Since 1996, this collaborative project has grown into an independent archive of 4,890 articles, written by collectors, researchers, artists and historians from around the world, documenting playing cards from early handmade cards to industrial production, and from games of chance and skill to education, advertising, political satire, magic and fortune-telling.
The archive looks beyond the basics, revealing the wider history behind playing cards. It explores how cards were designed, printed and traded, how they were regulated, and what their imagery was intended to convey. All content is edited with care and supported by sources, images and dates to support reliable research
Latest Articles
Les Chevaliers de la Table Ronde
A pictorial study by Jean Bruneau inspired by an ancient work rooted in Celtic history.
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by Lev Golinkin
Meskwaki Casino
A deck reflecting Native American culture where every hand could be a jackpot.
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by Lev Golinkin
Robin Hood Playing Cards
A Kings Wild Project by Jackson Robinson exploring the legend of Robin Hood and inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry.
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by Lev Golinkin
Latest Activity
Feb 2026 Newsletter Members access
This issue features articles on De La Rue Pack c.1835, Mistakes in Standard English Packs, and An Unusual Happy Families...
Meskwaki Casino
A deck reflecting Native American culture where every hand could be a jackpot.
Less than a day ago • Lev Golinkin
Robin Hood Playing Cards
A Kings Wild Project by Jackson Robinson exploring the legend of Robin Hood and inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry.
1 day ago • Lev Golinkin
Pacific Northwest Native American Playing Cards
A bold presentation of animals in Native American artwork – with a political message.
1 day ago • Lev Golinkin
Rockwell International
Cards celebrating the Space Shuttle, astronauts, and Mission Control staff.
2 days ago • Lev Golinkin
Authentic American Indian Playing Cards (Northern Plains Collection I)
Honouring the Great Plains: carefully chosen symbols on familiar playing cards.
2 days ago • Lev Golinkin
Okinawa Playing Cards
Ryūkyū Kingdom culture meets the international pattern.
2 days ago • Lev Golinkin
San Manuel Casino
Native American-themed playing cards used by tribal casinos.
3 days ago • Lev Golinkin
Library Display
Three seconds to spark a love of playing cards: one collector's library display challenge.
4 days ago • Lev Golinkin
Lev Golinkin joined as a new member
I'm a US-based author and journalist. I've been collecting playing cards since I was about 8 years old, when I...
4 days ago
My Neighbor Totoro Cards
My Neighbour Totoro, now in your hands: a cinematic story told card by card.
5 days ago • Marek Brejcha
Linda Green commented on English cards from the reign of Charles II
There is an advertisement from Robert Whitfield printed in a...
May 18, 2026
La baraja de Almagro
De la chimenea al monumento nacional: la baraja de Almagro y el renacer del corral de comedias.
May 13, 2026 • Alberto Pérez González
Tarocco Gumppenberg
Neoclassical Empire-style Tarocchi cards by Ferdinando Gumppenberg, Milan, c.1810.
May 11, 2026 • Simon Wintle
New York Consolidated Card Co. including L.I.Cohen, Lawrence & Cohen, Levy and Samuel Hart
By Ken Lodge
John Sterling - Distigráfica S.R.L.
John Sterling publishes budget-grade playing cards in Argentina.
By Simon Wintle
Little Folk Misfitz
C. W. Faulkner & Co. Ltd were prolific card game manufacturers over a period of around 50 years, c.1870-1920.
By Simon Wintle
Explore
4,890 articles featuring content from 120 countries and 384 themes; including 1,415 manufacturers, 1,177 designers, 268 brands, 26 suits, 53 patterns, 61 games and 33 licenses.
U. S. A.
The manufacture of playing cards in America only began during the second half of the 18th century, a...
By Simon Wintle
The Joker Card
The 'Joker' is believed to have been invented by American Euchre players who, when modifying the rul...
By Simon Wintle
Dungeons & Dragons “Curse of Strahd” Tarokka Deck
Enhance your Dungeons & Dragons game with the Tarokka Deck, a tarot-inspired set of cards that bring...
By Adam Wintle
Bicycle No.808
The famous Bicycle playing cards were first introduced by Russell & Morgan Printing Co in 1885. More...
By Simon Wintle
German playing cards
Card-playing rapidly became popular in medieval Bavaria and German printers were quick to supply the...
By Simon Wintle
Dondorf
The luxury playing card factory founded in Frankfurt am Main by Bernhard Dondorf in 1833 existed for...
By Simon Wintle
Stuttgart pack, c.1430
The luxury, hand-painted Stuttgart Cards (Stuttgarter Kartenspiel) dated c.1430, with suits of ducks...
By Simon Wintle
Early German playing cards
Some early examples of popular German playing cards from the XV and XVI centuries.
By Simon Wintle
Austrian Cartomancy Cards
During the 19th century a system of fortune telling arose in Europe using unnumbered, pictorial card...
By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)
Spanish Playing Cards ~ La Baraja Española
Spain has played a pivotal role in the history of playing cards in Europe and Latin America.
By Simon Wintle
Significado de los Naipes Españoles
Cartomantic meanings of Spanish playing cards by Benita the Witch (XVI century), published by Chocol...
By Simon Wintle
Baraja Morisca — Early XV century playing cards
Primitive Latin suited pack, dated by paper analysis as early XV century, which makes this one of th...
