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In Playing Cards We Trust

The spread of playing cards throughout the world brought the first decks into the United States around the time the country was formed.

After the introduction of the playing cards in the late 1700's, it didn't take long for the American's to begin adapting the cards. Around 1800, the first American-designed and manufactured decks began appearing.

Non-standard decks were the first development, some with political undertones, and some with purely commercial designs. Practical additions to the playing cards soon followed.

In America, court cards become double headed to end the bother of turning the cards to an upright position. Varnished surfaces were invented to allow for faster and easier shuffling, along with the durability of the cards.

The next American development was designing identifying marks in the playing cards' corners, called indexes. Rounded corners were implemented to help durability and avoid the damage that occurs to square corners when they are played.

These changes were made on the French designed cards that came to America, by way of England. The French decks that made their way to America also traveled across the globe in all directions.
The Joker: The Wild Card and the Jester
The original decks in America were the French designed packs that traveled across the world in all directions. They made their way to America from France via England and then to the colonies.

The American innovations were created from these original 52-card French playing card decks. In France, playing cards first received the spade, club, diamond, and heart suits.

The biggest American addition to the playing cards was the Joker. The Joker card was first invented during the 1860's to be the highest card in the game of Euchre.

In the beginning the Joker was referred to as the 'best bower' card. The game of Euchre, sometimes called Juker, is considered the reason that the card came to be called the Joker. The 'best bower' was probably called the Juker card so many times that the name finally stuck.

During the 1880's the Joker was being illustrated as a jester, clown, and different types of imps. This card became another type of social satire in the political and advertising playing card world.

Many politicians were drawn as Joker playing cards. American playing cards, like many across the world, were a huge political and advertising medium. The backs of cards contained American events, famous landmarks, historical figures, and even ideas, products and fads.

Despite rumors, the Joker had nothing to do with the Fool Tarot card. It was created solely for the game of Euchre.

Even today, the Anglo-American playing card decks have 52 cards with the four French suits. They also have reversible court cards, two Joker cards, indexes, varnished surfaces, and rounded corners.