Deck View: Pioneers (Red Edition) Playing Cards

Discovery. Liberty. Curiosity.

Following the success of the OG Blue Edition, Pioneers Red Edition Playing Cards brings a bold new colorway to Ellusionist's vintage-inspired series. Designed by Oban Jones, the deck remains fully custom, with every detail... from the tuck box and card backs to the pips, aces, and jokers, painstakingly hand-drawn.

The card back retains its intricate artwork featuring Lady Liberty, a phoenix, and references to the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, while concealing a fully marked system for magicians. The striking red colour palette gives the deck a fresh look while preserving the original's period-inspired aesthetic.

Housed in a tuck designed to resemble vintage paper stock, the Red Edition is printed by Cartamundi, delivering smooth handling and durability for collectors, magicians, and everyday play.

Deck View: El Reino de los Muertos (Expert Edition) Playing Cards

Tradition. Mythology. Modern.

The El Reino de los Muertos (Expert Edition) Playing Cards celebrate Mexico’s rich cultural heritage through a fully custom deck inspired by Día de los Muertos traditions and pre-Hispanic mythology. Created as both an artistic and cultural tribute by Sextante studio, the deck explores themes of life, death, remembrance, and the journey to Mictlan, the underworld of Aztec belief.

Every card features original artwork, from the custom courts and aces to the numbered cards, jokers, and back design. The courts depict iconic Mexican figures reimagined in the style of calaveras and catrinas, including revolutionary heroes and ancient deities. The aces combine traditional Day of the Dead imagery with pre-Hispanic symbols, while the vibrant back design incorporates cempasúchil flowers, papel picado, skull motifs, and indigenous influences.

Printed by Cartamundi on Slimline B9 stock and finish, the deck offers premium handling alongside its striking artwork. Limited to 5,000 decks, it stands as a distinctive fusion of Mexican tradition and modern playing card design.

Deck View: Rattler Gorge (Noir Edition) Playing Cards

Legends. Noir. Western.

The Rattler (Gorge Noir Edition) Playing Cards reimagines the Old West through the lens of classic black-and-white cinema. Designed by Tim Coonfield in collaboration with DeckIdea, this fully custom deck captures the characters, stories, and atmosphere of a frontier town where every card contributes to the narrative.

The two-way back design centers around a revolver chamber, enhanced with intricate ornamental details inspired by engraved firearms. Custom courts introduce a cast of memorable western personalities, from lawmen and outlaws to travelling salesmen, while the Ace of Spades pays tribute to the weapons that defined life on the frontier.

What truly sets the Noir Edition apart is its monochromatic aesthetic. The black, white, and silver-toned palette evokes the silver-screen westerns that helped turn frontier folklore into legend. This theme extends to the distinctive tuck box, which features strategic die-cut windows resembling saloon doors on the front and a circular cutout on the back that reveals the revolver-inspired card back design beneath.

Printed by Cartamundi on Slim Line stock with B9 Finish, the Noir Edition combines storytelling, custom artwork, and innovative packaging into a striking tribute to the mythology of the American West.

Available from Rare Playing Cards for $31.

Deck View: Grid Series Four Playing Cards

Bold. Typographic. Futuristic.

Grid Series Four playing cards was launched in 2022 and continues the typographic approach of designer Luke Wadey, building on the success of the earlier Grid decks with a striking neon green visual identity. 

Rather than relying on traditional pips, the cards communicate their values through graphic text, numbers, and layered visual cues. Each card contains multiple pieces of information... up to seventeen elements! Allowing the value to be interpreted in several different ways. 

The faces feature full-bleed black and red designs, while the backs use a minimal white-and-green graphic pattern that creates a strong visual effect in fans and spreads. Distinctive Jokers and ad cards bring the deck to 56 cards in total. The redesigned tuck box introduces a unified style intended to carry forward across future Grid releases.

Printed by Cartamundi on Slimline stock with B9 True Linen finish, and available now on Luke Wadey's store for $20.

