Merle Robbins (September 12, 1911 – January 14, 1984) was an Americanbarber fromReading, Ohio, who invented thecard gameUNO.[1]
In 1971, he invented UNO to resolve an argument with his son Ray, a teacher, about the rules ofCrazy Eights.[2] The original decks were designed and made on the family dining room table. He and his family mortgaged their home to raise $8,000 and created the first 5,000 UNO decks to sell. At first, he sold them out of his barber shop, while his son Ray handed them out to his students. In 1972, he sold the rights to UNO to International Games for $50,000 plusroyalties of 10 cents per copy.[1]
Today, the game is produced by toy giantMattel in 80 countries and has sold 151 million copies worldwide.
Robbins died in 1984 inCincinnati. He was 72.[3][4]
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