Since 1996, this collaborative project has grown into an independent archive of 4,899 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
Le jeu de cartes des Croisades
Venture into the Crusades in the style of medieval manuscript art.
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by Lev Golinkin
Modern F.X. Schmid Bavarian Cards
From Plastic to Premium: The legendary F.X. Schmid Tarock & Schafkopf deck, reboxed, refreshed and rebranded.
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...
Marty Jacobs commented on United Kingdom
You're very welcome, Simon. I love WOPC, so I'm happy to hel...
5 hours ago
Danny Spiller commented on Bicycle No.808 - page 2
Thrilled to read the informative history on Bicycle cards. D...
1 day ago
Modern F.X. Schmid Bavarian Cards
From Plastic to Premium: The legendary F.X. Schmid Tarock & Schafkopf deck, reboxed, refreshed and rebranded.
1 day ago • Konrad Hämmerle
Mariáš - Black & Red Edition
A modern special edition of Prager pattern cards.
1 day ago • Marek Brejcha
Simon Wintle commented on United Kingdom
Thanks, Marty, for your helpful comment. Much appreciated an...
1 day ago
Marty Jacobs commented on United Kingdom
Thanks for such a detailed article, Simon. Here's a small co...
1 day ago
Birb playing cards
Birds are not merely illustrated on the cards but become the court cards themselves.
1 day ago • Lev Golinkin
Jungle Playing Cards
Welcome to the jungle – a delightful deck from South Africa.
2 days ago • Lev Golinkin
Ute Mountain Casino Hotel & Resort
Casino playing cards featuring Native American courts.
3 days ago • Lev Golinkin
Arrowhead Playing Cards from San Felipe’s Casino Hollywood
A gorgeous and well-researched celebration of Native American culture.
4 days ago • Lev Golinkin
Les Grands Navigateurs
Jean Delpech's modernist voyage through the history of Maritime Exploration.
4 days ago • Lev Golinkin
Les Chevaliers de la Table Ronde
A pictorial study by Jean Bruneau inspired by an ancient work rooted in Celtic history.
4 days ago • Lev Golinkin
Meskwaki Casino
A deck reflecting Native American culture where every hand could be a jackpot.
5 days 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.
5 days ago • Lev Golinkin
Pacific Northwest Native American Playing Cards
A bold presentation of animals in Native American artwork – with a political message.
5 days ago • Lev Golinkin
Fagoaga y Compañía (Casa Bertrand Domec), Buenos Aires, c.1970
Playing Cards Imported into Argentina by Fagoaga y Compañía (Casa Bertrand Domec), Buenos Aires, c.1970
By Simon Wintle
-playing-cards-with-wüst-courts/images/rijks-1.d903111e.jpg "Oude Kunst (Old Art) playing cards with Wüst courts")
Oude Kunst (Old Art) playing cards with Wüst courts
made for export to the Netherlands.
By Paul Symons
Austrian and East European Miscellaneous
By Ken Lodge
Explore
4,899 articles featuring content from 120 countries and 384 themes; including 1,416 manufacturers, 1,180 designers, 268 brands, 26 suits, 53 patterns, 61 games and 33 licenses.
United Kingdom
The Broons and Oor Wullie playing cards
Characters from The Broons and Oor Wullie comic strips on their 75th anniversary.
By Roddy Somerville
Souvenir Views of Scotland Playing Cards
52 selected views of Scotland by De La Rue (Waddingtons) for GlenAlan Ltd, Glasgow, Scotland, c.1960...
By Roddy Somerville
The Jovial Cards
Publicity items for a group of entertainers, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, UK, 1911.
By Roddy Somerville
Children's Card Games
La Mariée du Mardi-Gras
La Mariée du Mardi-Gras, published by Jeux et Jouets Français. Paris, early 1900s.
By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)
Die 4 Jahreszeiten
Die 4 Jahreszeiten Quartett-Spiel illustrated by Anneliese Tesdorpf, published by F X Schmid, 1950....
By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)
Geschichte des Motorrades
History of Motorcycles quartet published by Verlag für Lehrmittel Pößneck, 1989.
By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)
Karoo
“Karoo”, later reissued as “Triplem”, by Oppenheimer und Sulzbacher, c.1900.
By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)
Papst Quartett
A quartet game featuring a selection of popes up to Benedict XVI.
By Roddy Somerville
Birb playing cards
Birds are not merely illustrated on the cards but become the court cards themselves.
By Lev Golinkin
Star Trek II • The Wrath of Khan
This deck is a vibrant photographic tribute to "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," one of the most be...
By Ian Taylor
Stancraft
Stancraft Playing Cards were manufactured by Brown & Bigelow of whom they were a subsidiary.
By Simon Wintle
The UCR Deck
Giant-size cards designed by Thomas Sanders to advertise courses and facilities at UCR.
By Roddy Somerville
Playing Cards for Consumer Advertising, Marketing & Promotion
Closely following the development of visual advertising in general, such as on labels, packaging, posters and TV commercials, advertising playing cards display promotional messages either on the reverse of the cards, or else on the pip cards, court cards, aces, jokers or even the box, seeking to find ways to associate products with our inner desires and longings, with our identity and who we want to be.
A popular saying illustrating how difficult it is to quantify the response to advertising is attributed to John Wanamaker (1838-1922): "Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don't know which half." Collectors often cherish vintage decks with old-fashioned marketing promotion for shipping lines, luxury brands, distilleries or breweries.
more ►
Austria Ski Team playing cards
Photos of members of the Austrian skiing team replace the normal courts on two different packs.
By Roddy Somerville
Max Velthuijs for KLM
Playing cards designed by Max Velthuijs for KLM airlines first published c.1964
By Simon Wintle
Garuda Indonesia
Souvenir playing cards from Garuda Indonesia Airlines, the national airline of Indonesia.
By Matt Probert
Le jeu de cartes des Croisades
Venture into the Crusades in the style of medieval manuscript art.
By Lev Golinkin
Le Burling
1960s pack from Annecy with non-standard suits all connected with the office.
By Roddy Somerville
La Mariée du Mardi-Gras
La Mariée du Mardi-Gras, published by Jeux et Jouets Français. Paris, early 1900s.
By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)
63: The descendants of the French regional patterns: 1
A great many regional patterns were exported from France and subsequently copied elsewhere. Some of ...
By Ken Lodge
Holidays – les côtes françaises
Holiday destinations around the French coast as depicted by Pauline Launay.
By Roddy Somerville
-playing-cards-with-wüst-courts/images/rijks-1.jpg "Oude Kunst (Old Art) playing cards with Wüst courts")
Oude Kunst (Old Art) playing cards with Wüst courts
made for export to the Netherlands.
By Paul Symons
Modern F.X. Schmid Bavarian Cards
From Plastic to Premium: The legendary F.X. Schmid Tarock & Schafkopf deck, reboxed, refreshed and r...
By Konrad Hämmerle
Das Peanuts Kartenspiel
Cartoon characters from the famous comic strip devised by Charles M. Schultz.
By Roddy Somerville
Sternenmädchens Wahrsagespiel Tarot
A colourful 1970s take on the major arcana designed by Peter Geitner, with titles in German.
By Roddy Somerville
Die 4 Jahreszeiten
Die 4 Jahreszeiten Quartett-Spiel illustrated by Anneliese Tesdorpf, published by F X Schmid, 1950....
By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)
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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