# Why can't I mail playing cards to Germany? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 7, 2004, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-mail-playing-cards-to-germany/244052 "2004-05-07T18:41:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sterwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@sterwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sterwill)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-mail-playing-cards-to-germany/244052/1 "2004-05-07T18:41:11Z")
I was calculating postage for a letter to Germany using the USPS’s web site, and I was curious what I was specifically prohibited from mailing. [This page](http://ircalc.usps.gov/prohibitions/Germany.htm) (from the USPS) lists, among other reasonable things like radioactive materials and human remains: > [@](#): > > Playing cards, except in complete decks properly wrapped. A Google search revealed a large Internet community of playing card collectors and traders, and some info on historic German playing card tax stamps. Are playing cards regulated for tax reasons in Germany? Why couldn’t I mail the ace of spades to my friend in Hannover if I wanted? ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_B.Phart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Capt\_B.Phart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_B.Phart)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-mail-playing-cards-to-germany/244052/2 "2004-05-07T19:36:59Z")
[From here](http://www.jrep.com/Israel/Article-72.html) > [@](#): > > …The forensic scientists failed to take into account the possibility that the plastic on the backs of playing cards could leave a residue similar to bomb-making materials… Why cards use this particular coating I’ve no idea though ---
**Author:** ![Trillionaire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@Trillionaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trillionaire)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-mail-playing-cards-to-germany/244052/3 "2004-05-08T00:16:18Z")
But you’re allowed to mail cards in their original wrapping, which I think rules out your theory about the residue. Can’t add anything else sorry ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-mail-playing-cards-to-germany/244052/4 "2004-05-08T00:36:01Z")
Other countries appear to have some equally idiosyncratic restrictions, including surprising evidence of enlightened civilization in Cuba: Cuba ``` Musical letters or cards that play a sound recording when opened. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-mail-playing-cards-to-germany/244052/5 "2004-05-08T00:38:42Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > Other countries appear to have some equally idiosyncratic restrictions, including surprising evidence of enlightened civilization in Cuba: > > Cuba > > ``` > Musical letters or cards that play a sound recording when opened. > > ``` Well, that’s cos they suck. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-mail-playing-cards-to-germany/244052/6 "2004-05-08T00:43:58Z")
Google-assisted WAG: a number of countries (from Malaysia to the Dutch Antilles) have import duty on playing cards - I guess charging this on an incomplete deck is as impossible as taxing a half-drunk bottle of whisky. However, I can’t find anything actually linking this to the situation in Germany. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-mail-playing-cards-to-germany/244052/7 "2004-05-08T04:43:17Z")
The state of Alabama charges 10 cents in tax on each deck of cards that has “no more than 54 cards”. [http://money.cnn.com/2004/03/31/pf/taxes/strangetaxes/](http://money.cnn.com/2004/03/31/pf/taxes/strangetaxes/) [http://www.ador.state.al.us/tobaccotax/faqtt.html](http://www.ador.state.al.us/tobaccotax/faqtt.html) (it’s in the middle of the page) Here is the full list of what the USPS says you cannot mail to Germany: > [@](#): > > Absinthe. > Articles bearing political or religious notations on the address side. > Weapons and ammunition: Weapons, parts of weapons, and projectiles may be imported only with a special permit to be granted by the competent authorities of the Federal Government or the Government of the respective Federal State. > Perishable infectious biological substances. > Playing cards, except in complete decks properly wrapped. > Pulverized coca beans. > Radioactive materials. > Melatonin. > Live plants and animals. > Arms and weapons. > Human remains. I believe that playing cards in Germany are taxed and each pack requires a stamp on the outside, so perhaps an open pack is thought to be a way of avoiding paying the tax. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-mail-playing-cards-to-germany/244052/8 "2004-05-08T04:48:07Z")
More to the point, the red dye used for the Diamonds and Hearts on some cards is explosive. I beleive one prision inmate commited suicide by cutting all the red “parts” from his deck, put it into a tube, and blew himself up. ---
**Author:** ![Gest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9d8465/32.png) [@Gest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gest)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-mail-playing-cards-to-germany/244052/9 "2004-05-08T06:49:09Z")
The issue is with American authorities and not the Germans. The only people claiming cards are prohibited are Americans or the USPS. German [customs](http://www.zoll-d.de/c0_reise_und_post/b0_postverkehr/e0_vub/index.html) makes no mention of the issue. I’d say it’s a bureaucratic bumble. Some little USPS apparatchik was reading a site like the SDMB, read a rumour and enacted a ruling in a funny little demonstration of self propagating crap. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-mail-playing-cards-to-germany/244052/10 "2004-05-08T07:13:10Z")
> [@Meeko](#): > > More to the point, the red dye used for the Diamonds and Hearts on some cards is explosive. I beleive one prision inmate commited suicide by cutting all the red “parts” from his deck, put it into a tube, and blew himself up. I think I read that that’s only true for the old paper cards, and that anyone who tries to do this with modern plastic-coated cards are SOL. ---
**Author:** ![kellner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c2a13f/32.png) [@kellner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellner)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-mail-playing-cards-to-germany/244052/11 "2004-05-08T10:59:15Z")
> [@Gest](#): > > The issue is with American authorities and not the Germans. The only people claiming cards are prohibited are Americans or the USPS. I think they just forgot to update this for 23 years. Until 1981 there was a _Spielkartensteuer_ (playing card tax): fewer than 3 layers of paper: 0.30 DM 3 or more layers: 0.50 DM Any material but paper: 1.50 DM Decks of no more than 24 cards: -50% Decks of more than 48 cards: +50% 1 DM equals ca. $0.60 at todays exchange rates, and of course we had our share of inflation over the decades. The law required that playing cards could only be imported in complete decks (with exceptions for antique cards and cards for trivia games…) and obviously the tax had to be paid. Nowadays there shouldn’t be a problem with mailing cards but since changes in the playing card tax sector don’t make world wide headlines, nobody bothered to update the list so far. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2004, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-mail-playing-cards-to-germany/244052/12 "2004-05-08T19:36:10Z")
