Why Are There 52 Cards in a Deck — Coincidence or Design?

So, why are there 52 cards in a deck? Why not 60, 42, or any other number? The question opens up an interesting story that’s been centuries in the making. It involves cultural tropes, symbolisms, mathematics, folklore, and more.

Join us on a journey where the culmination is the answer to a question that has fascinated many card game enthusiasts, mathematicians, and historians for a long time.

The Origins of Playing Cards

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 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 dominoes 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 a 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.

You should know 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 decks that they included court cards depicting royalty.

Moreover, card decks have contained different numbers of cards over the centuries. There were variations with 24, 36, 40, and 48, and many other numbers in between. However, 52 was clearly the most popular and used with practically all other decks. It’s the one that eventually reached most of the globe and became the default.

How the 52-Card Deck Took Its Modern Form

The 52-card deck was introduced to Europe from Egypt, where the Mamlūks ruled. The suits were Chalices, Coins, Swords, and Batons, and due to Islamic aniconism, there was no face imagery.

Rank cards were the same, ranging from 1 to 10, but some European decks also started using face cards with Kings and Knaves. The latter were infantry soldiers and eventually became the Jacks we still use today. The change largely avoided a mix-up with the abbreviations since Knave (KV) was too similar to the King (K).

Even though the imagery changed, Spanish and Italian cards continued using Islamic versions. You can still find Islamic suits in traditional regions of the two countries to this very day.

In the 1400s and early 1500s, the French symbols started gaining attention. They turned Cups into Hearts, Coins into Diamonds, Batons into Clubs, and Swords into Spades. These were also easier to reproduce with stencils, so it stands to reason that they eventually completely replaced the earlier Mamlūk versions and most others across Europe. The French also introduced Queens, which replaced earlier imagery of high-ranking officers.

The introduction of the Gutenberg press in the mid-15th century enabled the mass production of cards. It reinforced the dominant French model, and the 52-card, 4-suit deck is still used today.

Why Are There 52 Cards in a Deck? – The Calendar Theory

Is it possible that the 52-card deck is a subtle nod to the number of weeks in a year? That’s what the Calendar Theory proposes, so let’s see what it says.

Source: Vista

A Symbolic Reflection of the Year

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 the 4 seasons. Each suit has 13 cards that represent 13 weeks of a season.

However, the parallels to the seasons seem to end with the number four. Earlier versions of the deck used suits like Chalice, Sword, Coin, and Club, none of which directly represent spring, summer, autumn, or winter.

That said, there’s a stronger connection to the calendar: our year has 12 months, and the deck contains 12 court cards – Jack, Queen, and King in each of the four suits. Some also suggest a symbolic link between the colors: red and black, possibly representing day and night.

The Mathematical Patterns Hidden in a 52-Card Deck

You can probably agree that there are some mathematical patterns in a standard 52-card deck. Some mean little, but others support the Calendar Theory, most notably these:

Modern Myths and Alternate Theories

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.

Cultural and Historical Roots of the 52-Card Deck

Source: Freepik

Likely, the number of cards in a deck wasn’t decided at random because several historical facts point to this. We’ll explain them below, including some popular interpretations of things from medieval class society.

Social Hierarchies in the Four Suits

Many believe that the 4 suits represent the 4 classes of medieval society, and the hierarchical nature of card values, i.e. kings, queens, and jacks, further supports this view. Here’s a breakdown:

The Evolution of Card Ranks

Source: Freepik

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 revolution’s 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 toppled a king. To this day, poker hands with aces are stronger than those with the same number of kings.

Similar to the Ace, the Joker also has a role in breaking this old class society. It’s often depicted as an outcast that defies structure entirely, which is seen in the fact that it doesn’t have a suit. This means it can operate outside of the rules, which is why it’s often used in games as one of the deck’s most powerful and unpredictable cards.

Why Are Playing Cards Red and Black

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.

Four-Colored Cards

The French deck colors hearts and diamonds in red, and spades and clubs in black, which is a layout we’re all familiar with. But not all decks follow this standard. Some use a different color for each suit to make them easier to distinguish at a glance.

For example, the four-color English poker deck features red hearts, black spades, green clubs, and blue diamonds. Meanwhile, the German deck keeps the red hearts but uses black clubs, green spades, and yellow diamonds.

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.

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 have 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 use 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

Source: Unsplash

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:

What You Never Noticed in Your Deck

For every card player, the standard deck is something they’ve become very accustomed to. However, it might hold some interesting things that most players probably haven’t noticed. Here is the breakdown:

When Playing Cards Held Secrets

For example, during World War II, the U.S. government partnered with a card company to produce special decks for captured soldiers. When wet, these cards revealed hidden maps designed to help prisoners of war plan their escape.

A more recent case also comes from the U.S. military. During the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, special decks were printed featuring the faces of high-ranking members of Saddam Hussein’s regime. The goal was to help soldiers memorize these individuals and identify them in the field. The Ace of Spades famously featured Saddam Hussein himself.

Unified by Design: The Global Power of a Standard Deck

The symbolism is not the only smart thing about the standard deck. Having a standard is good for the gameplay because it keeps it uniform across the world and makes it easy to mass-produce decks.

That way, whether you’re playing blackjack in a Las Vegas casino or poker in the expensive casinos or Macau, you’ll still use the same deck and experience the same card games.

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

Source: Unsplash

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

Source: Unsplash

Modern decks come in different themes, and the theme will dictate the 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