INVENTORY OF GAMES
THE "CORAL" COLLECTION
Playing Cards of the 20th Century (1880-2020)
© CeDIG.org (Switzerland)

LAST UPGRADE: 12.11.2024 | LAST ENTRY: INV 2769
This is the catalogue of the «Coral» division, dedicated to playing cards owned and preserved in the archives of the Documentation Center [CeDIG], as well as the first section, fully illustrated, of the games inventory [IGLOO]. It contains major playing cards of the 20th century (actually 1880-2020, occasionally extended), European style.
The collection has achieved its objective1), namely the acquisition of a sufficiently representative and proportionate heritage, adhering to historical reality in terms of production, circulation, places and times. All European countries are represented2), as well as other selected places that have taken up the tradition.
The main purpose of this systematic catalogue3) is the visualisation of preserved heritage for the benefit of all interested parties.
A significant selection of cards has been added to the primary purpose, in order to explore the vastness of the field and observe its types and styles, and, thanks to the comparative method of visualisation, to scrutinise similarities and differences. Furthermore, to enable identification, all decks contain at least one «key card»: for Italian and Spanish suits the King of Swords, for German and Swiss suits the Ober of Acorns, for French suits the King of Hearts. Thus it is possible, with a little patience, to trace the deck to which the cards belong (if in the catalogue). Finally, all cards are represented in the same scale, so that the correct proportions are immediately perceived.
_______________
1)Additions, however, remain possible. 2)Only Albania and most of the republics that emerged after the dissolution of Yugoslavia are missing, due to absent or insignificant production. 3)Each deck is placed in only one position. See further notes at the bottom of the page.

WHAT'S NEW:

Swiss deck, 1789 (repro 1987) ➽ SWI/Swiss pattern/single-headed

Italian tarot deck, c1944 ➽ ITA/"Classic" tarot pattern (II)

European deck, 2024 ➽ FRE/Lyon pattern

Czech deck, 2023 ➽ GER/Luditz pattern

German decks, 2023 ➽ GER/Bavarian pattern
ITALIAN SUIT SYSTEM — Main conventional patterns
single-headed
double-headed
pattern name
Venetian pattern

Also known as Treviso pattern.
Forefather of the entire system.
Venetian pattern [19]
Trieste pattern

An Austrian-born pattern and the most international.
Trieste pattern [9]
Trento pattern

An Austrian-born pattern.
Trento pattern [7]
Brescia pattern

A local variant of the Trento pattern.
Brescia pattern [8]
Bergamo pattern

A local variant of the Trento pattern.
Bergamo pattern [6]
«Primiera bolognese» pattern

It shares style and designs with the Bolognese tarot pattern.
Suits of cups and coins are more reminiscent of Italo-Spanish styles.
"Primiera Bolognese" pattern [5]
«Trappola» patterns

This type of deck spread mainly in Austria, Bohemia and Silesia.
Often with large Tarot-like cards.
"Trappola" patterns [9]

Conventional tarot patterns
court cards
trump suit
pattern name
Bolognese tarot pattern

It shares style and designs with the «Primiera Bolognese» pattern.
Bolognese tarot pattern [4]
Florentine tarot pattern

Also known as «Minchiate», «Gèrmini» and many more.
Florentine tarot pattern [5]
Swiss tarot pattern

Swiss tarot pattern [3]

Minor conventional patterns
single-headed
double-headed
pattern name
Udine pattern

A local variant of the Venetian pattern.
Udine pattern [1]

All other decks
sample
country (A-Z)
Italy

Italy [1]

HYBRID SUIT SYSTEM — Conventional tarot patterns
Spanish suits for aces and court cards (AKQCJ) and Italian suits for numbered cards (2-10).
court cards
trump suit
pattern name
«Classic» Tarot patterns (I)

Single-headed tarots.
Tarots of Marseille, Milan and others [11]
«Classic» Tarot patterns (II)

Double-headed tarots.
Piedmontese tarot and others [9]
SPANISH SUIT SYSTEM — Main conventional patterns
single-headed
double-headed
pattern name
Spanish national pattern

Sometimes described as Morocco pattern.
Spanish national pattern [11]
Cadiz pattern

