1. What Is a Trading Card?
A trading card is a card that is made, sold, and given away mainly so people can collect them or trade them with friends. In Japan, these are often shortened to "toreka" [1].
Some cards are used to play against other people. Games like Pokémon Card or Yu-Gi-Oh! are called "Trading Card Games," or TCGs [1].
2. How Shop Advertisements in Europe Became Collectible Cards in America
The first cards that led to today's trading cards were called "trade cards." These were advertisements handed out by shops to promote their products. The first trade cards were printed in Lyon, France, in 1674. By the end of the 17th century, they had spread to Paris, Lyon, and London [11].
In the second half of the 19th century, color lithography (a printing method) improved in the United States. This helped trade cards reach their peak popularity. After the American Civil War, they became very common in the US. As people started to "collect" them instead of just using them as ads, true trading cards were born [11].
From the 1870s to the 1880s, tobacco companies began putting cards inside cigarette packages. The cards came in series, and the fun of collecting cards with the same theme attracted customers [1]. English Wikipedia notes that Allen and Ginter in the US and W.D. & H.O. Wills in the UK were among the first tobacco companies to print ads on these cards in 1886 and 1888. By 1900, 300 companies had made thousands of different sets of tobacco cards [2].
3. How Baseball Cards Made Card Collecting Popular in the US
In the US, cards featuring baseball players became very popular. In 1868, a sports shop in New York called Peck and Snyder started making baseball team cards. These are considered some of the first baseball cards [3].
One card is especially rare. In 1909, the American Tobacco Company released a set called "T206" to put inside cigarette boxes. This set was made for 3 years. The card featuring Honus Wagner is the most famous. It is still very hard to find. In 2015, it was estimated that fewer than 60 of these cards still exist [3].
Gum companies also used cards. In 1933, the Goudey Gum Company was the first to put baseball cards inside bubble gum. It was a large set of 240 cards for that time, including cards for Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig [2] [3].
In 1952, Topps began making large sets. They included full-color photos, printed signatures, and player stats on the back. Collectors consider this the first set of "modern baseball cards" [3].
4. Menko and Bonus Cards: Japan's Early Card Games and Collectibles
Japan had similar games. One was called "menko." In the early 18th century, "mud menko" appeared. These were made from baked clay. During the Tenpo years (1831-1845) at the end of the Edo period, children were so obsessed that the shogunate issued bans many times [12].
Paper menko, which we know today, appeared in the 1880s (Meiji 20s). They spread quickly [12] and remained popular in Japan during the Showa era [7].
Candy companies also gave away cards. In 1922, Ezaki Glico added "picture cards" to their "Glico" candy. This was the start of Glico toys [13].
Calbee sold "Kamen Rider Snack" in 1971 and "Pro Baseball Snack" in 1973. They added cards because they wanted children to enjoy snacks and cards together [14].
Lotte released "Bikkuriman Choco" in 1977. It became a huge boom with the "Devil vs. Angel Stickers" in 1985. In 1988, Bandai started selling "Carddass" [8] [1].
5. The First Playable Trading Card Game Started in America
A game where you play against someone using cards was born in the US in 1993. The game "Magic: The Gathering" was released by Wizards of the Coast. It is generally considered the first trading card game [1].
Richard Garfield created the game. It was released on August 5, 1993. According to English Wikipedia, 2.5 million cards sold out at the Gen Con convention that year. By October 1993, 10 million cards had been sold [4].
Traditional Magic packs have 15 cards. Cards have 4 levels of rarity: Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Mythic Rare. Play Boosters introduced in 2024 have 14 cards [4]. A key feature of TCGs is selling random packs where you do not know what is inside until you open the bag.
6. How Pokémon Card and Yu-Gi-Oh! Grew in Japan
The first serious TCG born in Japan was Pokémon Card. The first product was released on October 20, 1996, by Media Factory (at that time) [5]. The Pokémon Card company describes it as "Japan's first serious trading card game" [15].
The official site says it is a game for two players. You can start with expansion packs that have a few random cards, or a 60-card deck [9].
Yu-Gi-Oh! also grew in Japan. The card game was released by Konami in February 1999. It is based on the card game from the manga "Yu-Gi-Oh!" by Kazuki Takahashi [6] [10] [16].
Guinness World Records recognizes Yu-Gi-Oh! as the "best-selling trading card game in the world." It says more than 25 billion cards were sold as of 2011 [17].
According to Japanese Wikipedia, Pokémon Card took the number 1 spot in the domestic TCG market in 2019. By the end of March 2024, more than 64.8 billion cards had been made worldwide [5]. Note that Yu-Gi-Oh! numbers refer to cards sold, while Pokémon numbers refer to cards made. The counting periods are also different, so these numbers cannot be compared directly.
7. How to Learn More by Looking at Your Own Cards
If you want to learn more, look closely at the cards you have at home.
Check the back of the card. It might have the year it was released or the name of the company that made it. Ask someone at home what cards or stickers they collected when they were children.
If you write down just one word you are curious about, it can be a starting point for research later. Even a question like "How do you play menko?" is enough.