# Can a real deck of 'Wanted Iraqis playing cards' be bought anywhere? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 14, 2003, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-real-deck-of-wanted-iraqis-playing-cards-be-bought-anywhere/168761 "2003-04-14T23:59:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-real-deck-of-wanted-iraqis-playing-cards-be-bought-anywhere/168761/1 "2003-04-14T23:59:11Z")
There are tons of people on eBay selling CDRs with the PDF file of them (which anyone can get [here for free!](http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Apr2003/g030411-D-6570C.html)) And some are selling what are probably homemade decks (the pdf file printed out on card stock). There’s a few which claim to be actual decks handed out by the US military (and are $75, $100 and up!) There’s also a lot of auctions for ‘pre-orders’ of real plastic coated decks of the Iraqi cards, claiming to be made by the same company that made them for the military. Anyone know if this is true? Anyone know what company printed them and if they are available for sale to the general public? ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-real-deck-of-wanted-iraqis-playing-cards-be-bought-anywhere/168761/2 "2003-04-15T00:56:07Z")
Sorry can’t answer, but since no-one has come allong yet I’ll add this stoopid joke. I think you’ll find that most of the cards are missing. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-real-deck-of-wanted-iraqis-playing-cards-be-bought-anywhere/168761/3 "2003-04-15T02:00:35Z")
I received an e-mail just yesterday for some. I think I saved it. [Checks under desk] Yep, I did. You want? I do not want to post the link, unless Mods say is fine. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-real-deck-of-wanted-iraqis-playing-cards-be-bought-anywhere/168761/4 "2003-04-15T05:47:02Z")
There are several companies already taking orders for the cards. Google “Iraqi” and “playing cards”. ---
**Author:** ![Caught\_Work](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Caught\_Work](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caught_Work)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-real-deck-of-wanted-iraqis-playing-cards-be-bought-anywhere/168761/5 "2003-04-15T12:00:05Z")
[www.welovetheiraqiinformationminister.com](http://www.welovetheiraqiinformationminister.com) You should get a popup from Great USA Flags, click on the popup\* and you should be able to order. No guarantees as to whether they are genuine. Unfortunately they don’t ship to Oz (yet). - You know this is the 1st time I’ve ever clicked a popup ad. ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-real-deck-of-wanted-iraqis-playing-cards-be-bought-anywhere/168761/6 "2003-04-15T15:59:41Z")
Poor Ghazi Hammud al-Uryadi. He’s the deuce of hearts, lowest ranking in the deck. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-real-deck-of-wanted-iraqis-playing-cards-be-bought-anywhere/168761/7 "2003-04-15T19:33:09Z")
I just got an email myself today from [Newsmax.com](http://www.newsmaxstore.com/nms/showdetl.cfm?&DID=6&Product_ID=1269&CATID=9&GroupID=12) for them! Only $14.95 and they say they’re genuine. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-real-deck-of-wanted-iraqis-playing-cards-be-bought-anywhere/168761/8 "2003-04-15T20:11:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hail Ants \* > \*\*I just got an email myself today from [Newsmax.com](http://www.newsmaxstore.com/nms/showdetl.cfm?&DID=6&Product_ID=1269&CATID=9&GroupID=12) for them! Only $14.95 and they say they’re genuine. \*\* That was the e-mail I got. Guess I don’t have to worry about posting it now… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-real-deck-of-wanted-iraqis-playing-cards-be-bought-anywhere/168761/9 "2003-04-15T20:11:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dogface \* > \*\*Poor Ghazi Hammud al-Uryadi. He’s the deuce of hearts, lowest ranking in the deck. \*\* Wouldn’t the deuce of clubs be the lowest ranking card in the deck? Suits are usually ranked highest to lowest Spades/Hearts/Diamonds/Clubs in the card cames I play in which suit ranking makes any difference. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-real-deck-of-wanted-iraqis-playing-cards-be-bought-anywhere/168761/10 "2003-04-15T22:01:42Z")
I just posted here the other day they sold a 55 card set on ebay for $8.99 I don’t know why you didn’t find that --was it sold out? ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-real-deck-of-wanted-iraqis-playing-cards-be-bought-anywhere/168761/11 "2003-04-15T22:50:01Z")
I received a spam message today advertising the deck for $5.99. Sorry, deleted it. ---