Cádiz pattern [13]
Catalan pattern

Catalan pattern [30]
Castilian pattern

Also known as (generic) Spanish pattern.
Castilian pattern [29] | Variants & alternative versions [15]
Mexican pattern

National version of the Castilian pattern.
Mexican pattern [9]
French-Catalan pattern

French-Catalan pattern [3]
«Aluette» pattern

"Aluette" pattern [8]
Ibero-parisian pattern

Ibero-parisian pattern [5]
Sardinian pattern

Also known as «Roxas» pattern.
Sardinian pattern [4]
Piacenza pattern

Leading member of the Middle-Italy cards family.
Piacenza pattern [26]
Romagna pattern

Member of the Middle-Italy family.
Romagna pattern [11]
Viterbo pattern

Member of the Middle-Italy family.
Viterbo pattern [2]
Naples pattern

Formerly also known as Bari pattern.
Leading member of Southern-Italy card family.
Naples pattern [18]
Sicilian pattern

Member of Southern-Italy family.
Sicilian pattern [12]

Conventional tarot patterns
court cards
trump suit
pattern name
Sicilian tarot pattern

Member of Southern-Italy family.
Sicilian tarot pattern [3]

Minor conventional patterns
single-headed
double-headed
pattern name
Franco-Spanish pattern

A modern revisitation.
Franco-Spanish pattern [1]
Portuguese patterns

Also known, because of the aces, as «Dragon» pattern.
A later exogenous version elevated the female rank to "queen".
Portuguese patterns [4]

Portuguese ranks  
French ranks  
Turnhout spanish pattern

Turnhout Spanish pattern [1]
«Llombart» pattern

Formerly also described as «plumed hat» pattern.
"Llombart" pattern [1]
«Nacional» pattern

"Nacional" pattern [1]
Roman pattern

Attempt to establish a new pattern for the Capital.
Roman pattern [2]
Abruzzo pattern

Attempt (on a Neapolitan basis) to establish a new pattern for the region.
Abruzzo pattern [1]
Salento pattern

Attempt (on a Neapolitan basis) to establish a new pattern for the region.
Salento pattern [1]

All other decks
With suit variations, as long as the membership remains recognisable.
sample
sample
country (A-Z)
Argentina

Argentina [3]
Belgium

Belgium [1]
Italy

Italy [6]
Mexico

Mexico [4]
GERMAN SUIT SYSTEM — Main conventional patterns
single-headed
double-headed
pattern name
Nuremberg pattern

Formerly also described as Ansbach pattern.
Nuremberg pattern [13]

Wide size  
Narrow size
Saxon patterns

A large and complex family, with many variations.
Saxon patterns [37]

Old (or Altenburg) style  
New style [with bear] Early double-headed style
  New Altenburg style
New style [with lion] Chemnitz style
  Leipzig style
Hannover pattern

Formerly also known as «Kavalierskarten» pattern.
Hannover pattern [2]
Bavarian patterns

Bavarian super-family, with piper and drummer.
Two main styles and several variants.
Bavarian patterns [31]

Munich style
Stralsund style
Salzburg pattern

Variant of the Bavarian pattern.
Also, here, a variant of the Tyrolean pattern.
Salzburg pattern [9]
Franconian pattern

Member of the Bavarian super-family.
Franconian pattern [14]
Bohemian pattern

Member of the Bavarian super-family.
Also known as Prague pattern.
Bohemian pattern [9]
Prussian pattern

Formerly, in DDR/GDR times, also known as Halle pattern.
Includes the Silesian-Polish variant.
Prussian pattern [33]
Swabian patterns

Formerly also known as Darmstadt pattern.
Three main declinations.
Swabian patterns [12]

Ulm style
  Darmstadt style
  Stralsund style
Wurttemberg pattern

The only German pattern with Obers on horseback.
Württemberg pattern [15]
«Tell» patterns

The Swiss hero for the last Hungarian pattern.
Also described as «Four Seasons» pattern.
"Tell" patterns [19]

  Type 3
  Type 4
Lemberg pattern

Also known as «Mohren-Deutsche» pattern (Moors-German).
Lemberg pattern [3]
New Altenburg pattern

Also known as DDR pattern (DDR=GDR or "East Germany").
One style in three variants.
New Altenburg pattern [10]

Minor conventional patterns
single-headed
double-headed
pattern name
Wallerstein pattern

