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Playing Cards from Around the World

flags of countries from around the world

The different countries in the world feature distinct cultures and histories, styles of government, many different languages, national suit systems and playing card patterns. Some of the older patterns are now archaic or extinct, whereas others are universal.

Argentinian Playing Cards - Naipes Argentinos

Argentinian Playing Cards - Naipes Argentinos

Playing cards were introduced to the Americas with Spanish explorers such as Columbus or Cortés.

Australia

Australia

Playing cards from Australia.

Belgian Playing Cards

Belgian Playing Cards

Belgian cardmakers have been actively designing and exporting playing cards since the 14th century. ...

1770 Brazil

Brazil

Playing card production in Brazil was officially sanctioned by royal decree in 1770.

Chilean Playing Cards

Chilean Playing Cards

Naipes Chilenos ~ Early Chilean playing cards were based upon Spanish models.

Chinese Playing Cards 中国纸牌

Chinese Playing Cards 中国纸牌

The Chinese took their cards with them wherever they travelled and traded in the East, and we find C...

Colombia

Colombia

Colombian playing cards.

Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia

The Republic of Czechoslovakia was founded in 1918 from the former Austro-Hungarian empire.

Estonia

Estonia

Estonia's first period of independence lasted 22 years, beginning in 1918, and this period was one o...

German playing cards

German playing cards

Card-playing rapidly became popular in medieval Bavaria and German printers were quick to supply the...

Greek Playing Cards

Greek Playing Cards

Greek Playing Cards.

History of Danish Playing Cards

History of Danish Playing Cards

The earliest mention of playing-cards in Denmark dates from 1487 when King Hans, who reigned from 14...

Italian Playing Cards

Italian Playing Cards

The first reliable evidence that playing cards were being used in Italy is from 1376, when a game ca...

Japanese Playing Cards

Japanese Playing Cards

Japanese playing cards include: 'Awase' or 'matching pairs' cards and Portuguese or Spanish-derived ...

Korea

Korea

The game of Hanafunda was introduced into Korea by the Japanese and modified somewhat by the Koreans...

Latvian Playing Cards

Latvian Playing Cards

The best Latvian playing cards were produced just after independence, during the period 1921-1942.

Lithuanian Playing Cards

Lithuanian Playing Cards

During the 20th century Lithuanian printers produced striking playing cards containing Lithuanian sy...

Malta

Malta

The so-called ‘Dragon Cards’, with winged monsters on the four Aces, are an enigmatic aspect of earl...

Netherlands

Netherlands

Playing cards have been known in the Low Countries since the 14th century

Peruvian Playing Cards

Peruvian Playing Cards

Playing cards have been travelling from Spain to South American colonies ever since Christopher Colu...

Playing cards from Finland

Playing cards from Finland

Playing cards from Finland. Finnish cards have a relatively short history, presumably because the co...

Playing Cards from Mexico

Playing Cards from Mexico

MEXICO shares a long tradition with Spain in the field of playing cards. The Estanco de Naipes (play...

Playing cards in Morocco

Playing cards in Morocco

The earliest literary references to playing cards in Europe refer to the game having been introduced...

Playing cards in Puerto Rico

Playing cards in Puerto Rico

Playing cards in Puerto Rico.

Playing cards in Wales - Welsh playing cards

Playing cards in Wales - Welsh playing cards

Whereas the distinctiveness of Wales is an important resource contributing to the rich texture of va...

Portuguese Playing Cards

Portuguese Playing Cards

The Real Fábrica de Cartas de Jogar was founded in 1769, by Royal Charter of King José, under the ma...

Spanish Playing Cards

Spanish Playing Cards

Spain has played a pivotal role in the history of playing cards in Europe and Latin America.

Sweden

Sweden

Swedish cards have characteristics in common with their Scandinavian neighbours

Swiss Playing Cards

Swiss Playing Cards

The Swiss national suit system of shields, acorns, hawk bells and flowers emerged sometime during th...

Thai & Siamese Playing Cards

Thai & Siamese Playing Cards

The Portuguese were the first Westerners to trade with Ayutthaya in Thailand in the 16th century. Tr...

Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago comprises a unique mix of races and cultures that can be traced back to Africa, ...

Turkey

Turkey

Once the centre of the Ottoman Empire.

U. S. A.

U. S. A.

The manufacture of playing cards in America only began during the second half of the 18th century, a...

United Kingdom

United Kingdom

Playing cards first arrived in England during the 15th century, but none have survived from such an ...

Uruguayan Playing Cards

Uruguayan Playing Cards

Until the 19th century playing cards were imported into Uruguay from Spain.

Wiener pattern

Wiener pattern

The Vienna pattern, or Wiener Bild, is a distant relative of the early Lyons pattern. The King of He...