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Quiz about On deck a history of playing cards

On deck: a history of playing cards Quiz

Playing cards have a long and fascinating history, making them a very collectible and well-loved item around the world. This quiz takes you on a quick tour of that history.

A multiple-choice quiz by timence. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
timence

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
351,675

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
293

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The timing of the very first appearance of playing cards is uncertain, but almost definitely goes back to the country where paper was invented. Where is that? Hint

Egypt

China

Babylon

Japan

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Question 2 of 10

2. Playing cards appeared in Europe in the late 14th Century, and very quickly became a controversial item, often being banned. Why? (Note: The answer specifically refers to that time period) Hint

Too expensive to produce

Their use in gambling

Religious leaders considered them evil

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Question 3 of 10

3. The standard suits (Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs and Spades) have been varied across time and countries. Which of these countries opted to use coins, cups, swords and clubs (items that are still found on their cards today)? Hint

Spain

France

Germany

USA

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Question 4 of 10

4. The court cards (Jack, Queen and King) in a standard US Deck are based on real people from history.

True

False

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Question 5 of 10

5. Which card traditionally (in English-speaking countries) bears the insignia of the company which produces the deck of cards? Hint

Ace of hearts

Jack of hearts

Jack of spades

Ace of spades

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Question 6 of 10

6. Before it was known as the Jack, what was the court card below the Queen called? Hint

The jester

The knave

The duke

The bishop

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Question 7 of 10

7. The Joker was a standard feature of playing card decks from the early 15th Century.

True

False

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Question 8 of 10

8. Which playing card company, founded in 1867, has become one of the world's largest producers of playing card decks? Hint

Espanola

Congress

United States Playing Card Company

De La Rue

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Question 9 of 10

9. Prior to the late 19th Century, what was missing from individual playing cards? Hint

Corner indices

Faces

Color

Varied patterns

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Question 10 of 10

10. In November 2007, Liu Fuchang set a new Guiness World Record for owning how many individual decks of different playing cards? Hint

Over 11,000

8,000

Almost 10,000

6,500

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The timing of the very first appearance of playing cards is uncertain, but almost definitely goes back to the country where paper was invented. Where is that?

Answer: China

There are written historical records going back to the 9th Century in China (The Tang Dynasty), where members of royalty played what was known as the "leaf game". Some sources suggest that early playing cards were also used as currency (in other words, trading cards).

2. Playing cards appeared in Europe in the late 14th Century, and very quickly became a controversial item, often being banned. Why? (Note: The answer specifically refers to that time period)

Answer: Their use in gambling

Between 1377-1392, references to playing cards were widespread across Europe (most notably Italy, France, Spain and Switzerland). Several countries banned playing cards (albeit for short periods of time) because of their link to gambling activity.

Answer: Spain

It was around the 1480s that French introduced the standard Hearts, Clubs, Spades and Diamonds; but there were substantial variations on this before and there have been many since.

4. The court cards (Jack, Queen and King) in a standard US Deck are based on real people from history.

Answer: True

This practice started in France; although not all court cards depict French people. For example, the King of Spades is based on King David (of biblical fame); the King of Diamonds Julius Caesar; and the Queen of Hearts Judith (also biblical).

5. Which card traditionally (in English-speaking countries) bears the insignia of the company which produces the deck of cards?

Answer: Ace of spades

James I of England introduced a duty on this particular card (and other countries followed suit, so to speak), so companies had to identify themselves as producing the deck by placing their insignia on the Ace of Spades. Some purchasers opted not to buy the Ace of Spades to save the cost of the tax, while others chose to forge the card.

While the duty was repealed in the 1960s, companies opted to continue this tradition.

6. Before it was known as the Jack, what was the court card below the Queen called?

Answer: The knave

The simple fact that the abbreviation for King (K) and Knave (also K, or Kn) were so similar led to the change of name. It is thought to have come from the nickname of the Knave in the game "All fours".

7. The Joker was a standard feature of playing card decks from the early 15th Century.

Answer: False

The Joker didn't actually get introduced into the standard deck until the late 19th Century. It first appeared in American decks to allow for an extra trump card in the game of Euchre. Due to their often unique depiction, Jokers are highly collectible in their own right.

8. Which playing card company, founded in 1867, has become one of the world's largest producers of playing card decks?

Answer: United States Playing Card Company

The USPC, as it is commonly known, produced an estimated 100 million decks of playing cards annually at the turn of the 21st Century. The company produces popular brands such as Bicyle, Bee and Hoyle.

9. Prior to the late 19th Century, what was missing from individual playing cards?

Answer: Corner indices

Prior to indices on playing cards, players would simply have to know how many pictures were on the card by sight. This innovation, along with reversible cards (those that looked the same either way up), considerably sped up games. Cards without indices are often highly collectible due to their age.

10. In November 2007, Liu Fuchang set a new Guiness World Record for owning how many individual decks of different playing cards?

Answer: Over 11,000

The Chinese citizen owned an incredible 11,087 decks. A quick search on ebay will show you just how collectable playing cards have become. While many can be bought for a bargain price, many others are quite expensive due to their age or rarity (or both).

Source: Author timence

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor WesleyCrusher before going online.
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