Believed to have been introduced into Europe by Moors in the 14th century, playing cards have entertained billions through games like solitaire, bridge, and poker. But the next time you're participating in a friendly game of five-card stud, take a closer look at the hand you've been dealt: those cards are miniature works of art. It is no wonder, then, that people have discovered the joys of collecting these bits of ephemera.

The sheer variety of cards invites specialization. Decks are sold as souvenirs of vacation destinations. They're used to advertise products like Coca-Cola, Harley-Davidson, and Virginia Slims. Some feature cultural icons like Elvis Presley, Norman Rockwell, and Snoopy, while others depict birds or flowers or the signs of the zodiac.

Bush or Kerry in Election 2004? You can add to your political card collection and demonstrate your participation in the political process at the same time by purchasing playing cards parodying the candidates.

And while some collectors seek out antique cards or cards of unusual shapes, others search for particularly lovely examples of artistic skill and imagination, old or new. (To view some beautiful examples of contemporary playing-card art, check out The World of Cards' Gallery of Designers & Artists page at http://www.wopc.co.uk/otc/gallery.html.)

Even the common Bicycle-brand cards found at local markets and drug stores offer, upon closer inspection, aesthetic surprises for the beginning collector. Have you noticed the cherubs riding bicycles on the card backs, or the tiny figure of Liberty on the face of the Ace of Spades?

Small in size; easy to store, ship, or display; and with designs originating in countries around the world, playing cards have become a universal collectible.

Happy hunting!

Resources on the Web

McAdam Encyclopedia of Playing Cards
http://www.djmcadam.com/playing-cards.html
Ambitious attempt to catalogue playing cards: pictures, histories, and manufacturing data.

Playing-Cards Index
http://www.cs.man.ac.uk/playing-cards
Extensively researched site: FAQ's, societies, museums, bibliography, more.

The United States Playing Card Company
http://www.usplayingcard.com
Official game rules, game glossary, company history.

The World of Playing Cards
http://www.wopc.co.uk
Major British site: history, galleries of cards by past and contemporary designers and artists, much more!

Books

Advertising Playing Cards,
by Everett Grist

Antique Playing Cards: A Pictorial History,
by Henry Rene D'Allemagne

A History of Playing Cards and a Bibliography of Cards and Gaming,
by Catherine Perry Hargrave

The Hochman Encyclopedia of American Playing Cards,
by Tom Dawson, Judy Dawson