Deck View: Escape Velocity (Red Edition) Playing Cards

Cosmos. Interstellar. Explore.

The Escape Velocity playing cards is a tribute to the incredible history of space exploration, honoring the brave heroes who defied gravity and ventured into the great unknown.

Designed by Vitaly Sinkevich and produced by Montenzi, each card in this deck is a symbol of the unbreakable spirit and relentless curiosity that drives humans to explore the universe. The Red edition draws inspiration from the fiery bursts of rocket engines. These fully custom decks feature original symmetric courts adorned with retro astronauts, celebrating the pioneers of space exploration. Also, the original pips and layouts for number cards make this deck unique.

The decks come in foil-stamped and embossed red boxes, with a stunning night sky printed inside. As a finishing touch, the sides of the tuck form an image of a rocket, reminding you of the incredible journey you’re about to embark on.

Printed by Cartamundi in Belgium on premium True Linen B9 Slimline stock, they offer exceptional quality for your card games and magic tricks. Available NOW from Montenzi for $16.

Deck View: Aurelian (White Edition) Playing Cards

Power. Majesty. Rome.

The Aurelian Playing Cards by Ellusionist are among the most intricately designed decks the company has ever produced. Inspired by Roman Emperor Aurelian, who ruled from 270 to 275 AD, the deck was conceived by Geraint Clarke and illustrated by Oban Jones to capture the majesty and power of ancient Rome with an extraordinary level of detail.

Inside, the cards feature hypnotic back designs and fully custom court and number cards, all rendered with refined detail while still maintaining a familiar structure. The Ace of Spades stands out with golden swords, spears, and whips, while the jokers are a nod to classic Tally-Ho Cowboy designs.

The White Aurelian edition comes in a luxurious tuck box with gold foil and adorned with deep embossing. Inside the tuck, layers of gold foil oak leaf illustrations represent the Emperor’s Civic Crown, offering a regal finishing touch.

Printed by Cartamundi on E7 luxury pressed stock.

Warrior Playing Cards by Ellusionist

Warrior Playing Cards bring a minimalist aesthetic combined with hidden card revelations. Designed by Romy Meermans from Elluionist, these cards are inspired by the timeless elegance of classic two-logo decks like Jerry’s, Rounders, and Kings. 

Warrior Playing Cards blend style with substance, crafted to honor those who move boldly forward, no matter the challenge. The deck are available in Black and White editions.

The White Version includes a fully customized deck with a double-backed card and a duplicate 4 of Clubs. The Black Version offers a unique Angle Z gaff card alongside the duplicate 4 of Clubs, making each colorway distinct and versatile for magic or cardistry.

Printed on Cartamundi’s luxury E7 slimline stock. Available now for $12.95 on Ellusionist, Warrior Playing Cards are more than a deck—they’re a tribute to resilience and effortless style.

Varius (Classic Edition) Playing Cards

Unique. Tribal. Vibrant.

Varius Playing Cards by Montenzi Design draws inspiration from the stunning patterns of ancient tiles, bringing that timeless beauty into a modern deck.

This fully custom deck features standard faces enhanced with Montenzi’s unique artistic flair. The Aces are all custom-designed, with the Ace of Diamonds standing out as the power ace, a departure from the traditional Spades. The court cards have been reimagined in Montenzi’s distinctive art style while preserving the classic feel. They boast clean lines and vibrant colors, creating a striking visual appeal.

The cards will be printed by Cartamundi on B9 Slimline Stock with True Linen finish. Available for $15 from Montenzi.

Sugar Crave Playing Cards

Sweet. Pink. Fun.

The Sugar Crave is the prequel to the Blue Jay Dentistry series, created by Elettra Deganello in collaboration with Meadowlark Playing Cards. Fully custom, the back design took some of the core features from the OG Meadowlark deck and redesigned it to maintain its uniqueness. The Dentistry sub-theme was also incorporated in a fun yet sophisticated way. 