> [@BobT](#): > > Here is the full list of what the USPS says you cannot mail to Germany: > > \ > Pulverized coca beans. > Radioactive materials. > Melatonin. > Live plants and animals. > Arms and weapons. > Human remains. “What are six items necessary for a really wild weekend, Alex?” ---
**Author:** ![Gest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9d8465/32.png) [@Gest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gest)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-mail-playing-cards-to-germany/244052/13 "2004-05-09T04:38:09Z")
I’m not so sure about that kellner. The imposition of a tax doesn’t mean a good’s import is prohibited. In fact, on the contrary, I’d infer that the tax allows for legal importation. The web page I found the info about the Steuer also says it was dropped because it didn’t collect much revenue and to simplify administration. Not because partial pack importation was decriminalised. ---
**Author:** ![kellner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c2a13f/32.png) [@kellner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellner)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-mail-playing-cards-to-germany/244052/14 "2004-05-09T11:51:12Z")
> [@Gest](#): > > The web page I found the info about the Steuer also says it was dropped because it didn’t collect much revenue and to simplify administration. Not because partial pack importation was decriminalised. I know. It went the way of the _match tax_, the _acetic acid tax_ and others. > [@](#): > > I’m not so sure about that kellner. The imposition of a tax doesn’t mean a good’s import is prohibited. In fact, on the contrary, I’d infer that the tax allows for legal importation. Yes, it did - but only complete decks. Because it was abolished back in the pre-digital era and I don’t have access to a library today, I haven’t found the text of the law. However the Federal Bureau of Statistics says that: “Dabei durften Spielkarten nur verpackt als vollständige Spiele aus dem Herstellungsgebiet entfernt oder in das Erhebungsgebiet eingeführt und dort umgesetzt werden. Sie mußten außerdem in bestimmter Weise gekennzeichnet sein.” - “Then Playing cards were only allowed to be removed from the area of manufacture or imported to the area of imposition [of the tax i.e. Germany] and transacted there packaged as whole decks. Furthermore they had to be marked in a particular way.” [Cite (German)](http://www-zr.destatis.de/def/def1095.htm) ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-mail-playing-cards-to-germany/244052/15 "2004-05-10T16:05:53Z")
Here is the full list of what the USPS says you cannot mail to Germany: > [@](#): > > Absinthe. > Articles bearing political or religious notations on the address side. > Weapons and ammunition: Weapons, parts of weapons, and projectiles may be imported only with a special permit to be granted by the competent authorities of the Federal Government or the Government of the respective Federal State. > Perishable infectious biological substances. > Playing cards, except in complete decks properly wrapped. > Pulverized coca beans. > Radioactive materials. > Melatonin. > Live plants and animals. > Arms and weapons. > Human remains. Well, while we’re at it, why specifically _pulverized_ coca beans? And what is Melatonin doing on this list? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-mail-playing-cards-to-germany/244052/16 "2004-05-10T16:17:18Z")
> [@tanstaafl](#): > > Well, while we’re at it, why specifically _pulverized_ coca beans? And what is Melatonin doing on this list? Melatonin is restricted in many countries (IIRC Spain, Holland, Switzerland), partly due to its untested possible effects on some groups of people. ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-mail-playing-cards-to-germany/244052/17 "2004-05-10T23:49:02Z")
> [@BobT](#): > > Here is the full list of what the USPS says you cannot mail to Germany: They got weapons on their twice. Must be serious. ---
**Author:** ![MelCthefirst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@MelCthefirst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MelCthefirst)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2004, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-mail-playing-cards-to-germany/244052/18 "2004-05-11T04:22:17Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Melatonin is restricted in many countries (IIRC Spain, Holland, Switzerland), partly due to its untested possible effects on some groups of people. What does Melatonin look like. I did a test a while back trying to find your ‘body drug of choice’ eg seratonin, adrenalin, insulin etc. Mine was Melatonin because I need lots of sleep to function at full energy. How would you a. extract it, b. carry it? ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2004, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-mail-playing-cards-to-germany/244052/19 "2004-05-11T16:38:39Z")
> [@MelCthefirst](#): > > What does Melatonin look like. I did a test a while back trying to find your ‘body drug of choice’ eg seratonin, adrenalin, insulin etc. Mine was Melatonin because I need lots of sleep to function at full energy. How would you a. extract it, b. carry it? The stuff I have is small white tablets. You can find them in the herb/natural medicine aisle of just about any drugstore or grocery store. That’s why I was surprised to see it on the list. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2004, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-mail-playing-cards-to-germany/244052/20 "2004-05-11T17:01:41Z")
> [@Meeko](#): > > More to the point, the red dye used for the Diamonds and Hearts on some cards is explosive. I beleive one prision inmate commited suicide by cutting all the red “parts” from his deck, put it into a tube, and blew himself up. William Poundstone in _Big Secrets_ says it’s possible, but extremely unlikely. It’s possible because back in the days of uncoated playing cards the red dye contained diazo compounds, which could potentially react with glycerin to produce a nitroglyercin-esque substance. Whether enough dye is present on the spot cards to actually produce an explosive is open to question. (I have some uncoated playing cards, but you will have to pry them from my cold, dead hands to cut those ones up!) However, it’s highly unlikely that a prisoner could have made a bomb like this. Poundstone also says that you need a detonator such as potassium permanganate. Where would a jailed man find that? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-mail-playing-cards-to-germany/244052.md?page=2)