Why Are There 52 Cards in a Deck?

Have you ever wondered why are there 52 cards in a deck? The fact is, the cards weren’t designed for a single game, they have always been far more versatile. There are dozens of card games that you can play with a single deck, and even those that are played today have a rich history behind them.

Standard 52 card deck has a rich history behind it that possibly dates back to the 10th century. So, stick around for this fun history lesson that will attempt to answer the question – why are there 52 cards in a deck?

The Origin Story: Why Are There 52 Cards in a Deck?

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We know that playing cards weren’t solely used for games. According to legends, seers, oracles, or spiritualists used them for divination and even for summoning supernatural entities. Other card games that don’t use 52 card deck were clearly inspired by this aspect. But let’s see how and where it all began.

Early Beginnings

The most common theory is that playing cards came from China. Cards and dominos are mentioned in Chinese literature, and according to these writings, they have been around since the 10th century.

In the late 14th century the concept of 52 card deck found its way to Europe through imports from Egypt. Evidence suggests that these goods were sold by merchants who were close to the Islamic Mamlūk dynasty.

The earliest decks were hand painted and already consisted of 52 cards in 4 different suits. But, they were an extremely rare commodity at that time, and it is speculated they first appeared either in Spain or Italy.

It’s worth noting that face cards, or Kings, Queens, and Jacks, weren’t presented in the Mamlūk deck. The cards had abstract images or calligraphy because Islamic cultural norms did not allow for faces to be depicted. It was only later that Europeans started to make their own deks that they included court cards depicting royalty.

Evolution to Modern 52 Card Deck

As you might’ve guessed, the earlier versions of the European decks were different. There were still rank cards from 1 to 10, but face cards used to have Kings and Knaves. Knaves represented infantry soldiers, and they later became Jacks. There were also higher-ranking officer cards that were later replaced by Queens.

Queens were actually introduced in France, and the trend caught on. However, some European decks are still printed with Kings and officers. Also, to avoid mixing the abbreviated Knave (KV) with King (K), the Knave was renamed to Jack.

There were also variations in suits. The earlier versions had Chalice, Sword, Coin and Club (Baton), and it was again French card makers that came up with Clubs, Spades, Diamonds, and Hearts. Given how these French symbols were easier to print they soon became a standard.

Symbolism Behind the 52 Cards

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The number of the cards in the deck wasn’t decided at random. In fact there are probably good reasons why is there 52 cards in a deck, but none of them are 100% confirmed.

Four Suits and the Four Seasons

The easiest explanation for why a standard deck of playing cards consists of 52 cards in four suits, is that our year has 4 seasons. But that’s not the only explanation. Many believe that 4 suits were there to represent 4 classes of society:

13 Cards per Suit and the Calendar

Another symbolism between suits and seasons is that there are 13 cards for suit. Each season lasts for 13 weeks, so there is one card per week. That said, modern decks can have more than 52 cards. Many come with 2 jokers, which means the count is 54.

Structure of a Standard 52-Card Deck

Originally, each card in the standard 52 card deck was valued based on its rank. In other words, 1 was equal to 1 and was considered the weakest in many games. But those things change over time.

Suits, Ranks, and Jokers

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If you look at the popular casino games like poker and blackjack, it’s apparent that aces are the most valuable cards there. That wasn’t always the case, but it is believed that a lot of rulings were changed during the French Revolution.

As a result of the revolutions’ emphasis on the liberation and empowerment of the lower classes, the rules of card games were imbued with these ideals. So, all of a sudden, a lowly ace was the only thing that topples a king. To this day, poker hands with aces are stronger than those with the same number of kings.

What’s more, many new games were invented over time, and those games require Joker cards to be played. Joker is typically a “Wild” card that can substitute any rank and any suit, and due to its versatility, many regard it as the highest-value card.

Red and Black Colors

There are 52 cards in a deck, 4 suits, but only 2 colors. Why do you think that is? This time around, the answer is really straightforward – manufacturing costs. In the past, each suit was unique, but over time, their designs were simplified to make printing easier.

Red and black colors were more affordable for printing companies so they standardized the decks to have these 2 colors. Clubs and Spades are black, while Hearts and Diamonds are red.

Fun Facts and Trivia About Playing Cards

Now that you know why are there 52 cards in a deck of cards let’s see what other fun facts are connected to this invention.

The Oldest Deck of Cards

These cards are actually round-ended, meaning they have oval shapes rather than rectangular shapes. Also, the suits are themed after hunting equipment and face cards are nobels adorned in different fashion styles.

Vegas Casino Decks and Security

As you know, cards get damaged and start to lose color the more they are used. This means that keen observers can tell what cards you are holding by memorizing the dents and scratches on the back. This is a big issue that gambling houses and casinos had to address in order to preserve the integrity of the games.

