Playing Cards in Mexico

EXICO shares a long and continuous tradition of playing cards with Spain. From the earliest decades of colonisation, Spanish settlers brought packs of cards with them, and the baraja española—with its suits of oros, copas, espadas, and bastos—became firmly established in New Spain. The popularity of card play is evident from early attempts at regulation: prohibitions were issued as early as 1539, reflecting official concern over gambling and social disorder.

As part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, Mexico occupied a central position within the Spanish imperial system. In 1539 the first printing press in the Americas was established in Mexico City by Juan Pablos (Giovanni Paoli), working under licence from the Crown. While initially intended for religious and administrative printing, the press formed part of a wider infrastructure that supported regulated manufacturing and trade, including the production of playing cards.

In 1552 the Spanish Crown established the Estanco de Naipes, a royal monopoly controlling the manufacture and sale of playing cards in New Spain. Production was subject to licensing, taxation, and close supervision. Playing cards were supplied both by import—principally from Seville, and occasionally from other European centres—and by local manufacture. In 1583 Alonso Martínez de Orteguilla was authorised to administer the production and sale of playing cards within New Spain, which at that time included not only central Mexico but also regions such as Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

Despite recurrent shortages of paper and other materials, local production expanded steadily. By the late 16th century, playing cards manufactured in Mexico were widely distributed and appear to have been favoured over imported decks, which were more expensive and subject to delays. Contemporary sources suggest that by the end of the century tens of thousands of packs were being produced annually under licence, demonstrating both the scale of demand and the effectiveness of the monopoly system, even as illicit manufacture and evasion of controls persisted alongside official production.

From 1777, the viceroy of New Spain determined that cards for Mexico had to be imported from Spain. Until 1811, the Real Fábrica de Madrid cards were sold there. That year, the state monopoly fell.

Mexico re-gained independence in 1821. Local manufacturers were free once again to produce their own cards, although cards also continued to be imported. Initially designs followed the Spanish National pattern and its derivatives. Over time, Mexican card designs have incorporated elements of indigenous art: motifs such as Aztec or Mayan glyphs, symbols, and mythological figures are often incorporated into the artwork. These elements provide a Mexican twist to the classical Spanish layout. Many packs from this period are anonymous and their manufacturers cannot be identified.

F. Munguia commenced producing playing-cards in Mexico in 1868 with the brand names La Campana and La Estrella. A few years later, in 1872, a certain P. Munguia started production, and La Cubana S.A. became the successors of P. Munguia and continued producing the brand names La Campana and La Estrella. Their 1960s catalogue shows an extended range of playing card brands as well as other products.

One of the more influential, and widely plagiarised, Mexican designs has been Clemente Jacques’ “Marca Gallo” playing cards, first published in the 1920s and still produced today by Pasatiempos Gallo S.A. Clemente Jacques also produced the magnificent Naipes Nacionales →

"Los naipes, un juego muy antiguo difundido entre los orientales y los europeos, llegaron hasta América desde los primeros encuentros de las dos civilizaciones. Los navegantes de Cristóbal Colón se entretenían al jugar cartas durante el trayecto del viaje y de igual manera, los pasajeros que viajaron de Europa a las Indias eran jugadores apasionados que se valían de los naipes para matar las largas horas que la nao recorría hasta llegar a su destino.…"

Playing Cards in Mexico employ Spanish suit symbols: cups, swords, coins and clubs - termed copas, espadas, oros and bastos.