The Makers

As advertised on the back of each card, this deck was published by Spanish chocolate company "Chocolates Amatller S. A. Barcelona".Founded in 1797, Amatller remains one of the oldest active chocolatiers in Europe. Throughout its history, and particularly during the early twentieth century, the company engaged in advanced advertising campaigns, frequently produced playing cards as promotional material.

The Cards

The traditional Spanish suit system of cups, clubs and swords, is used, with the exception that instead of coins, there are balls. Pip cards have their values represented by the number of suitmarks shown, while the court cards and Aces show successful Spanish football players of the early twentieth century, with a miniature representation of the traditional playing card in the lower left-hand corner. The Ace of Coins shows the legendary goal keeper, Ricardo Zamora, nicknamed 'el Divino' ('the divine'). A native Catalonian, he played for Barcelona and Real Madrid, as well as RCD Espanyol, as listed on the present example. The trophy for the goalkeeper who has the lowest "goals-to-games" ratio in the Primera División is named after Zamora.