Membership Directory: Name/address list, regularly updated, including each member's favored card themes. Those with matching interests arrange trades by mail, commonly developing 'pen pal' fashion friendships as they choose. In-person swap meets are often arranged by members, either those residing in the same locale, or when trading partners travel. (Also see "convention" in the following.)

Newsletter: Entitled The Bulletin, issued quarterly. Fully illustrated, news and features on card and collecting topics. Includes classified ads (cards/related items "wanted" tobuy/sell/trade). Plus card auctions by mail (singles and decks), and much more. An interactive forum with member contributions, frequent question-answer exchanges, and periodic membership polling on various club matters.

Other resources: CPCC acts as a channel for some otherwise hard to find cards; also the relatively few books on the history of the cards and collecting (new or out of print). In addition to The Bulletin we print and offer references such as the Glossary of terms, and Lists and Catalogs. The latter reflects our "Listed cards" system to aid in organizing collections, and trading. As an ongoing work in progress, several generations of our members have compiled/listed thousands card picture-back issues. Our Lists and Catalogs now contain thousands of cards across various categories, including Artists, old Art Nouveau/Deco eras, Museum Treasures and more.

Annual Convention: First-timers often remark "Better than I had imagined." The atmosphere is friendly, the pace brisk as attendees renew old acquaintances and make new ones, and sort through tens of thousands of cards for trade. Members (many tying in vacation time) gather at each year's host city from all corners of the U.S., as well as overseas. Among highlights are card auctions, talks on card topics; and CPCC's annual meeting, where club business is discussed and matters voted upon. (See more on club management -- Plus future convention dates, in the following.)

As a non-for-profit club CPCC has no paid staff, but is entirely member run by those in elected or appointed posts. Our regular business meetings continue in Chicago, held by officers and other 'workers' from that city, plus other parts of Illinois, and Wisconsin. Over the years our "offices" have extended to other parts along with our membership..

Our current President is in Chicago, IL, and our Corresponding Secretary in the Chicago, IL, area, Our newsletter Editor of Marietta, GA. Our Catalog Committee is formed of members in the Houston and Pittsburgh areas, as well as in Michigan, Georgia, B. C., Canada, and Vic., Australia. In years past our distant workers coordinated primarily by phone and mail. More recently, e-mail and fax enable us to network on club business even more closely. And, in most cases, our supporting people do yearly, in-person review and planning, during our general membership conventions

1999: Held Sept. 22-23, in Cincinnati, OH.
2000: CPCC Golden Anniversary Convention, Sept. 14-16, Milwaukee, WI.
2001: Sept. 7-8, Albany, NY.
2002: Sept. 27-28, Lincolnwood, Chicago, IL.
2003: Oct. 10 -11, Joint Convention with 52 Plus Joker, Wilmington, DE
2004: Oct. 15 -1 6, Omaha, NE.
2005: Oct. 2-3, Lincolnwood, Chicago, IL.
2006: Sept. 1-2, at the Sheraton Hotel, St. Louis, MO.
2007: Sept. 7-8, Holiday Inn North Shore 5300 W. Touhy Ave. Skokie IL.

2008: August 29 - 30, Comfort Inn, Cleveland Airport, 17550 Rosbough Drive, Middleburg Heights, OH 44130. Front desk phone: 1-440-234-3131, 1-800-424-6423 toll free, Web site: www.choicehotels.com