Oldest trading card game (2024)

FAQs

What's the oldest trading card game? ›

The world's oldest trading card game appeared way back in 1904. Published by the Allegheny Card Co of Allegheny, PA and Detroit, MI, USA, The Base Ball Card Game set contained 104 player cards and eight team “ball counter” cards.

Some sources cite a Chinese game called yezi ge, which translates to “game of leaves,” as the first game to use playing cards. There are references to yezi ge being played as early as the 800s.

Over 28 billion Pokémon TCG cards have been produced. Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game has been officially recognized by the Guinness World Records as the top-selling trading card game.

Playing Cards Are Born

However, the earliest confirmed record of playing cards was found in a manuscript written by a German monk named Johannes in 1377. While living in a Swiss monastery, Johannes wrote about the development of playing cards and the variety of card games they could be used for.

1. 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311. A 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle retook its spot as the most valuable piece of sports memorabilia in history when another example of the “Rosen Find” sold on 22 August 2022 for $12.6 million.

It arose in America before 1900 and was promoted by the US Playing Card Company, who copyrighted and marketed a deck with a set of rules in 1904. The US Playing Card Company released the improved Avondale scoring table to remove bidding irregularities in 1906.

The Royal Game of Ur is the oldest playable boardgame in the world, originating around 4,600 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia. The game's rules were written on a cuneiform tablet by a Babylonian astronomer in 177 BC.

PLAYING cards were invented by the Chinese before AD1000. They reached Europe around 1360, not directly from China but from the Mameluke empire of Egypt. The history of suitmarks demonstrates a fascinating interplay between words, shapes and concepts.

Bridge is considered the most difficult card game to play because it requires a high level of skill, strategy, and communication between partners. The complex bidding system and the need to anticipate opponents' moves make it challenging for beginners.

What is the easiest trading card game to learn? ›

Yu-Gi-Oh!'s new starter set is the easiest the TCG has been to learn in 25 years. The step-by-step intro to the card game's dense rules is basic, but not boring. Out of the big three trading card games - Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh!

Magic: The Gathering - The Pioneer of TCGs

One of the standout features of "Magic" is how it is easy to learn and teach but has incredible depth and complexity. With over 20,000 unique cards in its extensive library, "Magic" offers endless strategic possibilities, ensuring that no two games are ever the same.

You can currently view the cards at The Met's Cloisters museum in New York City.

Modern 52 card playing card decks (or 54 if you include the jokers) are mainly derived from the 15th century French suited deck with some minor additions from the English.

14th and 15th centuries

Despite the presence of playing cards in Europe being recorded from around 1370, it is not until 1408 that the first card game is described in a document about the exploits of two card sharps; although it is evidently very simple, the game is not named.

The first collectible card game created was Magic: The Gathering, invented by Richard Garfield, and patented by Wizards of the Coast in 1993.

Ninety-nine was created in 1967 by David Parlett; his goal was to have a good 3-player trick-taking game with simple rules yet great room for strategy.

The franchise originated as a pair of role-playing games developed by Game Freak, from an original concept by its founder, Satoshi Tajiri. Released on the Game Boy on February 27, 1996, the games became sleeper hits and were followed by manga series, a trading card game, and anime series and films.