The World of Playing Cards Logo
Published March 03, 2010 Updated June 12, 2023

Playing Cards in Cuba

During the colonial years and afterwards, Spanish-suited packs were imported into Cuba.

Cuba Spanish Suited Add to Collection
Spanish playing cards from c.1550-c.1850

Above: Spanish playing cards exported to new Spanish colonies from c.1550 onwards. Cards like these would have been in use in Cuba for the first 300 years or so after the first Spanish settlers arrived.


map of Cuba

Cuba has not been a major producer of playing cards, partly for economic reasons and also because cards have been banned since the revolution of 1959. During the colonial years and afterwards, Spanish-suited packs were imported from Spain, notably Seville, Málaga, Barcelona and Cádiz. The example shown below was produced in Germany.

Several Cuba Souvenir packs are known either manufactured by USPCC or else anonymously in Cuba. Cuban biscuit company 'La Balear' issued American cartoon playing cards featuring Popeye, Donald Duck, Goofy, Marx Bros etc. during the 1920s-30s. There have also been several cartoon pin-up decks published in Cuba, probably for the amusement of US troops stationed there.

Cuba Playing Card Museum: Cuba y Los Naipes

Above: Souvenir playing cards of Cuba, c.1915; 53 views of Havana and the Island, published by USPCC for H.T. Roberts. The backs can have either black and white, black and blue or black and yellow colour scheme. Several different coloured boxes are also known (blue, red, orange...) and these usually had a Cuban tax stamp fixed outside the box. An earlier Cuba souvenir deck had been published by Romo & Kredi, c.1905, with dancing figures on the backs.


Souvenir of Cuba playing cards pulished by Romo & Kredi, c.1930

Above: Souvenir of Cuba playing cards pulished by Romo & Kredi, of cruder quality than the above example and with oval photographs and square corners, c.1933. 52 cards + joker in box. The red, blue and white back design signifies an alliance between the USA and Cuba.


Wüst Spanish Cadiz pattern deck for export to Cuba c.1910, advertising ‘Tropical’ beer

Above: Wüst Spanish Cadiz pattern deck for export to Cuba c.1910, advertising ‘Tropical’ beer.


wrapper from deck manufactured by Juan Roura, Barcelona, exported to Cuba, c.1950

Above: wrapper from Catalan type pack manufactured in Barcelona by Juan Roura and exported to Cuba in c.1950. The Cuban importation tax band is wrapped around the outside of the wrapper. For more information about tax bands on Cuban playing cards click here.

See also Children's Pack made in Cuba

avatar
1,433 Articles

By Simon Wintle

Member since February 01, 1996

Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.


Related Articles

Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Hearts

Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Hearts

A limited edition art print of the Jack of Hearts 1984 woodblock joker.

Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Clubs

Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Clubs

A limited edition art print of the Jack of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.

Woodblock and Stencil Queen of Clubs

Woodblock and Stencil Queen of Clubs

A limited edition art print of the Queen of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.

Woodblock and Stencil King of Diamonds

Woodblock and Stencil King of Diamonds

A limited edition art print of the King of Diamonds 1984 woodblock joker.

1816 Spanish-suited deck by J.Y. Humphreys

Spanish-suited deck by J.Y. Humphreys

A rare Spanish-suited deck published by J.Y. Humphreys, Philadelphia, c.1816.

P. Buscaglia: Spanish-suited cards

P. Buscaglia: Spanish-suited cards

Spanish-suited cards published by P. Buscaglia, Mele & Genova.

1900 Wüst playing cards with International scenic aces
1460 XV Century Spanish-suited playing cards

XV Century Spanish-suited playing cards

XV Century Spanish-suited playing cards with moorish influences

1850 Bertschinger y Codina

Bertschinger y Codina

Fantasy Spanish-suited playing cards by Bertschinger y Codina (Barcelona), c.1850.

1850 Alphonse Arnoult Spanish-suited pack

Alphonse Arnoult Spanish-suited pack

Luxurious Spanish-suited pack made by Alphonse Arnoult, Paris, France, c.1850.

1814 Clemente Roxas double-ended Spanish pack

Clemente Roxas double-ended Spanish pack

Double-ended Spanish-suited playing cards published by Clemente de Roxas in Madrid, 1814.

Antoine de Logiriera

Antoine de Logiriera

Archaic Spanish-suited playing cards published in Toulouse by Antoine de Logiriera (1495-1518).

1490 J. Deluy  c.1490s

J. Deluy c.1490s

Archaic Spanish-suited cards produced by J. Deluy c.1490s.