By Simon Wintle
Salvador Dalí
Based on the standard French ‘Paris’ pattern, Dalí composed his playing card figures out of geometri...
By Barney Townshend
Italian Playing Cards
The first reliable evidence that playing cards were being used in Italy is from 1376, when a game ca...
By Simon Wintle
The Visconti-Sforza Tarot, c.1460
This pack of tarot cards appears to have have been made in the Bembo workshop in Cremona for Bianca ...
By Simon Wintle
Triestine Pattern
The Triestine pattern is derived from the Venetian (Trevisane) pattern but with its own characterist...
By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)
Sicilian Pattern
The Sicilian pack has a similar composition to the Neapolitan pack, and is small and squat in appear...
By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)
Trevisane pattern
The double-ended version of the ‘Trevisane’ pattern originated in the early 19th century.
By Simon Wintle
United States Playing Card Co.
The United States Playing Card Company
Over the years the pressures of competition and other market forces have led to many smaller manufac...
By Simon Wintle
Bicycle No.808
The famous Bicycle playing cards were first introduced by Russell & Morgan Printing Co in 1885. More...
By Simon Wintle
Iraqi Most Wanted Playing Cards
Playing cards used to help troops identify the most-wanted members of Saddam Hussein's government. 2...
By Peter Burnett
Playboy playing cards
52 different magazine covers from the first 50 years of Playboy.
By Roddy Somerville
Congress No.606
Congress Playing Cards were first produced by the Russell & Morgan Company in 1881 as the finest and...
By Simon Wintle
Chinese Playing Cards 中国纸牌
The Chinese took their cards with them wherever they travelled and traded in the East, and we find C...
By Simon Wintle
Pixel Tarot
This tarot deck pays tribute to the golden age of pixelated video games, drawing inspiration from th...
By Adam Wintle
Chinese Jokers
Chinese playing card makers have probably produced the widest variety of jokers of any single part o...
By Matt Probert
Characters of “The Water Margin”
Characters from the Chinese novel “The Water Margin” - 水滸撲克.
By Matt Probert
Chinese Money-Suited Playing Cards from the British Museum
This deck of Chinese playing cards, donated to the British Museum in 1896, is believed to have been ...
By Adam Wintle
The English Playing Card Society
Founded in 1984, the English Playing Card Society (EPCS) promotes research into the history and development of English playing cards and card games, and supports the exchange of information and ideas between collectors, researchers, archivists, designers, manufacturers and dealers.
The Society publishes the EPCS Newsletter three times a year and maintains an online archive of back issues.
The Big Picture
Playing cards have a universal appeal and are a reflection of human culture.
Above: Chinese money-suited cards. Some of the earliest cards have origins in the Far East.
Playing cards have a long history and cultural significance, forming a part of almost every society around the world. The origins of playing cards can be traced back centuries, and today they remain a universal symbol of creativity, entertainment, and human connection. These small, rectangular pieces of paper have been a source of fun for generations and are still enjoyed in countless ways—whether in a simple game of solitaire, a high-stakes poker match, or the tarot cards used for fortune-telling. There is something about the history and design of playing cards that captures the imagination and inspires creativity. As Delef Hoffmann once said, “whether we consider cards as mere merchandise or as the bond which unites people with one another, just think of what we would be if we had no cards! How boring and unsociable our lives would be without this invention!”
Above: Dasavatara Ganjifa from India. Playing cards from India are often circular.
The origin of cards can be traced back to China, where they were first used as early as the 9th century. From there, the cards travelled across Asia and the Middle East, and finally found their way to Europe in the 14th century.
Since then, playing cards have been used for a wide range of purposes, including fortune-telling and even propaganda. But the most significant impact they have had on humanity is through their use in games, which have brought people together for centuries.
Above left: a set of Spanish playing cards from 1638 was discovered inside a prison wall during demolition, likely used for gambling by prisoners. Above center: Trump Presidential playing cards, playing cards are often used for political messages. Above right: the Magician from the popualr Rider-Waite tarot, which has become the template for modern tarot decks.
While playing cards have brought people together for fun and play, they have also been a source of disruption in the form of gambling. For many, gambling has become an addiction, leading to financial ruin and even anti-social problems.
The artistic value of cards cannot be overlooked, with their intricate details and unique designs of each card reflecting the creativity and ingenuity of artists. Playing cards are a reflection of our society, with each country and region having its unique designs and styles. As Sylvia Mann put it "there are fashions in cards, and these fashions very often reflect the history of the times". From the bold and colourful designs of India to the intricate and detailed patterns of Russia, playing cards are a testament to the creativity and diversity of the human experience.
Above left: Kashmir Playing Cards, above center: Ethiopian Air Lines playing cards produced by Nintendo, above right: striking playing cards designed by Masuo Ikeda.
Playing cards have a wide embrace, spanning across cultures and countries, with a scope of diverse subjects that reflect the values and beliefs of their respective societies.
Playing cards are an enduring symbol of human connection and creativity, transcending language, borders and cultures. Through the power of games, they have brought people together for centuries, creating shared experiences that have fostered friendships, learning and social bonds. While their role in gambling has been disruptive, their stunning artistic designs elevate them to works of art, worthy of appreciation and admiration. Playing cards are a testament to the power of human creativity and a reflection of the rich cultural tapestry of our world.
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