Most people have come across card games, be it Snap, Old Maid or Happy Families. Well, there are many more and there are even many versions of the three types of card games mentioned. When I use the phrase “Card Game”, I am not talking about Patience or the other games played with a normal pack of cards, which incidentally have a very wide following of collectors and are highly sort after in their own right.

No, the games I am referring to have a rich and interesting social history with many wonderful designs on the cards. Quite a few of them were done by famous artists, photographers and illustrators of their day.

Cards games are a part of every person's childhood memories. Rich or poor, we have all played with a card game. Easily available, card games were often neglected by collectors but with more and more people becoming aware of their charm, even top end dealers in memorabilia have woken up to their potential of these attractive collectibles.

Now, single cards from rare card packs, can be seen displayed amongst the paintings and other works of art in high class galleries. Similarly, academics have begun praising these card games as a historical record of what amused and entertained family life. As such they represent an unbroken record and reflection of social history for the last two hundred years.

These pages will give you a taster of card collecting. If you want a more in depth look at the subjects please visit for our other eBooks that look into the different types of card collecting in more detail.