JOKER  PAGE

The extra "Joker" card is believed to have been invented by American Euchre players who, when modifying the rules sometime during the 1860s, decided that an extra trump card was required. Originally he was called "The Best Bower" and then later "The Jolly Joker".

These Jokers, or extra cards, were first introduced into American packs around 1863, but took a little longer to reach English packs, in around 1880. One British manufacturer (Chas Goodall) was manufacturing packs with Jokers for the American market in the 1870s.

Above: early Jokers by the firm Charles Goodall & Son, London, (1821-1921). It has been suggested (Dianne Longley, 1999) that "the Joker is the 'wild-card', or the card of opportunity, not unlike the ethos of opportunity and individuality that has been the driving force behind America's pursuit of greatness." To see a further selection of Jokers, please click here. To visit an online gallery of Joker Art hosted by Laura Modedia (Argentina), please click here.