talkmagic.co.uk

.... but the other aces dont?
Im just curious and was wondering if anyone knew.
Ta!

If I remember correctly, it's down to when playing cards were taxed and had to be stamped to show that tax had been paid. The manufacturers would often 'pre-stamp' the top card (the ace of spades)

Indeed, it does rise back to the taxation of playing cards, but not for the entire deck. Way back when, one of the most profficient uses of playing cards was gambling. So gambling houses would pay for the deck, which itself would be inexpensive, and then they would buy the Ace of Spades seperately, which would be heavily taxed.

The average Joe on the street could buy themselves a deck of playing cards, relatively cheaply, without the Ace of Spades, but they could still play normal games because every deck comes with at least one Joker.

That would make the basis of a nice little routine. Tell the tale and courtesy of a D/L show the top card as a Joker then change it to the Ace of Spades.

Arekesus writes, in part: ". . . they could still play normal games because every deck comes with at least one Joker."

Almost, but not exactly.

In North America, at least, the Joker is a fairly recent innovation (in the past 150 years).

Prior to the American War Between the States, if you lost or destroyed a card you would have to get a new deck. (And you think they're expensive TODAY!)

For an answer to this and a few other questions: http://www.cs.man.ac.uk/~daf/i-p-c-s.org/faq/trivia.php

If anyone's interested, I put together the smallest, most simple of tricks for this presentation just now because it really appealed to me.

It's here.

I dont have spesh access....

as far as i remember, the ace of spades was the local gentry or king's seal that you paid the tax on a deck...

i thought it was that if anyone owned a deck, they were classed as being able to make a living with them, and therefore had to cough up...

who would of thought it eh?! being able to make a living out of a deck of cards...

I'll PM you TheAlkhemist.

Y-y-you w-w-wanna PM m-m-me too?

Me too Farlsy!
I can't access that part either.

I have a little routine based on the ace of spades being the odd one out (you know the one ) and I'd love to make it longer.

That would be great, Tom.
Cheers muchly!

thats really interesting! I always have wondered b ut never thought to research as to why! thanks for that!!

Thanks Adrian Morgan that was an half hour well spent the site about the cards has given me some ideas for rountines


Darren @ The Magic Attic

The Magic Attic wrote:Thanks Adrian Morgan that was an half hour well spent the site about the cards has given me some ideas for rountines

I can't help feeling curious . . .