White was granted US design patent US0D0013473 for his design. For example, on December 5, 1882, George G. The exact design of the ace card was so important, it eventually became the subject of design patents and trademarking.

The ace of spades is thus used to show the card manufacturer's information. 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. 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 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.

Florence La Badie on the Ace of Spades card.