**Author:** ![Daizy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@Daizy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daizy)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-real-deck-of-wanted-iraqis-playing-cards-be-bought-anywhere/168761/12 "2003-04-17T16:13:16Z")
Got [this one](http://www.greatusaflags.com/product_info.php?products_id=94&aff_id=22&aff_sub_id=3) as spam yesterday. Most likely the same as Caught@Work. Daizy ---
**Author:** ![gypsymoth3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@gypsymoth3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gypsymoth3)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-real-deck-of-wanted-iraqis-playing-cards-be-bought-anywhere/168761/13 "2003-04-17T16:42:42Z")
you can download them free from [www.madmaxmorningshow.com](http://www.madmaxmorningshow.com) if you have adobe acrobat. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-real-deck-of-wanted-iraqis-playing-cards-be-bought-anywhere/168761/14 "2003-04-17T21:38:05Z")
I didnt fine them there, but here is another PDF, direct link from [http://www.abc15.com/:](http://www.abc15.com/:) [http://www.abc15.com/news/iraq/graphics/55cards.pdf](http://www.abc15.com/news/iraq/graphics/55cards.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![klas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a587f6/32.png) [@klas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/klas)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-real-deck-of-wanted-iraqis-playing-cards-be-bought-anywhere/168761/15 "2003-04-17T22:00:01Z")
Yesterday the Dept of Def said to beware these sales - that they only made 100 TOTAL and they need them all for the troops… So a “real” one on eBay is unlikely to be from them. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-real-deck-of-wanted-iraqis-playing-cards-be-bought-anywhere/168761/16 "2003-04-17T22:22:27Z")
I’m getting a few spams hourly advertising them and the links are to highly suspicious sites so I am not even going to try them. One more reason to wish the USA had not invaded Iraq. I don’t even care for the porn, much less this crap. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-real-deck-of-wanted-iraqis-playing-cards-be-bought-anywhere/168761/17 "2003-04-18T01:01:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dogface \* > \*\*Poor Ghazi Hammud al-Uryadi. He’s the deuce of hearts, lowest ranking in the deck. \*\* [hijack] You mean the suits of a card ( heart,diamonds, spade and clubs) all have a rank or is it the number, of which I knew this, but am I the last to know something? ---
**Author:** ![prisoner6655321](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f8ce5/32.png) [@prisoner6655321](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/prisoner6655321)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-real-deck-of-wanted-iraqis-playing-cards-be-bought-anywhere/168761/18 "2003-04-20T17:48:28Z")
I just went to Ebay and saw a lot on sale from $8.99 to $40. The going price for an “official” deck seems to be about $20. This is the deck claimed to be printed by the same company that is supplying the U.S. Embasy in Kuwait. I just got several spam emails with the same exact wording that is in the Ebay ads. They are selling the same deck for $5.95, 4 for $19.95. [www.greatusaflags.com](http://www.greatusaflags.com/product_info.php?cPath=29&products_id=94). Hope it’s the true deck cause I just bought 4. Maybe I’ll sell 2 of em on Ebay to get my money back. I should have bought more. I know some are making a killing on these cards. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-real-deck-of-wanted-iraqis-playing-cards-be-bought-anywhere/168761/19 "2003-04-20T23:55:37Z")
The British gadget and gift site [Firebox.com](http://Firebox.com) is selling them, here: [http://www.firebox.com/index.html?dir=firebox&action=product&pid=528](http://www.firebox.com/index.html?dir=firebox&action=product&pid=528) But note: > [@](#): > > These are high quality reproduction cards and not originals. They are created from the exact specifications issued by the US Defence Department and showcased by Brig. Gen. Brooks during the press briefing in Qatar on the 11th of April. ---
**Author:** ![LanceUSMC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/0ea827/32.png) [@LanceUSMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LanceUSMC)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-real-deck-of-wanted-iraqis-playing-cards-be-bought-anywhere/168761/20 "2003-04-21T01:15:24Z")
I am in the Marines and I know that there are probably tens of thousands of these decks floating around. Also, all of these companies are probably making tens of thousands also and will have surplus out the ying-yang (never used that stupid expression before). A smart move would be to wait about two or three months. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-real-deck-of-wanted-iraqis-playing-cards-be-bought-anywhere/168761.md?page=2)