For the face cards, the Blue Jay was drawn in a fashion to be cohesive with the rest of the deck including the court cards, Aces, and Jokers. The pre-dominant pink colorway with gold metallic ink makes the deck looks fun and sophisticated at the same time. 

The tuck boxes are printed in Italy by Boschiero & Newton with golden, pink, and white hot foil on pulp coloured paper stock. Printed by Cartamundi on B9 Slimline card stock.

Zebra King Slayers Playing Cards

Constast. Black. White.

The Zebra King Slayers by Ellusionist is the follow-up to the minimalist King Slayers series. This eye-catching deck features the famous contrasting black and white stripes of the Zebra on the tuck and the card backs. The face cards, with the exception of the Ace of Spades and Jokers, are mostly standard. However, they have been improved with Zebra stripes on the pips to go along with the theme of the deck.

Like the original King Slayers, the tuck showcases the weapon of choice – the sword of the suicide king. The same sword is prominently featured throughout, from the custom mirrored card backs, jokers to the bold Ace of Spades. The number and court cards are standard but enhanced to match the overall color palette of the respective colorway.

The cards are printed on Luxury Pressed E7 Stock by Cartamundi cards.

Vacuum Tube Space Playing Cards

Rocket. Cosmonauts. Space.

The Vacuum Tube Space deck is a sci-fi-themed deck created by Russian graphic designer Vitaly Sinkevich and produced by Deallez Pro. This deck has unique cartoon-style images on the face cards. The back design is very detailed and includes vacuum lamps, tubes, old TV sets, burning rocket nozzles, analog switchers, and dial gauges.

The court cards showcase colorful cosmonauts and astronauts of the Vacuum Tube World – members of the international crew of some very important space campaign. The custom aces depict compositions with curious components, which are specific to analog technologies. Vacuum tubes are presented in each of the aces.

Printed by Cartamundi, the deck is kept in a tuck box pretending to come from the sixties of the imaginary twentieth century, where the whole story of the deck takes place. The design mimics the look of an old TV and features gold foil, embossed elements, and color-printed interior. 

Black Hole Edition Orbits Playing Cards

The Black Hole Edition Orbits playing cards was born from the visionary mind of Joe Feldpausch back in 2017. After years of conceptualization and shelving, this unique deck finally sees the light of day, thanks to the collaborative efforts of Joe and the designer Daniel Schneider.

Meticulously crafted over a year in pre-production, this deck boasts a distinctive design where the hole mirrors the signature Orbit O on the back, creating an intriguing visual effect. With warped card faces around the black hole, this deck promises not only a fresh aesthetic but also invites exploration of new grips and moves.

Crafted for cardists, and collectors the Black Hole Edition Orbits is a must-have for those seeking innovation and style in their playing card collection. Printed by Cartamundi on B9 True Linen Finish and available NOW from Orbit Decks for $15.

Butterfly Playing Cards Workers Edition Gold and Silver!

Part of the triple release last week... the latest addition to the Butterfly Playing Cards lineup includes the Gold and Silver Butterfly Worker Editions. These decks exude elegance, luxury, and sophistication, making them a must-have for collectors and enthusiasts alike.

Originally planned as stretch goals for the Workers Kickstarter campaign, the demand for Holographic Butterflies took precedence. However, the allure of the Gold and Silver Editions was undeniable, prompting their production and release.

Encased in matte white tuck boxes adorned with intricate foil details, each deck radiates opulence from the moment you lay eyes on it. Inside, a stunning fully foiled flower pattern greets you, setting the stage for the visual feast that awaits.

What sets these decks apart is the exquisite foiling adorning the back design, the flower Joker, all court cards, and the Ace of Spades. The combination of foil against a white background enhances the reflectiveness to the maximum, creating a mesmerizing visual effect.

Each deck includes a double backer and a blank face card, adding versatility to your magic routines and performances. While the Gold and Silver Workers are not marked, they feature one-way faces and back design for added intrigue and mystery.

