Playing cards are common, everyday objects, which most people probably take for granted. Yet they have a history of use in Europe, which goes back to the late 1300s; their design is a strange mixture of fundamental changes as well as aspects, which haven't changed since medieval times. They are found in almost every corner of the globe.
The design of the standard English playing card is now well known throughout the world because of the spread of card games like blackjack and poker. If these are the only sort of playing cards you have come across you may think that there is only one basic design for the faces of cards, with just the design on the back varying. In fact you would be wrong.
What is the order of suit rankings?
Assuming you are referring to French suits (hearts, clubs, diamonds, spades), the short answer is it depends what game you are playing. The longer answer would be a list of the different ways that the suits are ranked in different games.
This question sometimes gets asked because people want to decide which of two royal flushes is higher in poker. In that case, the correct answer (for the official casino / tournament game) is that in poker all the suits are equal, and that when such a tie occurs you split the pot. But some people do play with suits ranked as a house rule and several different rankings are used.
USA Military's Issuance of Playing Cards
In April, 2003, the U.S. military issued a list of the 55 most-wanted Iraqi leaders, dead or alive. The list came in the form of a deck of playing cards, which was dealt to thousands of coalition troops in the field to help them find the senior members of the Iraqi government.
Only a few days after the officials introduced the cards, collectors started looking to acquire them. Bids for what sellers claim are “authentic” decks of the cards have crossed the $100 line on eBay.
According to the Department of Defense, the cards were designed "to provide a reminder of key Iraqi personnel of interest and to provide a recreational resource for troops in the field."
