Playing Cards History

In the Beginning
The origin of playing cards is the subject of much mystery and debate. Evidence points to 1377, and a manuscript written by a German monk in a Swiss monastery. Others believe cards were invented in China in the 9th century.

Card suit signs first appeared in the 14th century as swords, clubs, cups, and coins in Italy. In the 15th century the French developed the icons for the four suits commonly used today. They called them coeurs (hearts), piques (spades), carreaux (diamonds), and trefles (clubs). The French also divided the four suits into two red and two black.

England Tax Laws
In 1828, the English government mandated card manufacturers show proof that a required tax on playing cards had been paid. The manufacturer's name and the amount of duty paid was to be printed on the Ace of Spades. Today, most card printing houses still place their name on the Ace of Spades.

In 1871, the New York Consolidated Card Company was responsible for introducing “squeezers” better known as the corner indices on playing cards.

Shuffle Up
The United States Playing Card Company (USPCC) was established in 1867 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Through the years, USPCC acquired many smaller playing card manufacturers including the Standard Playing Card Company of Chicago, the Perfection Playing Card Company of Philadelphia, and the New York Consolidated Card Company. Acquisitions continued with Bicycle, Bee, Tally-Ho and international Spanish card maker Fournier in 1986, Hoyle Products in 2001, and KEM Cards in 2004. Currently USPCC produces cards in Erlanger, Kentucky and in Vitoria, Spain.

Eventually, the USPCC was sold to Belgian card manufacturer Cartamundi. Cartamundi is the world’s leading manufacturer and market leader in playing cards. In 2005, they purchased Brazilian owned Copag.