Artifact: Deck of Cards
Materials: Cardstock
Dimensions: Individual card OH: 3 3/4" x OW: 2 1/2"
Date: 1789-1804
Origin: London, England
Collection: Image Courtesy of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
License: All rights reserved
Ledger Entry: Cards
Department: Entertainment
Customer: Joseph Chew
Ledger Page: 32
Imported From:
Product Description
Card games were a common form of entertainment in the colonial world. While men played cards for higher stakes amongst themselves in settings such as taverns or clubs, games such as whist and quadrille were frequently played in domestic settings in mixed-gender settings. These games allowed for socially accepted contests between men and women and frequently included gambling as well.
Citation: The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 104, 2 (1996): 165-184.;
Historical Price: 12 pence per pack; Modern USD: $11.2
Product Variations
The databases record thirteen purchases of cards. While most packs of cards are not labeled by qualifiers, one pack is labeled as best cards. They were sold by the pack and their prices ranged from eight pence to five shillings.