1910 Wüst Spanish pattern

Wüst Spanish pattern

Wüst Spanish pattern c.1910 advertising Cuban ‘Tropical’ beer.

Hermanos Solesio

Hermanos Solesio

“Money Bag” pattern by Hermanos Solesi, late 18th c.

1994 Kem ‘Spanish’ playing cards

Kem ‘Spanish’ playing cards

Kem ‘Spanish’ playing cards appear to depict Spanish conquistadors © 1994.

Cádiz Pattern playing cards

Cádiz Pattern playing cards

Cádiz Pattern playing cards

1897 Naipes ‘El Leon’ 1897

Naipes ‘El Leon’ 1897

Naipes ‘El Leon’ manufactured by Federico Hidalgo (Barcelona, 1897-1899).

2009 Naipes ‘La Criolla’ by Anabella Corsi

Naipes ‘La Criolla’ by Anabella Corsi

Inspired by an archaic Spanish pattern formerly used in Spain during the 16th and 17th centuries.

1875 Anon Spanish Cards c.1875

Anon Spanish Cards c.1875

Spanish-suited playing cards made in Belgium by Mesmaekers Frères, c.1875.

1970 Canary Islands Souvenir

Canary Islands Souvenir

Canary Islands Souvenir by Heraclio Fournier, c.1970.

1951 Martínez de León

Martínez de León

Bull-fighters pack published by Hijos de Heraclio Fournier, Vitoria (Spain) with artwork by Andrés M...

Naipes Españoles “El Mexicano”

Naipes Españoles “El Mexicano”

Standard Catalan-type deck, titled "El Mexicano", by an anonymous Argentinean manufacturer, c.1980s....

2008 Foto Joker

Foto Joker

'Foto Joker' Spanish playing cards for Matera Color Laboratory, 2008.

El Jokey by Piatnik, 1990s

El Jokey by Piatnik, 1990s

‘El Jokey’ Spanish-suited pack by Piatnik & Sons, Vienna, 1990s

1978 Philishave

Philishave

Spanish-suited advertising deck for Philishave electric razors.

1995 Baraja Canaria

Baraja Canaria

‘La Auténtica Baraja Canaria’ was published in 1995 by Justo Pérez as an expression of the history a...

1888 Jaime Margarit - Recreo Infantil

Jaime Margarit - Recreo Infantil

'Recreo Infantil' children's educational cards published by Jaime Margarit, Palamós (Gerona) c.1888....

1710 Benoist Laius

Benoist Laius

Spanish playing cards such as these were used in those parts of France where certain games were enjo...

1993 Baraja Edad Media

Baraja Edad Media

Baraja Edad Media, fantasy Spanish-suited medieval playing cards published Mas-Reynals, Barcelona, 1...

La Española Classic

La Española Classic

‘La Española Classic’ is a traditional ‘La Española’ Spanish-suited pack and is produced in several ...

Joan Barbot

Joan Barbot

Joan Barbot, San Sebastian c.1765-1810.

Taxation on Spanish Playing Cards

Taxation on Spanish Playing Cards

Taxation on Spanish Playing Cards.

Navarra, XVII Century

Navarra, XVII Century

Facsimile of 17th century Spanish-suited playing cards produced by Erregeak, Sormen S.A., Vitoria-Ga...

Cartes Catalanes

Cartes Catalanes

Cartes Catalanes are used in a small area in the Eastern Pyrenees region of Southern France.

Copag Baralho Espanhol

Copag Baralho Espanhol

Copag Baralho Espanhol / Naipes Español.

Chaudsoleil Wine

Chaudsoleil Wine

Chaudsoleil Red Wine advertising playing cards from Morocco.

2010 Dengue

Dengue

Dengue prevention playing cards. Juego de 40 Naipes. Material para la prevención del Dengue, Ministe...

1990 Baraja Digital

Baraja Digital

Baraja Digital by Naipes De La Cigüeña, 1990.

Agostino Bergallo

Agostino Bergallo

Agostino Bergallo Spanish pattern made for South American countries

Giuseppe Cattino

Giuseppe Cattino

Playing cards manufactured in Italy by Giuseppe Cattino and Paolo Montanar for Spanish markets.

Naipes del Salitre

Naipes del Salitre

Playing cards recovered from the Northern Chile saltpetre workers. The cards are mostly from Spanish...

Pedro Bosio, 2

Pedro Bosio, 2

Cards of the Spanish National Pattern manufactured by Pedro Bosio, Genova (Italy) during the 18th ce...

Pedro Bosio

Pedro Bosio

Cards of the Spanish National Pattern 'Money Bag' type manufactured by Pedro Bosio, Genova (Italy) ...