A Bavarian pattern.
Wallerstein pattern [1]
Styrian pattern

A pattern from southern Austria.
Styrian pattern [1]
Oedenburg pattern

Oedenburg, or Sopron (in hungarian), a town on the border of the two states.
Oedenburg/Sopron pattern [1]
Luditz/Eger pattern

Luditz and Eger (Zlutice and Cheb in czech), two towns in the Sudeten region of Bohemia.
Luditz/Eger pattern [2]
Stralsund pattern

Stralsund pattern [1]

All other decks
sample
sample
country (A-Z)
AUSTRIA

Austria [3]
BOHEMIA-MORAVIA

The area of today's Czech Republic (after independence from Austria, 1918).
Bohemia-Moravia [7]
CROATIA

Croatia [1]
HUNGARY

Hungary [3]
RUSSIA

Russia [1]
SLOVAKIA

Slovakia [1]
SWISS SUIT SYSTEM
With suit variations, as long as the membership remains recognisable.
Conventional pattern
single-headed
double-headed
pattern name
Swiss pattern

Swiss national pattern.
Single-headed [14] | Double-headed [29] | Variations [26]

All other decks
sample
sample
country (A-Z)
GERMANY

Germany [1]
LIECHTENSTEIN

Liechtenstein [1]
SWITZERLAND

Switzerland [27]
FRENCH SUIT SYSTEM — Main conventional patterns
single-headed
double-headed
pattern name
Languedoc pattern

Restored version.
Languedoc pattern [1]
French national pattern

«Portrait officiel» & "export" versions.
French 1 [24] | French 2 [21]
French international pattern

Also known as Belgian or Genoa pattern.
France, Belgium & other countries [34] | Italy (Genoese pattern) [14]
Piedmont pattern

Cards of the French double-headed pattern, horizontally divided.
Piedmontese pattern & others [12]
Swiss-Parisian pattern

Swiss version of the French national pattern.
Swiss-Parisian pattern [1]
Geneva pattern

Also known as Dauphiné pattern.
Geneva pattern [5]
Fribourg pattern

Lyon export pattern.
Fribourg pattern [1]
Neuchatel pattern

Lyon export pattern.
Neuchâtel pattern [6]
Vienna patterns

Lyon export pattern.
It gave rise to several Viennese patterns.
Viennese patterns [29]

  Type A
  Type E
  Type D
Lyon pattern

Last "classic" version and first modern derivation.
Lyon pattern [2]
Belgian patterns

Belgian «cartes marbrées» (large) & Brussels «cartes étroites» (narrow).
Belgian & Brussels patterns [6]

  Belgian pattern
  Brussels pattern
Liege pattern

A Rouen export pattern also known as «miners cards».
Liège pattern [3]
Rouen pattern

The origin of the modern English pattern.
Here restored decks and modern derivations.
Rouen pattern [4]
Mecklenburg pattern

Mecklenburg pattern [2]
Berlin pattern

German national pattern (in the french system).
Berlin 1 [37] | Berlin 2 [23]
Swiss pattern (french system)

Swiss national pattern in the french system.
Swiss pattern [35]
Russian pattern

Russian national pattern.
Russian pattern [6]
«Trente-et-Quarante» pattern

A specific pattern for use in (some) European casinos.
"Trente-et-Quarante" pattern [7]
Frankfurt patterns

Several Frankfurt patterns & similar «cartes belges» pattern.
Still produced in the «Adler-Cego» (tarot) format.
"Cartes Belges" & Frankfurt patterns [16]

  [Type I] & "Cartes Belges"
  [Type II]
  [Type III]
  [Type IV]
Key cards for comparison also K♦ & J♣.
Rhineland pattern

A Dondorf house pattern that has spread internationally.
Rhineland (or Dondorf) pattern [32]
Dutch pattern

Formerly also described as «Cartes Royales».
Dutch pattern [14]
Milan pattern

With clear traces of its lineage in the Lyon pattern.
Cards with rank names & indices are mainly for Switzerland (Ticino).
Milanese pattern [22]
Tuscan pattern

Formerly also described as "small" Tuscan (or Florentine) pattern.
Tuscan pattern [3]
Florentine pattern

