The History of Playing Cards

When you grab a deck of cards, you probably don’t think too much about the motifs and designs of each card, as you’re used to the standard design of a 52-card deck with two Jokers. That said, while playing cards seem normal and simple to most players, their history is anything but that. Playing cards had evolved for centuries and changed a lot before they adopted the recognizable standard all of us know today.

In this post, we’ll take a look at the history and evolution of playing cards to see how these simple yet specially prepared cards have changed over the centuries to become what they are today.

The Origins of Playing Cards – Asia and Egypt

It’s hard to pinpoint the exact year or even century when the first playing cards were invented. Many art historians agree that the first playing cards originated from China and were created in the 9th or early 10th century.

What’s certain is that in the 10th century, people were already playing cards in some parts of Asia. There’s even some evidence in this period that hints that card players of the time played cards as a part of a drinking game and even used antiquated versions of today’s gambling chips.

By the end of the 11th century, the playing cards spread through the Asian continent and were introduced in Egypt. This was when the first Mamluk playing cards were thought to be invented. Although there’s no precise historical data going this far back, the oldest surviving cards from Egypt date to the 12th and 13th centuries.

The First Playing Cards in Europe

As the playing cards traveled with pilgrims and merchants through Asia and Egypt, they finally reached the first European countries in the 14th century. The first documented origins of playing cards in Europe show that card games first gained popularity.

That said, while everyone enjoyed playing cards in Asia and Egypt, they were very much reserved only for the upper class in Europe at the time. They were hand-painted with luxury design items and weren’t widely available.

But, as playing cards began to spread north and west of Italy, they became huge in Germany. The biggest game-changer that came out of Germany was the introduction of printing methods for playing cards. German printers were able to produce many decks of cards far quicker than artists who drew the cards by hand.

laying cards soon became a big German export, which sped up the popularization of these cards in Western Europe, primarily France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. In 15th century France, the four suits that we use today were introduced.

Moreover, at that time, French card developers presented another revolutionary feature. They divided the suits into red and black, with uniform and simplified symbols, albeit named differently than today’s ones. It didn’t take long for the popular French deck to sweep Europe and become the standard.

Playing Cards Spread to England and the US

It’s thought that playing cards were brought to England from France or Belgium. While this is a bit uncertain, like all other countries that playing cards passed through, England and the rest of Great Britain left their mark. Most notably, by introducing the names, spades, diamonds, hearts, and clubs when referring to the suits.

Compared to the rest of the world, playing cards came relatively soon to the US. As the US was a colony of Great Britain at the time, the first playing cards came to North America through imports from the home country. It was especially popular for poker games and quickly spread over the continent.

That said, even though the history of playing cards in the US is fairly young, we still credit it for inducting another vital aspect of the deck we recognize today. In the mid-19th century, US card innovators added the Joker cards to the deck.

The history of playing cards is too long and interesting to be summed up in one blog post, but hopefully, we’ve brought this exciting topic a bit closer to you.

While playing cards have undoubtedly changed over the thousand years they existed, you can still relish that you’re playing the same game that your ancestors played in the 15th century. That carries some historical weight!

The rich, fascinating and debated history of our favourite ‘toy’ can be found by perusing the various sites listed below.

Playing cards have a history of development of over 1000 years and we shall yet come to you with an additional advantage of bulk production of these cards with your branding and customization.

Did you know that at one time, the king of hearts represented Charlemagne, the king of Diamonds was Julius Caesar, the king of clubs was Alexander the Great and the king of spades was King David from the Bible? These fascinating identities, along with special designations for the other court cards, were bestowed by the French who were instrumental in bringing the pleasures of card play to people in Europe and the New World.

Source: Playing Cards .co.in Click Here >

Wikipedia has an excellent page on the History of Playing Cards.

What kind of Cards are used in casinos? – Most casinos use cards that are 100% plastic. Unlike the paper cards you probably use at your weekly bridge games, plastic allows the cards to be used for more hands before being swapped out, especially in games like poker where card-handling by players is much more frequent. Plastic cards also provide additional security as they make it more difficult for players to mark than their paper counterparts.

Although the most commonly used cards these days are made out of pixels! Many people play on online casinos which is more convenient and comfortable but you miss part of the experience of casino gaming.

A Brief History of Playing Cards – Playing Cards have existed for millennia and around them hundreds of games and conventions have been devised. It is upon their fall, their suits and their ranks that fortunes have been dashed and players been daunted. The standard deck comprises 52 cards, in four suits each of thirteen ranks. In the Royal Household are Kings, Queens and Jacks, and another fellow who plays a cameo in games here and there known as the Joker.

The English pattern itself derives from a 15th century design that originated in Rouen, France. One might not think twice as to why it is these characters who have come to contritely inhabit the ranks of the deck. Their place in playing cards was by no means a journey of certainty, and it was not without the possibility of other contenders.

But it was these Kings, Queens and Knights, this English household, dressed in their 16th century period garb that underwrites the standard of the Anglo-American playing card. Their history begins way back in the murky dimness when many patterns were emerging in regions, and when many different Royal Households contended for eminence.