History of Playing Cards explained in 5 Minutes

Published August 18, 2021 Updated November 24, 2023

Video by Art of Impossible. In this video you will get a short overview of the most important historical facts about playing cards and their history.

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Video by Art of Impossible. Playing cards appeared more than 1000 years ago and have changed a lot during the centuries. History of playing cards shows us that what we consider to be "normal" is a result of a long historical process.

In this video you will get a short overview of the most important historical facts about playing cards and their history.

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By Adam Wintle

Thailand • Member since March 15, 1997

Adam has been involved in developing the site as well as reviewing new decks and conducting research. He is particularly interested in innovation, Kickstarter and East Asian cards. He is a member of the IPCS, 52 Plus Joker, and webmaster of the EPCS.

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