Playing Card Deck

"Stick cards" or Gun Pai 棍牌. This type of deck contains money cards with three suits: 1-9 of cash, 1-9 of strings (of cash) and 1-9 of myriads (of strings) (wan). There are no extra coat cards such as the White Flower, Old Thousand, or Wang Ying cards nor are there any wild cards or jokers. In the suits of cash coins and strings of coins the value is depicted by the actual number of coins or strings of coins. In the suit of myriads the value is written out in the top of the cards in Chinese characters. The 1 of cash has 十唐 Shi Tang on the front and the 2 of cash has 白玉斋造 Bai Yu Zhai Zao, "made by Baiyuzhai". Rectangular playing cards with backs of black matte. The cards are yellowed with a tacky surface coating and some cards have red symbols painted on the face. The pips and suits are indicated by index marks at the top and bottom.

From Culin publication: "From Hankow. Four packets of twenty-seven each; no coat cards or jokers. Index marks for suits and pips. Total, 108."