The most mind-blowing story I have ever heard about the origin of playing cards comes from The Mystic Test Book (or The Magic of the Cards). It was published in 1893, and the title page states it was “Written and Compiled Under the Authority of the Mystic Brotherhood, by Olney H. Richmond, Grand Master of the Inner Temple of the Ancient Order of the Magi”. The “test book” that he describes is a standard deck of 52 playing cards. He calls it the test book because he says you can test the truth of the magic in the cards using the methods he describes in detail in the book.

Richmond says that the standard deck has existed far longer than others have stated. He believes that playing cards come from the lost city of Atlantis and that the Magi (such as the ones that visited the baby Jesus) guarded their secrets.

Check out the video below to hear a few excerpts from the book and see some of the tarot charts… or click here to get a throw blanket featuring an image from the book.