El Jueves playing cards

Published September 12, 2023 Updated December 18, 2024

Caricatures of 52 famous Spaniards for the satirical magazine “El Jueves”.

1988 Spain Caricatures freebie-cards Satire

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.

“El Jueves” caricature playing cards, unknown maker, 1988 “El Jueves” caricature playing cards, unknown maker, 1988

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

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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.

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