<P> The ace of spades (also known as the spadille) is traditionally the highest card in the deck of playing cards, at least in English - speaking countries . The actual value of the card varies from game to game . In legend and folklore, it is also known as the death card . </P> <P> 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 . Stamp duty, an idea imported to England by Charles I, was extended to playing cards in 1711 by Queen Anne and lasted until 1960 . </P>

What does the ace of spades mean in fortune telling