Vegas casinos have the highest security standard when it comes to deck integrity as all of the decks they are using are frequently changed. The dealer unpacks the new deck in front of the players and shows that the package seal is still intact. That means the product was never opened and no one has tampered with its contents.

Additionally, all of the decks they are using are custom-made, so players cannot find replicas in stores. Once the deck has outlived its usefulness the cards get punctured so that they cannot be used on another table. This is how they prevent cheating and make it impossible for someone to pull an ace from their sleeve.

It should go without saying that cheating is against the rules at any casino, and if you want to be better at a game like poker, you should learn poker strategies. There are plenty of them you can find online.

Famous Card Characters

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Did you know that all face cards draw inspiration from history and legends? You’ve probably noticed how many different decks have the same images on the face cards. That’s because these images are meant to represent historical figures from Greek, Jewish, Roman and Christian cultures:

*Queen of Clubs is the only Queen that’s not inspired by an actual historical figure.

Playing Cards and the Calendar Connection

One of the reasons why are there only 52 cards in a deck is because of the connection to the calendar we all use.

52 Cards for 52 Weeks

Many believe that the answer to the question why are there 52 cards in a deck of cards, is that the number is equal to the number of weeks per year. After all, the cards came from Islamic culture which at that point in time was the center of scientific advancements. They were heavily focused on astronomy and mathematics, which is why many believe that suits are meant to represent 4 seasons. Each suit has 13 cards that represent 13 weeks of a season.

That said, the parallel with seasons seemingly stops at number 4. As stated, earlier versions had suits like Chalice, Sword, Coin, and Club. None of these is a direct representation of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. So, why do we still believe seasons are the reason why there are 52 cards in a deck? Well, that’s most likely due to our calendar.

The Mathematical Design of a Standard 52 Card Deck

A year has 52 weeks and four seasons. A standard deck of playing cards consists of 52 cards in four suits, but there are 13 cards for each suit, whereas there are 12 months in a year. This lack of symmetry has led many to believe that the calendar we are using is flawed.

In fact, there are other factors behind conspiracy theories about the 12-month calendar. Since a full year has 365 days, having 13 months with 28 days each would make more sense, and the extra 1 day is supposed to be the 1st of April. That’s why we should joke and pull pranks on one another since it’s an extra day of the year given to us to have fun.

Of course, that’s not the official explanation but it is something that people on the internet came up with. There is also the famous 13th zodiac Ophiuchus that also suggests we should have 13 months in a year.

These are all fun theories, but they are proof that people love to create patterns even when there are none to be found. We might not have concrete answers as to why there are 52 cards in a deck, but parallel with 52 weeks and 4 seasons (13 weeks for each) just makes the most sense.

Variations in Decks (52 vs 54 Cards)

It was just a matter of time before someone said – why 52 cards in a deck when you can have more. And there were attempts to revolutionize the product by adding additional suits, but those didn’t stick. That said, extra cards like Jokers were added, and that was done to accommodate the expanding game repertoire.

The Addition of Jokers

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Another addition to the deck was joker cards, and contrary to popular belief they have nothing to do with a Fool card in Tarot decks. The cards were inspired by another card game Euchre that was popular in Germany in the mid-1850s.

Originally, the decks used for Euchre had an extra blank card, but Americans decided to put a jester on that card. Decks nowadays include 2 jokers, so you get 54 cards inside instead of 52.

Before the addition of Joker, some versions of Euchre used Jack of Clubs as a Joker card. In other words, one Jack became a Joker. There’s actually a neat Easter Egg in Tim Burton’s Batman, where the character called Jack Napier falls into chemicals which then transforms him into the Joker.

Imagery and Design of Modern Playing Cards

When decks were standardized, all face cards looked very similar, regardless of where they were printed. So, it’s easy to see how players started to miss the old versions with unique suits and images. Luckily, production costs have gone down significantly, so unique designs are making their return.

Standard 52 Card Deck: Kings, Queens, and Jacks

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Modern decks come in different themes, and the theme will dictate suit and face card design. A company called Bicycle has made a name for itself by designing decks in different themes. In fact, they’ve been around for over 130 years and are known to fans of playing cards far and wide.

Even in these newly printed decks, face cards are at the center of attention. So, if the deck is themed after a popular work of fiction, then Kings, Queens, and Jacks will be the most important characters from that book, movie, or TV series.

Additionally, casino slot games also use symbols from playing cards. Anyone who knows how to play slots at online casinos also knows that there are symbols with numbers 9, 10, and then J, Q, and K.  As expected getting 3 or more J, Q, or K symbols usually gives higher payouts.

Technological Evolution: From Paper to Digital Cards

Some of the most popular games like blackjack, rummy, poker, and others are mostly played online. Digital cards used in the games can be customized and players can choose skins or deck cosmetics for their games.

What’s great about digital cards is that each player at the table gets to customize their deck, so you can play with the design you prefer.

Why Are There 52 Cards in a Deck – FAQs

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