The name was used in Persia and later changed to “Basur,” but the old name remained in use in Kuwait, which, for well-known reasons, was ahead of most of its neighbors in opening up to the world. Egyptians call playing cards “Kotshena”, Yemenis “Bata”, Syrians “Shadda”, and Iraqis “Basra.” In Morocco, playing cards are called “Karta”, which is derived from the English word “Cart”. It is said that the origin of playing cards dates back to China, where each card was handmade in the 9th century. They later spread to the rest of the world with the invention of modern printing.
Playing cards were introduced to the Arabs by the Mamluks during their rule from the 13th to the 15th centuries. Playing cards reached Europe via Spain around the same time, but remained confined to the aristocratic classes until they became accessible to the general public with the invention of printing. European playing cards were initially luxurious, hand-painted pieces, but their popularity led to a near revolution in manufacturing, design, color, and naming.
The most influential French innovations included two-tone, foldable sets, which made handling during games easier and extended their lifespan. The renowned British industrialist Thomas de la Rue (born on the island of Guernsey, 1793–1866) also played a significant role in the development of the English playing card industry in the 19th century. Thomas de la Rue was a skilled craftsman specializing in straw hats and printing, and he operated his company in London in 1813. His business later expanded to include printing newspapers, writing paper, and other items. In 1831, he obtained the first patent for printing playing cards using an advanced method, revolutionizing the quality of paper by making it glossy, colorful, and durable. De La Rue is considered the father of English playing cards. His company’s operations later expanded to include printing postage stamps, banknotes, coins, and passports.
More than 50 countries worldwide worked with the company, which was distinguished by its highly secure, hard-to-penetrate systems and the quality of its products and services. De La Rue continues to be one of the world’s largest security printing companies to this day, and its name is still associated with the manufacture and printing of high-value playing cards and security documents. It was, and perhaps still is, the company that prints Kuwait’s national currency.
Printing high-quality playing cards is no less confidential and specialized than printing currency, especially the playing cards used in casinos. A deck of playing cards contains 52 cards, representing the 52 weeks of the year. The total number of cards is 364, and becomes 365 by adding the Joker card, representing the days in a regular year. Adding the small Joker increases the total to 366, representing the days of a leap year.
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