards and two jokers). As original cask stock was a finite number of sealed casks, each bottling reduced the remaining stock. This "non-renewable" characteristic is the root cause of the series' ever-increasing scarcity.
The Colour Joker belongs to the final chapter of the series, released in its last year, 2014. Its overall surviving quantity is generally acknowledged to be lower than most of the regular cards. Coupled with its recognized rarity among collectors, its market value has consistently ranked among the highest in the series.
Colour Joker Specifications and Positioning
| Item | Characteristics of this card |
| Card Rank | Joker |
| Bottling Batch | Final chapter of the series, 2014 bottling batch (as per bottle inscription) |
| Cask Type Description | Primarily single casks, mostly bottled at Cask Strength |
| Rarity Level | Top-tier (recognized by collectors as the rarest) |
| Series Position | Released in the final chapter of the series, generally acknowledged to have a lower surviving quantity than most regular cards, and its individual market value consistently ranks among the highest in the series. |
An Auction's Insight into the Market Strength of the Card Series
In 2019, Bonhams Hong Kong sold a complete set of fifty-four cards for HK$7,192,000, becoming the most representative transaction record for the Card Series in public auctions. Individual card sales continue annually in London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and other locations. For sellers, such a public transaction history signifies a traceable market value and a deep buyer base, alleviating concerns about having a price but no buyers when selling.
Main Factors Affecting the Buyback Price of the Colour Joker
The Colour Joker has a high individual value, and authentication involves detailed inspection of each item. Even if there is a flaw in one aspect, we will still accept it at a discounted grade, as we do not refuse items simply because they are incomplete.
| Assessment Item | Optimal Condition | Common Deductions |
| Label Printing | The full-body image of the Colour Joker is vibrant, the diamond pattern on the clothing is accurately aligned in multiple colors, and the gold on the hat bells is shiny. | Color misalignment, paint chipping, blurred diamond patterns, fading. |
| Fill Level | Liquid level at ideal position in the bottle neck, no significant leakage. | Lowered liquid level, bottle leakage. |
