Playing card

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

A playing card is a small piece of stiff paper or plastic with a design on one side and often a plain back. Cards are sold in decks and used for many games, magic tricks, performances, and even as art or collectibles.

What a deck usually includes
- A standard 52-card deck has four suits: spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs.
- Each suit has 13 cards: Ace through 10, plus Jack, Queen, and King.
- Some decks add Jokers, which are extra cards used in certain games.
- There are many other deck styles in the world. Some use different suits or have fewer or more cards (for example, 32, 40, or 78 cards in Tarot decks).

A quick look at history
- Playing cards started in Asia, then spread to the Middle East and Europe.
- The earliest European mentions appear in the 14th–15th centuries.
- The suits and faces changed over time. In Europe, the Latin suits (like leaves and cups) evolved into the familiar French-style suits (spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs) that many places use today.
- Jokers were added in the 19th century in the United States for games such as euchre.

How cards look and work
- Face cards show people or symbols; pips (suits’ small symbols) appear on the other cards.
- Some decks have reverse-ranking or special faces in different regional styles.
- The backs are often patterned to hide wear and to prevent players from guessing others’ cards.

How cards are made today
- Modern cards are made from pasteboard or plastic-coated stock.
- Printing is done on both sides, then coatings add durability and a nice finish.
- Cards are cut into individual pieces, corners are rounded, and decks are packed in boxes or sleeves.
- Designers also create themed, promotional, or artistic decks, and some are produced in limited runs.

Uses and culture
- The main purpose is playing games, but cards are also used in magic, cardistry (special card displays and flourishes), and as collectible art.
- They have been used for education, exercises in mathematics or probability, and even for special purposes like military maps or educational decks.
- Some decks are created as memorials, souvenirs, or charity fundraisers, and many people collect individual cards or whole decks.
- Casinos often use specially branded decks, and some decks sold to the public are altered to prevent cheating in casinos.

Fun facts
- There are many regional styles of cards around the world, with different suits and card orders.
- In Unicode and on computers, there are standard symbols for the four suits.
- Cards continue to be a popular hobby, an art form, and a tool for games and learning.