Playing Card Money
OriginNew France
First Minted1685
MaterialPaper
TypeCurrency
About Playing Card Money
The most unusual currency in North American history. When military pay failed to arrive from France, the governor of New France authorized playing cards to be signed and used as money. Denominations were written on the cards. The cards could be redeemed for real coinage when supply ships arrived. The system worked for decades, though counterfeiting was a problem. Jacques de Meulles introduced the system in 1685.
Related Entries
German Mark
The currency of the German Empire, Weimar Republic, and West Germany. First introduced after unifica...
French Franc
One of the oldest currency names still in use until the euro. First minted as a gold coin in 1360 to...
Japanese Yen
Introduced by the Meiji government as part of its modernization program. The name means circle, desc...