Formerly also described as "large" Florentine (or Tuscan) pattern.
Today, with its smaller format, it is better known as (new) Tuscan pattern.
Florentine (& new Tuscan) pattern [15]
Swedish pattern

Swedish national pattern.
Swedish pattern [21]
Scandinavian pattern

Scandinavian pattern [4]
Greek pattern

Greek national pattern, of French origins.
Greek pattern [3]
Portuguese pattern (french system)

A pattern of German origins.
Portuguese pattern [2]

Conventional tarot patterns
court cards
trump suit
pattern name
«Adler-Cego» tarot pattern

The court cards come from a Frankfurt pattern.
Here, furthermore, other tarots with animals.
"Adler-Cego" and others [4]
«Industrie und Gluck» tarot pattern

"Industrie und Glück" tarot pattern [16]

Court cards Trumps type III (or A)
  Trumps type V (or B)
  Trumps type VI (or C)
«Bourgeois» tarot pattern

Also known as Tarot «nouveau» and «encyclopédique».
In Germany also «Cego».
"Bourgeois" tarot pattern [18]

Minor conventional patterns
single-headed
double-headed
pattern name
«Bongout» pattern

"Bongoût" pattern [4]
«cartes italiennes» pattern

Conventional name.
Also named after the images on the aces.
"Cartes Italiennes" pattern [3]
«cartes suisses» pattern

Conventional name.
Also named after the images on the aces.
"Cartes Suisses" pattern [3]
«cartes imperiales» patterns

Mostly a Belgian/Dutch pattern, in two main versions.
"Cartes Imperiales" patterns [13]

  First version
  Second version
«Nieuw Neerlandia» pattern

"Nieuw Neerlandia" pattern [4]
Swedish (Old) pattern

Swedish old pattern [2]
«Holmblad A» pattern

"Holmblad A" pattern [7]
«Holmblad B» pattern

"Holmblad B" pattern [4]
«Holmblad C» pattern

"Holmblad C" pattern [3]
«Holmblad D» pattern

"Holmblad D" pattern [1]
«Handa» pattern

"Handa" pattern [7]
«Cartes Hollandaises» pattern

Actually a French pattern.
"Cartes Hollandaises" pattern [4]
«Cartes Parisiennes» pattern

In the "Royal" version, the Q♥ has no feathered hat.
"Cartes Royales" & "Cartes Parisiennes" patterns [4]
Hamburg pattern

Relatively unstable pattern, often established only on kings.
Hamburg pattern [3]
«Noblesse» pattern

"Noblesse" pattern [3]
«Renaissance-Karte» pattern

"Renaissance-Karte" pattern [3]
«Sofa-karte» pattern

"Sofa-Karte" pattern [3]
«Salon-karte» pattern

"Salonkarte" is often equivalent (as in this case) to 'deluxe cards'.
"Salon-Karte" pattern [5]
«Baronesse» pattern

Prototype of modern Rococo-style cards.
And also directly inspired designs.
"Baronesse" pattern [14]
«Mittelalter-karte» pattern

Has become almost a standard pattern in Portugal.
Here also directly derived designs.
"Mittelalter-Karte" pattern [6]
«Wust 1» pattern

"Wüst 1" pattern [2]
«Wust 2» pattern

Also described as "Wüst A" pattern.
"Wüst 2" pattern [1]
«Wust 3» pattern

Also described as "Wüst B" pattern.
"Wüst 3" pattern [5]
«bohme» pattern

From the name of the alleged first manufacturer.
"Böhme" pattern [3]
Tuscan double-headed pattern

Early attempt to establish a standard double-headed pattern for the region.
Tuscan double-headed pattern [1]
«Writers deck» pattern

A Trieste pattern with French suits.
"Writers deck" pattern [1]
Nuoro pattern

Sardinian pattern in the French system.
A pattern of German origins.
Nuoro pattern [1]
«Russkije» pattern

Russian traditional costumes.
"Russkije" pattern [4]

All other decks
2nd sample (advert.)
sample
country (A-Z)
BELARUS

Belarus = White Russia.
Belarus [1]
BELGIUM

Belgium [21]
BOHEMIA-MORAVIA

The area of today's Czech Republic (after independence from Austria, 1918).
Bohemia-Moravia [6]
BULGARIA

