Miscellany of Playing Cards: A Photographic Archive

A Gallery of Miscellaneous Playing Card Decks

 
A Visual Archive of Playing Cards
MISCELLANY

LAST UPGRADE: 15.08.2026

Selected deck:
A pack designed by Jean Garçon and made by Grimaud
INV 2864 | A pack designed by Jean Garçon and made by Grimaud

Suits & systems
sample
sample
topic
Mameluke playing cards
Proto-system

The origins. The oldest playing cards.
Proto-system [1]
Swiss playing cards with unconventional suits
Czech playing cards with unconventional suits
Other systems

Beyond the 5 systems that have become classics.
Other systems [16]
Combined playing cards
'Duplex' playing cards
Combinations

Decks that cross the characteristics of two types.
Combined systems or patterns [22]
hybrid playing cards
Hybrids

Hybrid patterns within the same suit-system.
Hybrids [2]
Playing cards with indices only
Indices only

Born for the visually impaired.
Elimination (or marginalisation) of figures.
Indices only [14]
'Rook', 'Elfer Raus' and 'Phase 10' card games
Colour systems

Colours instead of suits.
Rook, Elfer raus!, Phase 10 [14]
'Quit' or 'Block' card game
Letter systems

Letters instead of suits.
Block/Quit & variants [7]

Gambling & games of chance
sample
sample
topic
'Cuckoo' card game
'Hexelspiel' card game
«Cuckoo»

Also known as «Hexelspiel», «Cambio», «Kille», «Gnav», and others.
"Cuckoo" [20]
Mercante in Fiera card game
«Mercante in Fiera»

Popular Italian auction game.
"Mercante in Fiera" [8/16]
'Bell and Hammer' game
«Bell and Hammer»

An auction game with dice using illustrated cards or boards. Selection among dozens.
Bell and Hammer [9]
'Roulette' with cards
Roulette

Roulette & Boule.
Roulette [7]
'Vingt-et-un' card game
«Vingt-et-un»

A game similar to Blackjack, or Twenty-One.
"Vingt-et-un" [3]
'Bingo', 'Lotto' and lotteries with cards
Lottery games

Tombola/Bingo, Lotto [5]
Dice games with cards
Dice

Card games with dice or as a substitute for them.
Punta, Craps & others [8]
Currency-themed card games
Currency

Currency [7]

Games
sample
sample
topic
'Some'R'Set' game
Card Dominoes
Dominoes

The game born in France.
Dominoes [22] | Proprietary games [16]
Chess playing cards
Chess

Chess [5]
'Uno' card game
«Uno»

Uno & variants [13] | Mau-Mau [2]
'Whot' card game
«Whot»

Geometric symbols instead of suits, but with gaps in the ranks.
Whot [5]
'Quitli', 'Flinch' and 'Skip-Bo' card games
Repeated numbers

Games or decks with at least 2 cycles.
Quitli, Flinch, Skip-Bo, etc. [14]
German card game with letters
Danish card game with letters
Letters

Cards with letters [19]
'Mus' playing cards
«Mus»

Special decks for this game.
Mus [4]

Asian games
sample
sample
topic
Japanese 'Mah-Jong' game with cards
'Mah-Jong' game with cards
Mah Jong

Selection among hundreds.
Mah Jong [9]
'Hanafuda' cards (1)
'Hanafuda' cards (2)
Hanafuda

Selection among hundreds.
Hanafuda [8]
'Unsun Karuta' cards
Unsun Karuta

A deck of Portuguese origin.
Unsun Karuta [1]
'Gupai' (Chinese dominoes) with cards
Gupai

Despite being described as dominoes, they have different origins and uses.
Gupai [10]

Graphic design & art
sample
sample
topic
Typographic playing cards
Abstract playing cards
Abstract art

Abstract art [14+1]
hybrid and collective playing cards
Collectives and anthologies

Collectives and anthologies [12]
Transformation playing cards
Transformations

Addition of scenes to pip cards without changing their position. Here only reproductions.
Transformation playing cards [10]

Conjuring & fortune-telling
sample
sample
topic
Playing cards for magicians
Magic

Rigged cards for the magician (and the cheat).
Card magic [23]
'Lenormand' fortune-telling playing cards
Fortune-telling playing cards
Fortune telling

Fortune telling [29]
'Grand Etteila' Tarot cards
'Rider Waite' Tarot cards
Tarot reading

Tarot reading [16]

Pictorial decks
sample
sample
topic
'Authors' card game and others
Quartets with Swiss themes
Quartets

Selection of beautifully illustrated decks.
Culture [32] | Swiss topics [14] | Photographic quartets [4]
Card games for children: 'Old Maid', 'Happy Families' etc
Children's games

Selection among hundreds: an introductory overview.
Black Peter/Old maid, Happy families, etc. [21]

Other
sample
sample
topic
Multi-purpose playing card decks
Multi-purpose

Multi-purpose decks [4]
'Double Action' playing card
'Gavitt's Stock Exchange' game
Unique

Unique or special decks that do not yet have their own section.
Unique [23]
Backs only

Small selection of single backs, recovered from dispersion.
Backs only [1]
Not integrated

Some other European decks, not yet integrated.
Not integrated [13]