Printed by Cartamundi on Slimline stock with a B9 Finish and available now on Butterfly Magic Store for $21. Limited to 500 decks of each edition, with a maximum purchase limit of two decks per customer, these decks are designed to be accessible to all card lovers and Butterfly collectors alike.

The Eye Of The Ocean Solis Edition Playing Cards

Adventure. Puzzle. Ocean.

The Eye Of The Ocean Solis Edition playing cards was part of Lorenzo Gaggiotti‘s most ambitious project on Kickstarter back in 2021. The custom card back design showcases an ocean blue and gold colorway. Also, the hand-illustrated court cards and custom aces, featuring islands, contribute to a secret puzzle. Solis includes an extra card printed with letterpress on cotton paper, essential for the puzzle.

The exquisite tuck-boxes, designed with a custom closure, boast unique features. All tucks are printed by Oath Playing Cards and feature embossing and foil. Printed in Belgium by Cartamundi on B9-slimline true linen finish paper stock.

Black Requiem Counterspell Playing Cards

Healed. Magick. Luxury.

Designed by Lorenzo Gaggiotti, the special edition Black Requiem Counterspell playing cards feature 100% custom artwork, revolving around themes of darkness and pain. The gold and silver foil embellishments on the face cards and gold foil on the back design give it a touch of luxury!

Despite the dark illustrations on the Courts, Jokers, and Aces, the Black Requiem executes a counterspell by incorporating Magick sigils on these cards, conveying the associated emotions. Each court card and Ace features a Magick sigil printed with cold foil application at the center, with gold for hearts and diamonds and silver for clubs and spades.

The tuck box is adorned with white foil, black foil, embossing, and an inner color in a deep, shiny red on black paper stock. Printed by Cartamundi, this exquisite deck is currently available for purchase on stockholm17 for $25.

Craps Playing Cards by Mechanical Industries

Mechanical Industries is well-known for its flipbook-styled animation playing cards. Over the last two years, they have started the casino-themed animated cards – Roulette Playing Cards, a deck based on the roulette game; and its Fanimation version, where the cards can be fanned to form a roulette wheel complete with a ball. Craps Playing Cards is the latest edition of the Casino series.

As the title suggests, the deck is based on ‘Craps’, a popular dice betting game in casinos. The deck features an innovative 3D flip-book animation of dice rolling along a Craps table. Because the back is animated, the deck can be used as a marked deck, by using their trademark 13-back repeating system.

The cards will feature black side printing along with a thin black border on the faces. It gives the appearance of a Craps table. This design allows the amazing visual appeal of card flourishes.

The Ace of Spades featured the power pip showing the deck title along with a pair of dice. Most of the pips and numbered cards are all standard. The court cards are customized similarly to its predecessor Roulette deck – the royals are shown holding cash, rakes, and especially the dice. The Jokers featured a pair of dice, each showing the numbers 7 and 11, both numbers that win the bet.

Also included a Joker and a flattened dice gaff for an amazing thematic magic effect involving dice. The blank face Joker may allow you to magically pop out dice from the cards. There are magic tricks that can be done using this deck. Free tutorials will be provided within the deck.

Printed by Cartamundi on their premium stock with the latest finishing techniques. The deck is now available for $13 from Vanishing Inc.

Esoteric (Static Edition) Playing Cards

Silver. Magic. Foil.

The Esoteric Deck Static Edition is a collaboration between Vanishing Inc. and magician Eric Jones. This fully custom deck is designed by Destino with both magicians and deck collectors in mind.

Esoteric combines a gorgeous aesthetic with an elegant back design in ravishing silver complemented perfectly by reimagined faces.

The deck is packed in a silver foil-embossed tuck box with no seal. Printed by Cartamundi on superior quality slimline stock with a B9 finish.

Butterfly (Winter Edition) Playing Cards

Cool. Frosty. Blue.

The cool Butterfly (Winter Edition) Playing Cards are conceptualized by Ondrej Psenicka and beautifully designed by Swedish graphic designer and magician Stefan Eriksson. The Winter edition features a beautiful card back in frosty winter colors. The shades of blue of the design elements pop against the black-bordered backs and mirrored butterfly logo.

