You’ve probably heard the rumors. Maybe you saw a blurry TikTok or a frantic Reddit thread from five years ago. People were tearing apart their expensive game boxes like they were looking for buried treasure. Why? Because the internet convinced everyone there was a cards against humanity card in lid just waiting to be discovered.
It sounds like a prank. Honestly, with this company, it usually is.
Cards Against Humanity (CAH) has built an entire brand on being unpredictable, cynical, and occasionally making their customers do very stupid things for a laugh. They once sold literal bull manure. They dug a giant hole in the ground for no reason other than people paid them to do it. So, when the legend of the "hidden card" started circulating, people didn't just ignore it. They grabbed X-Acto knives.
But here is the thing: the mystery of the cards against humanity card in lid isn't just a myth. It’s a specific piece of tabletop gaming history that involves the "Bigger Blacker Box," a healthy dose of skepticism, and a very real hidden reward for people willing to destroy their own property.
The Truth About the Hidden Card
Let's get the facts straight right away. If you own the standard, rectangular black box of Cards Against Humanity, stop what you are doing. Don't go to the kitchen for a box cutter. There is nothing in there. You will just end up with a ruined box and a mess of cardboard fibers on your carpet.
The legend specifically applies to the Bigger Blacker Box.
This was a massive storage case released years ago, designed to hold the base game and all the expansions that were bloating everyone's shelves. The creators, including Max Temkin and the rest of the Chicago-based team, decided to reward the most obsessive fans. They tucked a single, unique card inside the physical structure of the box itself.
It wasn't just sitting in the bottom under the tray. It was literally sandwiched between the layers of the cardboard lid or the base.
🔗 Read more: Among Us Spider-Man: Why Everyone Is Still Obsessed With These Mods
Why would a company hide a card in the packaging?
Because it's funny. Also, it fits their "Black Friday" energy. CAH has always leaned into the idea of "anti-consumerism" while simultaneously being a massive commercial success. By hiding a cards against humanity card in lid, they forced fans to choose between keeping a pristine, expensive storage box or damaging it to find a "secret" that might not even be there.
Most people found the card "Biggest, Blackest Dick." It’s a foil card. It’s shiny. It’s exactly the kind of juvenile humor you expect from the game that turned "The blood of Christ" into a punchline.
How to Actually Find the Cards Against Humanity Card in Lid
If you happen to have an older version of the Bigger Blacker Box, you might be sitting on a hidden gem. But you have to be careful. You don't want to just shred the thing.
First, check the lid. Most reports from the early 2010s confirmed that the card was located behind the paper lining of the top lid. If you run your fingers along the inside surface, you might feel a slight rectangular bump. It’s subtle. You’ll think you’re imagining it. You aren’t.
- Step 1: Empty the box. Obviously.
- Step 2: Use a bright flashlight. Shine it at an angle across the interior of the lid. You are looking for a silhouette.
- Step 3: Use a razor or a very sharp knife to carefully slit the paper lining.
- Step 4: Peel it back slowly.
Some users found their card in the bottom of the box instead of the lid. This led to a lot of confusion in the community. Basically, CAH changed the placement between different production runs. It was a chaotic way to manage a "secret," which is exactly why it worked so well as a viral marketing stunt.
The Evolution of the Secret
As time went on, the secret became less of a secret. Once the internet knows something, the magic sorta dies, right?
CAH eventually released newer versions of the Bigger Blacker Box. In some of these, they stopped hiding the card in the cardboard and just started including "hidden" compartments or secret envelopes. It’s less "destructive" now, which is probably better for the environment but arguably less "punk rock" than making people butcher their gaming gear.
💡 You might also like: Why the Among the Sleep Mom is Still Gaming's Most Uncomfortable Horror Twist
There was also the "Hidden Compartment Pack." This wasn't a card in a lid, but a set of cards hidden inside a different product entirely. They love this trope. They’ve hidden cards in socks, in wet wipes, and reportedly in the packaging of their various holiday "stunts."
Does the card even matter for gameplay?
Not really.
