The system was changed again in 1862 when official threepenny duty wrappers were introduced and although the makers were free to use whatever design they wanted, most chose to keep the ornate ace of spades that is popular today. The association of the ace of spades with death may spring from such events. This was a capital offence, the prosecutor the Attorney General Spencer Perceval (later to become the prime minister assassinated in 1812) obtained the conviction of Richard Harding and he was hanged in 1805. One maker of cards was caught in possession of forged aces and the equipment to produce them. In 1828 the Duty Ace of Spades (known as "Old Frizzle") was printed to indicate a reduced duty of a shilling had been paid.
In 1765 hand stamping was replaced by the printing of the official ace of spades by the Stamp Office, incorporating the royal coat of arms. From 1712 onwards, one of the cards in the pack, usually the ace of spades, was marked with a hand stamp. Over the years, a number of methods were used to show that duty had been paid.
Stamp duty, an idea imported to England by Charles I, was extended to playing cards in 1711 by Queen Anne and lasted until 1960. The ornate design of the ace of spades, common in packs today, stems from the 17th century, when James I and later Queen Anne imposed laws requiring the ace of spades to bear an insignia of the printing house. The actual value of the card varies from game to game. The Ace of Spades (also known as the Spadille and Death Card ) is traditionally the highest and most valued card in the deck of playing cards in English-speaking countries.
0 kommentar(er)