The face cards have standard US faces with custom colors that match the seasonal back design. The gorgeous colored Ace of Spades is custom along with two butterfly silhouette jokers.

Printed by Cartamundi on Slimline stock with B9 finish. The Butterfly Winter Edition decks are now available from Butterfly Magic Store for $18 each.

The Edge of Chaos: Harmony and Discord on Kickstarter

Less than a week on Kickstarter, The Edge of Chaos: Harmony & Discord by RelentlessVenture introduces two contrasting decks inspired by the eternal struggle symbolized by dragons. The Discord deck embodies a darker, chaotic essence with dominant red and black tones, portraying ominous dragons. In contrast, the Harmony deck exudes subtlety with white and gray hues, featuring serene dragons.

The Kickstarter campaign offers Standard tuck boxes and exclusive Deluxe versions with colored edges, packed in ornate, openwork boxes. Each tuck box will have a unique number and seal for authenticity.

These decks feature custom illustrations meticulously crafted from scratch, portraying characters with accompanying dragons as their spiritual guides.

Aces showcase unique dragons representing either discord or harmony through nuanced variations. Numeric cards, aligned with each deck’s essence, maintain traditional colors with innovative touches.

This limited edition, printed by Cartamundi Poland and pledge starts at $16 on Kickstarter.

Now on Kickstarter! Beetle Backs Playing Cards

Now on Kickstarter, Beetle Backs Playing Cards are the latest deck produced by the Gentleman Wake in collaboration with Widakk Design. The Beetle Backs are designed as a luxurious deck of cards intended for game night, magicians, as well as card collectors. The theme explores the Kafkaesque tale of Theodore. G. Willford, an entomologist who is obsessed in his study of the rhinoceros beetle.

There are a total of 6 editions: 4 editions (Crimson Red – Cobalt Blue – Prestige Black – Dynastinae Green) are currently available, with the other 2 (Prism Purple and Legacy Gold) locked behind stretch goals. The tuck box for Crimson – Cobalt – Prestige – Legacy features a typographic work saying the title of the series, along with an intricate framework with TGW initials and the illustration of a rhinoceros beetle. As for the tuck box for Dynastinae – Prism, it features the portrait of the entomologist as an anthropomorphic beetle. Studio Pression in France will produce all tuck boxes.

There are two different designs for the backs of the Beetle Backs. For Crimson – Cobalt – Prestige – Legacy, the back design features a two-way illustration of the beetle entomologist sitting in his vintage study within the intricate border. For Dynastinae – Prism, the back design features a symmetrical mirrored illustration of the entomologist standing with a cane complete with the initials of TGW.

The artworks will be printed on ivory background: CMYK with Metallic Pantone inks for Crimson and Cobalt – beautiful gold cold foiling for Prestige, Legacy, and Dynastinae – divine holographic cold foil for Prism. The cards for Legacy, Dynastinae, and Prism will be gilded.

The faces of the cards are designed in a way that is suitable for gameplay and magic, yet luxurious with custom artworks. The pips are all standard, with a single pip on each Number Cards will have the TGW initials. The court cards feature Widakk’s iteration of the classic courts, with hidden details of rhinoceros beetle – a homage to Widakk’s “The Devils in the Details”.

All of the Aces feature customized enlarged pips – Ace of Spades features an elaborate artwork of a flying entomologist within the floral framework and a glimpse of his gentleman study; the other Aces depict the multiple stages of metamorphosis of Theodore G. Willford – from man to beetle. Both Jokers feature identical illustrations of the beetle riding a penny-farthing, a homage to the vintage Bicycle jokers. The extra cards feature the portrait of the entomologist and the TGW placard.

All of the cards will be printed with Cartamundi on B9 Slimline stock with Linen Finish. Pledge starts at $20 for either Crimson or Cobalt Edition OR $26 for the Prestige Edition on Kickstarter.