El Jueves playing cards
Caricatures of 52 famous Spaniards for the satirical magazine “El Jueves”.
El Jueves (Spanish for “Thursday”) is a Spanish weekly satirical magazine based in Barcelona. More than once the magazine has produced a set of playing cards with caricatures of Spanish personalities. This one, dating from 1988, includes the King and Queen, other royalty, famous sportsmen, actors, singers, politicians, etc. From the look of the somewhat rough edges of the cards, they were probably made to be pressed out of a perforated sheet. A jester’s head and the words “el jueves” repeated many times make up the back design.


Above: “El Jueves” caricature playing cards, unknown maker, 1988. 52 cards, unknown artist, no jokers. No box. Size: 54 x 72 mm.

By Roddy Somerville
Member since May 31, 2022
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
Related Articles

Baraja de Juan Martín Zamorano
Deck inspired by El Pendón de los Zamorano, a military pennant dating from 1501, published by Priego...

Le Journal de Mickey
Perforated sheet of cards with Disney characters issued with the magazine Le Journal de Mickey.

Heráldica Castanyer No. 16
Strange variant of international pattern cards for poker or bridge.

Animal Skat, Česká Grafická Unie
A non-standard deck from Czechoslovakia.

Fantasy Spanish-suited deck
Fantasy Spanish-suited deck by Bertschinger y Codina, Barcelona.

Bertschinger y Codina - Cartes Françaises
French ‘Paris’ pattern made by Bertschinger y Codina, Barcelona, c.1850.

Braulio Fournier
Baraja Nº 1 produced by Braulio Fournier, Burgos, c.1868.

Tarot Actuel 1984
Major arcana to cut out, issued with the French magazine Actuel, using photographic images.

Pirritx eta Porrotx
Happy Families card game from the Spanish Basque Country.

Naipe Vizcaino
‘Naipe Vizcaino’ designed by Javier Urkiri and published by Industrias Gráficas Castuera and the Caj...

Baraja Turística del País Vasco
Basque poker deck of 55 cards published by Fournier with scenic views of the Basque Country.

Baraja Vasca
Spanish Basque Country deck with original drawings by María Isabel Ibañez de Sendadiano.

Pam is the Knave of Clubs
Playing cards as metaphors in 18th century art - from fate, chance and social hierarchy t...

Politiker-Skat by Bubec
Caricatures of world leaders, including many German politicians, by the artist Bubec.

Le Poker Politique
French politicians and various world leaders caricatured by the German artist Bubec.

Modern Jass (Fredy Sigg)
Caricatural updating of traditional Swiss Jass cards by the artist Fredy Sigg.
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 28 days