If you've played CAH more than three times, you know that the "special" cards are usually just for shock value. The cards against humanity card in lid—the "Biggest, Blackest Dick"—is just another high-tier offensive card. It won’t fundamentally change your strategy (if you can even call "matching the funniest phrase" a strategy).
The value is in the rarity. On secondary markets like eBay, these foil cards sometimes pop up for $20, $50, or even more, depending on the condition and how "cleanly" they were removed from the box. For a piece of paper that costs a fraction of a cent to print, that’s a pretty decent ROI for the company’s brand loyalty.
Common Misconceptions and Internet Hoaxes
Because this was so successful, people started making stuff up.
I’ve seen YouTube videos claiming there is a card hidden in the original base game box. There isn't. People have torn apart their $25 starter sets only to find... more cardboard. Don't be that person.
There were also rumors about a "Secret Hitler" crossover card hidden in CAH lids. While CAH and the creators of Secret Hitler are closely linked (Max Temkin co-designed both), that specific crossover was usually handled through official expansion packs or Kickstarter rewards, not by hiding stuff in the glue of a box lid.
📖 Related: Appropriate for All Gamers NYT: The Real Story Behind the Most Famous Crossword Clue
Why you might not find anything
If you bought your Bigger Blacker Box recently—say, in the last 2 or 3 years—you likely have a version where the secret has been moved or removed. Production processes change. Sometimes, the labor cost of manually inserting a card into a lid during the manufacturing process just doesn't make sense anymore, even for a joke.
Also, counterfeit sets are everywhere. If you bought a "cheap" version of CAH from a sketchy third-party seller on a major marketplace, you’re definitely not getting a hidden card. You’re lucky if the cards are spelled correctly.
The Cultural Impact of the Hidden Card
This whole saga says a lot about modern gaming. We want more than just a product; we want an experience. We want to feel like we’re part of an "in-joke."
When you find that cards against humanity card in lid, you aren't just getting a game piece. You’re participating in a piece of performance art. You’re "one of the ones who knew." That’s powerful marketing. It’s the same reason people hunt for Easter eggs in Marvel movies or search for hidden levels in video games.
It also highlights the weird relationship CAH has with its fans. They treat their customers like friends they can play pranks on. Sometimes the prank is "I hid a card in your box," and sometimes the prank is "I'm going to charge you $5 to send you a piece of coal."
Actionable Steps for the Curious Collector
If you’re staring at your box right now, wondering if you should perform surgery on it, follow this checklist before you ruin your game:
- Identify your version. Look at the bottom of the box for a copyright date or a version number. The "Bigger Blacker Box" (versions 1.0 and 2.0) are the primary candidates for the hidden card.
- The "Feel" Test. Run your hand along the inside of the lid. Don't just look for a bump; look for a slight indentation or a change in the "give" of the cardboard. A card is denser than the surrounding air gaps in corrugated cardboard.
- Check the "Box Press." Sometimes the card is actually in the very bottom of the box, underneath the plastic or foam insert. Lift the insert out entirely. If the bottom feels unusually thick or heavy, the "secret" might be down there.
- Evaluate the Risk. If your box is in mint condition and you plan on selling it one day, don't cut it. The card inside is worth money, but a destroyed box significantly lowers the value of the set as a whole.
- Use a Flashlight. As mentioned before, "Raking" light is your best friend. Turn off the overhead lights and shine a phone light parallel to the surface of the lid. Any foreign object inside will cast a tiny, internal shadow that disrupts the texture of the paper.
If you do decide to go for it, use a hobby knife (like an X-Acto) and only cut three sides of a small rectangle. This allows you to "flap" the paper back and glue it back down if you find nothing but disappointment.
Ultimately, the cards against humanity card in lid is a testament to the era of viral tabletop gaming. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most interesting part of a game isn't what's written on the cards, but the weird, chaotic energy the creators put into the packaging itself. Whether you find a shiny foil card or just a handful of paper scraps, you’ve now officially become part of the CAH lore.
Just maybe... don't cut yourself. That's a different kind of "Red Expansion" nobody wants.