# Saddam playing cards **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 4, 2004, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-playing-cards/248730 "2004-06-04T23:27:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GreyWanderer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@GreyWanderer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreyWanderer)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2004, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-playing-cards/248730/1 "2004-06-04T23:27:01Z")
I got hold of a deck of the Saddam playing cards, supposedly the ones that the soliders were given in Iraq. But how can I know if they are real or not? Has there been made any copies to be sold? ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2004, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-playing-cards/248730/2 "2004-06-04T23:28:36Z")
They were selling them on every street corner in NYC when I was there. They are very common. ---
**Author:** ![Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backwater_Under_Duck)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2004, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-playing-cards/248730/3 "2004-06-04T23:36:45Z")
I bought some for a poker party when they first came out from a company that said they were from the same printers and plates the Army used. Someone else showed up with another deck they bought from a different company that said they were from the same printers and plates the Army used. They were very different decks :smack: . ---
**Author:** ![GreyWanderer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@GreyWanderer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreyWanderer)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2004, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-playing-cards/248730/4 "2004-06-04T23:48:32Z")
I wonder if there is any difference between the real cards so they can be identified, or if they look exactly the same. ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2004, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-playing-cards/248730/5 "2004-06-05T18:48:45Z")
I have a set bought from a street trader in downtown Amman, Jordan. IIRC they are probably made in Taiwan. ---
**Author:** ![Shrinking\_Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Shrinking\_Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shrinking_Violet)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2004, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-playing-cards/248730/6 "2004-06-05T18:51:37Z")
Ebay was awash with them last Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2004, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-playing-cards/248730/7 "2004-06-05T18:54:17Z")
> [@Shrinking Violet](#): > > Ebay was awash with them last Christmas. I know, I got a little dwunk and bought some :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2004, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-playing-cards/248730/8 "2004-06-05T19:23:39Z")
According to this site: [http://www.streetgangs.com/iraq/](http://www.streetgangs.com/iraq/) there were only 200-300 of the original decks printed and distributed. If I had an original deck, I would want an extrodinary amount to part with them. The trick is the authentication.