Bulgaria [2]
CROATIA

Croatia [1]
ESTONIA

Estonia [1]
FINLAND

Finland [6]
GREECE

Greece [4]
HUNGARY

Hungary [10]
ICELAND

Iceland [5]
IRELAND

Ireland [5]
LATVIA

Latvia [4]
LITHUANIA

Lithuania [5]
NETHERLANDS

Netherlands [18]
NORWAY

Norway [2]
PORTUGAL

Portugal [3]
ROMANIA

Romania [3]
SWITZERLAND

Switzerland [27]
UKRAINE

Ukraine [5]

America
sample
country
MEXICO

Mexico [3]

West Asia
sample
country
ARMENIA

Armenia [1]
GEORGIA

Georgia [1]
TURKEY

Turkey [4]
ISRAEL

Israel [4]
ARAB COUNTRIES

Arab countries [6]
PERSIA/IRAN

Persia/Iran [3]

East Asia
sample
country
INDIA

India [8]
MONGOLIA

Mongolia [1]
CHINA

China [6]
KOREA

Korea [4]
JAPAN

Japan [8]

Africa
sample
region

All other tarot decks
sample court cards
trump suit
country (A-Z)
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY

Austria-Hungary [12]
DENMARK

Denmark [1]
FRANCE

France [4]
GERMANY

Germany [4]
ITALY

Italy [1]
SPAIN

Spain [1]
SWITZERLAND

Switzerland [1]
MISCELLANY
2nd sample (other category)
sample
topic
Proto-system

The origins. The oldest playing cards.
Proto-system [1]
Other systems

Beyond the 5 systems that have become classics.
Other systems [15]
Combinations

Decks that cross the characteristics of two types.
Known as "Combi-" (Switz.), "Kongresskarte" (Ger.) and "Duplex" (Ita.).
Combined systems or patterns [21]
Indices only

Born for the visually impaired.
Elimination (or marginalisation) of figures.
Indices only [14]
Operational games

Decks that highlight specific features of the rules.
Others (Bridge, etc.) left in their respective sections for comparison.
Mus [4] | Mau-Mau [2]
Transformations

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

Rigged cards for the magician (and the cheat).
Card magic [21]
«Cuckoo»

Also known as «Cambio», «Kille», «Gnav», «Hexelspiel» and others.
"Cuckoo" [19]
«Mercante in Fiera»

Popular Italian auction game.
"Mercante in Fiera" [8/16]
Quartets

Selection of beautifully illustrated decks.
Culture [31] | Swiss topics [13] | Photographic quartets [4]
Colour systems

Colours instead of suits.
Rook, Elfer raus!, Phase 10 [14] | Uno & variants [13]
Letter systems

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

Geometric symbols instead of suits.
Whot [5]
Repeated numbers

Games or decks with at least 2 cycles.
Quitli, Flinch, Skip-Bo, etc. [14]
Mah Jong

Selection among hundreds.
Mah Jong [8]
Hanafuda

Selection among hundreds.
Hanafuda [8] | Unsun Karuta [1]
Chess

Chess [3]
Gambling games

Casino and other gambling games.
Roulette [7] | "Vingt-et-un" [3] | Tombola/Bingo, Lotto [5]
«Bell and Hammer»

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

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

Currency [7]
Unique

Unique or special decks that do not yet have their own section.
Unique [20]
Graphics and abstraction

Graphics and abstraction [10]
Hybrids and anthologies

Hybrids and anthologies [14]
Children's games

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

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

Some other European decks, not yet integrated.
Not integrated [13]
TIMELINE:
01.06.2024 — After revision, the new version is online, entirely in English.
22.02.2023 — Reached 2500 catalogued decks.
18.07.2022 — The site is transferred to a new server.
01.07.2021 — After around two years of preparation, the catalogue (Italian language version) is online.
It should be noted that: a) all scans are taken from owned specimens; b) the images report the actual state of preservation (no retouching); to avoid any possible abuse: c) the resolution of the images has been limited; and d) complete decks are never represented; e) the information contained herein is subject to change and evolution, and is not binding. ‖ Those wishing to provide significant missing decks may contact: info [@] cedig.org. ‖ This site is the property of the «Centro di Documentazione e Informazione sui Giochi da tavolo» (CeDIG.org), Switzerland. All rights reserved. No part may be reproduced without permission.
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