Who Invented Playing Cards? The History and Origins

Have you ever begun to play Spades or Poker and wondered how the designs on the standard deck of cards came to be, or why are the cards divided into four suits and two colors?

The origins of the standard fifty-two playing card deck that we know today are hotly debated. Most scholars agree that playing cards were invented in ancient China, circa 1000 AD, but the earliest confirmed record of the playing cards were actually found in a manuscript from Johannes, a German monk in 1377.

Earliest Record of Playing Cards

While we have clear historical evidence of Europeans playing cards in the late 1300s, many scholars and researchers believe the concept of playing cards can be traced back from nomads, traders, and crusaders all the way to Egypt and back to Ancient China’s Tang Dynasty. However, because these cards were made with paper, they were fragile and didn’t often survive through the ages.

This is why many believe playing cards originated with Johannes the German Monk. He wrote a manuscript in Latin that mentioned the appearance of playing cards and the many games played with them. By the 1400s, playing cards appeared alongside dice games in religious sermons.

During this century, the four suits began to form in Italy. They were the Swords, Clubs, Cups, and Coins, but other scholars note that Egyptian playing cards featured Cups, Coins, Swords, and Polo-Sticks in their own four suits. By the late fourteenth century, Italian decks of cards included a king, a queen, and a knave‒which would later be called the Jack.

Playing cards were reserved for the wealthy and elite–they were considered luxury items due to being hand-painted and difficult to reproduce.

Technology Expands the Deck’s Reach

As cards rose in popularity and printing presses and technology advanced, the availability of playing cards grew. Germans used innovative wood-cutting and engraving techniques to produce the cards in massive quantities, and soon, they became a popular game for soldiers during their down time. Germany became the leader in playing card production and changed the Italian suits to be more reflective of German life‒the new suits were Hearts, Leaves, Acorns, and Bells.

The Suits as We Know Them

By the early fifteenth century, the French entered the playing cards arena by developing the suits we’ve come to know and love today. They divided the suits into two colors, red and black, and simplified the suits. These changes allowed card printers to create stencils that improved the card manufacturing speeds and made playing cards even more affordable and accessible.

As taxes impacted French businesses, though, they relocated many of their printers to Belgium and England. In England, card makers combined translations from the Italian and French designs to create the Clubs, Hearts, Spades, and Diamonds.

The English also made the Ace of Spades the most prominent playing card due to a new law that prohibited English cards from leaving the factory without proof that the taxes had been paid. This meant the Ace of Spades had to be hand-stamped because it was typically the top card.

However, in 1828, the Ace of Spades had to be purchased from the Commissioners for Stamp Duties in order to avoid tax evasion. This is why this card still has the most elaborate designs.

The Introduction of Jokers

By 1860, playing cards were popular in the United States. This was when Jokers were first introduced to the deck. Jokers were originally called the 'best-bower' and were considered the highest trump card in the trick-taking game called ‘Euchre.’ It is believed that the word ‘euchre’ is the origin of the word 'joker,' giving it its name. Then in 1875, the Joker was used as a 'wild card' in Poker.

The United States soon opened several card printing companies, such as Bicycle, Bee, and Tally Ho, and became a leader in the card-printing industry.

From Cards to Clicks

Today, anyone can play a card game from anywhere without having a deck on hand, including card games using two decks. With a smartphone or other digital device, you can play games like Solitaire, Poker, and Spades whenever you want!

At Spades.co, you can easily brush up on your trick-playing strategies to impress your friends at the next game night. Ready to become a Spades legend? Start playing today for free on Spades.co!