Who invented “playing cards”?
Playing cards were found in Europe as early as the 13th century in various card games. Some suggest that the origins are from India due to the resemblance to many Indian figures and characters found on European cards. Cards date back to China as early as the 9th century where cards were mainly used for monetary purposes. The “money cards” later inspired various uses of for games and gambling. It is largely believed that these cards later inspired the birth of the classic Chinese Maj Jong tiles.
