The World of Playing Cards Logo

Playing Cards in Cuba

Published March 03, 2010 Updated June 12, 2023

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

Cuba Spanish Suited
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
1,461 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.


Leave a Reply

Default Avatar
Your Name
Just now

Create account to comment Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here.


Related Articles

QAIPES – cartas españolas

QAIPES – cartas españolas

Spanish-suited cards made in China inscribed “QAIPES” and “BAIPES”!

2006 Naipes Kukuxumusu

Naipes Kukuxumusu

A 52-card Spanish-suited advertising pack for a clothing company in Pamplona.

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).