Miniature Playing Cards

Miniature playing cards come in all shapes and sizes from all around the world. Most major manufacturers produce several miniature or patience-sized packs as there is always a demand for these from travellers or patience players. In addition, many minor manufacturers produce one-off miniature packs, sometimes very beautitul but often of low grade. Furthermore, miniature, toy card games are often produced by consumer product manufacturers as sales incentives or free give-aways for children.

Left: these miniature “Ariel” Playing cards were published c.1900. The indices have been inked in, and the box is a slide-in, like a matchbox. Image courtesy Ken Lodge.   (Click image to see more).

Above: Acorn series miniature children's playing cards, with 'N' monogram on ace of spades, manufactured anonymously in England, c.1950. The cards are printed in red/yellow/black only and the reverse shows a pixie sitting on a toadstool.

Above: advert from inside 1927 edition of U.S.P.C.C’s ‘Selected Patience Games’ booklet for various sizes of patience and miniature playing cards.

Right: anonymous miniature cards from Mexico, c.2000.

Above: "Mini Trump Card" key ring playing cards, published by Popcorn Co. Ltd, made in China, 2011.

Above: STAB Lx Swedish Matchbox labels with playing card designs.

Above: Birkel Schwarzer Peter Zirkus Kartenspiel, Germany, c.1950.

Above: Miniature Spanish playing cards, 1964.

Above: Piatnik’s “Empire Patience”

See also:

Piatnik Rococco Mini-Patience • Children's pack made by Tower Press, c.1955 • Miniature playing cards manufactured by Mardon Son & Hall for W.D. & H.O. Wills, c.1930 • Peruvian miniature tobacco cards, c.1890 • Dondorf Kinder-Karte • Tom Thumb Miniature cards • Elfin Miniature playing cards, c.1910 • Children's Proverbs, c.1930 • Children's miniature football player cards • Anonymous Miniature Playing Cards, Buenos Aires, c.1935 • Children's heroes miniature playing cards • Miniature Walt Disney playing cards • Balázs Pál Nagy's miniature playing cards • 'Hoja de Afeitar' miniature Spanish cards • Fournier's miniature Castilian pattern • Carreras Ltd., miniature playing cards with dominoes, 1929 • Anonymous miniature cards, 1940s-50s • Mini-Poker • Poker Patience • Juego de Naipes Comicos • Magic Poker Cards • SmileyWorld Sub-Miniature playing cards • Cupido Patience

Above: Miniature pocket playing cards advertising “Perma” smoker’s requisites published by Permalon Ltd, London W1., c.1948

Above: Clifford Toys, (England), 1950, FLEVECO patience miniature cards.

Above: miniature ‘Happy Families’ set, 40 cards, ‘Emu’ brand, made in Hong Kong.