History of Playing Cards
Playing cards are considered as one of the oldest types of toys created by humans and can be used for different purpose. Tarot readings, magic and gambling, are some of the best examples of the use of these cards. Playing cards can come in either thin metal, plastic, light cardboard or special ply paper. A pack or deck of cards has 52 playing cards in it, with an additional two cards named Jokers. Playing cards originated in China. An American games historian named Stuart Culin is the one who did the research, and he concluded that playing cards appeared before 1200AD in China and were introduced to Europe during the 13th century.
Types of Cards in a Deck
There are four types or suits of cards in a pack or deck. These are the Diamonds, Spades, Hearts and Clubs. In each suit, there are 13 different cards, consisting of the King and Queen, the Jack, Numbers 2-10 and the Ace. These values are printed on one side, while a consistent design is printed on the back of the playing card. Throughout time, many forms of games have been created. Some playing card games include Poker, Big-2, Solitaire, Hearts and Go Fish. These are all considered as interactive games that can be played by a person or a group of people.
A side note about Fortune Tellers Cards
Fortune Tellers and Gypsies have also been known to use Tarot Cards or cards as an extension to foresee the future. The most well-known and leading production company of playing cards is the United States Playing Card Company that is formerly based in Cincinnati, Ohio but moved to Erlanger, Kentucky. They are known for their famous brand called Bee cards and Bicycle cards. These playing cards are made of three-ply paper that is coated with an Air Cushion finish which makes them glide and slick perfectly without the cards being able to stick to one another.
Fun Facts about Playing Cards
The simple pack or deck of playing cards lie hidden associations and secrets to human culture. For beginners, the pack of playing cards consists of 52 cards which are precisely the number of weeks in one year. The four suits represent the four seasons of Spring, Winter, Autumn and Summer. With the Court cards representing 11, 12 and 13 respectively to the King, Queen and Jack, all the 52 cards in a pack add up to 365 which is the exact number of days in one year. The Ace of Spades characteristically represents death.
One more…
A reversible twofold image in court cards was introduced during the 19th century. The primary purpose for this is to prevent the players from reversing their court cards during a session, thus in part enlightening their hands to even not the most sharp-eyed of opponents. The use of playing cards grew all over the globe through colonialism and trade. During the 20th century, the French and English style of playing card came to be the de-facto standard that was used in different casinos worldwide and for well-known American games such as Blackjack and Poker.