How Many Cards are in a Deck with Jokers?

How many cards are in a deck with Jokers?  This post will examine that as well as some other interesting history and purpose for the Joker card in a standard deck of cards.

Why Does the Joker Card Exist?

History of the Joker Card

The Joker card came into play in the United States in the 1860s, during the Civil War.  It was created for a game called Euchre in which a trump card was needed.  The Joker was then used as that trump card in Euchre.

American players invented new rules for Euchre which included an extra even higher trump card.  So, manufacturers started including multiple Joker cards.  This new highest trump card was called the Best Bower.  Eventually, the Best Bower became known as the Joker or Jolly Joker.

Card manufacturers designed different Jokers for their packs, sometimes with very artistic designs to represent them.  Usually, these designs are even trademarked.  This is still seen in modern times with the Jokers being artistic cards.

Modern Day Uses of the Joker Card

Many games now use the Joker as a special card or wild card.  The Joker will have a certain action that is performed when it is played.

Also, the Joker can be used as a replacement card if a card is lost or damaged from a pack.

You can learn more about the Joker playing card here.

How Many Cards are in a Deck with Jokers?

There are 54 cards in a deck with Jokers.

This is because there are four suits in a deck, which are Hearts, Spades, Clubs, and Diamonds.

And each suit has 13 cards in it.  These cards are the Ace, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, Jack, Queen, King.

The four suits with 13 cards each gives us 52 cards.  There are two Joker cards in a deck with Jokers, which gives us 54 cards total.

How many cards are in a deck with Jokers?

Are Jokers Included in a 52 Card Deck?

No, in a 52 card deck there are no Jokers.  When the Jokers are added to a 52 card deck, there will then be 54 playing cards.

How Many Jokers are in a Deck of 52 Cards?

In a deck of 52 cards, there are 2 Joker cards.  Usually, they will both have a slightly different design as well, depending on the card manufacturer.

For example, Bicycle cards have the same image of a King riding a tricycle for their Joker cards, but one is in color and the other is in black and white, so they can be distinguished.  Also, one is called the “Guarantee Joker”.  This is because it has the word Guarantee printed in the middle.

Why Are There Only 2 Jokers in a Deck of Cards?

There are only 2 Jokers in a deck of cards because the Joker card came from the original game called Euchre played in the 1800s.  Originally, there was a need for a trump card, which was introduced as the Joker.  Players then create a rule with a second higher trump card, called the Best Bower, which became known as the Joker.

Card manufacturers started placing a second Joker in the packs because of this new rule needing a second trump card.

How Many Cards are in a Deck Without Jokers?

Without the Jokers, there are 52 cards in a deck of cards.  This is because there are 4 suits, and each suit has 13 cards each.

See How Many Cards are in a Deck of Cards Without Jokers?

Types of Cards in a Deck

There are four suits in a deck.  Heart, Clubs, Diamonds and Spades.

And, there are 13 cards in each suit.  There are the Ace, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, Jack, Queen, King.

(You can learn more about how a deck of cards works at A Deck of Playing Cards Explained & How it Works)

The Ace through Ten are called the number cards.  The Jack, Queen and King are called “Face cards” or “Court cards.”   This is because they are the only cards that have faces on them since they are pictures of people.  Also, they are called Court cards because they are all royalty and appear in the Court.

Out of the four suits, there are red cards, consisting of the Hearts and Diamonds and black cards, consisting of the Spades and Clubs.

See Types of Cards in a Deck of 52 Cards for more.

Why Are There 52 Cards in a Deck?

See How Many Cards in a Deck of Cards? Why this Number of Cards? for a reason behind the number of cards in a deck of 52 cards.

Final Thoughts on How Many Cards are in a Deck with Jokers

We have learned the origin of the Joker playing card and also that there are 54 cards in a deck with Jokers.