Blind Tiger Playing Cards: Delayed Delivery and Apologies from Seasons

In a recent development, the Blind Tiger playing cards, a highly anticipated deck from Seasons, have faced unexpected delays, leaving card enthusiasts customers waiting and frustrated. In an official statement released late last week, Alex Chin has issued an apology for the lack of communication and the extended wait, expressing understanding for the inconvenience caused to supporters.

Alex’s absence from the project was a result of unforeseen medical issues within their family, which impacted their ability to provide timely updates. However, Alex is determined to rectify the situation and regain the trust of their loyal customers by ensuring the completion and delivery of the Blind Tiger decks, along with a committed continuation of the NPCCD series.

Initially, the Blind Tiger deck’s preorder offered an artistic take on the concept of a “Blind Tiger” from various perspectives, including the mystery associated with blind preorders and the visual presentation of the physical deck. However, given the recent lack of communication, Alex acknowledges that uncertainty surrounding the contents of the deck may feel more like a risk than an exciting mystery. In an effort to address this concern, Alex has decided to provide additional information about the deck’s themes and artwork, allowing customers to make an informed decision about continuing with their order.

Due to unforeseen challenges in plastics manufacturing for the main series and an extended assembly time required for the bonus deck, the estimated timeline for delivery has been pushed back to around October. This means customers will have waited a full year since placing their initial orders. Alex acknowledges the inconvenience caused by this delay and sincerely apologizes for any frustration it may have caused. In light of these circumstances, Alex is offering customers two options:

1. Those who feel the timeline or project no longer aligns with their expectations can request a full refund.
2. Customers who wish to continue with their order need not take any further action. Their orders will be maintained, and the decks will be shipped as soon as they are ready.

Alex aims to use his past work and commitment to delivery as evidence of his dedication and integrity in completing this project. He determined to make amends for the delays and regain the trust of his valued customers.

Find Out Who Won the 2021 52 Plus Joker’s Diamond Awards

The 2021 52 Plus Joker Diamond Award winners have been announced on this weekend’s virtual event by 52 Plus Joker. The ‘Artist of the Year’ award went to Alex Chin for NPCCD Hindsight Edition, which had five main decks – two ungilded (Destruction & Disease) and three gilded decks (Dissent, Disaster and Death) – and one bonus deck only available with the purchase of the limited-edition “6 Spirit” set (Hope).

As with Alex’s past designs, there are some interesting innovations he devised, pushing the envelope of playing card design and packaging. One stand-out feature is the box; not a traditional tuck box, but a box that unfolds from the face to open, revealing an interior and exterior design meant to evoke a Greek temple.

Circus playing cards by Marianne Larsen and Martin Helgren won the ‘Deck of the Year’ award. Circus, comes in two versions, Deluxa and Black Mosquito. The Deluxe edition employs two-headed court cards while the Black Mosquito edition has one-way, head and torso portraits, both performed in a dark, Victorianesque style.  The details include a unique deck seal, individually serial-numbered and printed to look like a ticket to the show, metallic inks on the cards, and embossing on the tuck boxes. 

Congratulations to both Alex and Marianne. 😀

Here Are The Winners of the 2020 52 Plus Joker's Diamond Awards

The 2020 52 Plus Joker Diamond Award winners have been announced at this year's virtual convention. The 'Artist of the Year' award went to Jackson Robinson for his numerous releases this year including the Kings Wild Shorts, and table players subscription decks. This is Jackson's first win after being nominated for four consecutive years.

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Absolutely thrilled to announce winning this year's @52plusjoker Diamond Award for 'Deck of the Year' for the submission of the 2019 NPCCD series! . If you have one of these guys in your collection you now have a piece of history in your hands! If you missed out on last year's don't blink because this year's NPCCD deck series drops in 3...2...1 ITS LIVE! Go, go go... to the link in our bio 🤣. Hope to see you there!

A post shared by SEASONS Playing Cards (@seasonsplayingcards) on Oct 17, 2020 at 6:00pm PDT

Also, Alex Chin's NPCCD 2019 Playing Cards won the 'Deck of the Year' award for a beautiful deck series inspired by the beauty of Morocco, commonly known for its mesmerizing architecture and its labyrinth-esque marketplaces. Other decks in the category were Ascension by Steve Minty, Iron Spades by Roxley Games, Luminosity by Blackink Playing Cards, UC19 by Montenzi, and Vivaldi by Passione Playing Cards.

Congratulations to both Jackson and Alex. :D

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The Four Decks Announced at the 52 Plus Joker Virtual Convention

For the first time, playing cards collectors, designers, magicians, producers, and cardists can participate in 52 Plus Joker's 2020 convention virtually. The event started on October 14th and will conclude on October 17th, 2020. Head to 52 Plus Joker's Instagram (@52plusjoker) for daily updates on the schedule and details to join the virtual convention.

Yesterday, FOUR incredible decks were announced:

Screams at Midnight (Penguin Magic)

Designed by Phill Smith from a concept by Kevin Reylek, these horror-themed cards have a fiendish secret built-in, allowing you to know the identity of each card without ever seeing the face. This brand-new Occlusion Marking System lets you perform absolutely brain-busting magic with no sleight of hand! The deck comes with standard recolored faces, bold custom Ace of Spades and Jokers. Also, the deck comes with 3D glasses. Available now for $14.95 on penguinmagic.com

Jerry's Nugget Double Deck Set (Expert Playing Card Co)

Bill Kallush announced the double deck set of these stunning new Jerry's Nugget. What makes these deck set so special? They are printed with Expert's new double foil process! That means double hot stamp foil (red and blue) are applied on the embossed tuck and card backs... no ink. The face cards are standard and only 500 sets will be produced. The deck set is scheduled to be released on Black Friday.

NPCCD 2020 Hindsight (Seasons Playing Cards)

Another STUNNING deck to the NPCCD collection announced by Alex Chin. This time, the theme is about the choices we make and the consequences that follow set in ancient Greece. Like previous NPCCD releases, the 2020 edition sports a unique tuck box with greek sculpture artwork in breathtaking gold foil. Inside, the court cards artwork features characters from ancient Greek mythology with artwork as if found in a lost greek temple. This will be a 6 deck set each with a different story. Pre-order starts on Oct17 and will be priced $235 for the first 48 hours on nationalcardcollectionday.com. Check out the epic trailer above.

52 Plus Joker Club Deck (UUSI)

One of the most highly anticipated deck this year! This year's club deck was revealed by UUSI's Peter Dunham. The deck is fully custom features original hand-drawn artwork by Peter using just 2 colors, black and red. The deck comes with a bold Ace of Spades, custom jokers, old-style suit symbols, and traditional courts inspired from full figure courts popular before the 1900s. The deck does have a vintage look and feel but with a modern simplistic touch.

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Deck View: NPCCD 2019 Playing Cards

Culture. Beauty. Architecture.

In anticipation of the National Playing Card Collection Day (NPCCD) this month, we've decided to feature the NPCCD 2019 deck this week. The beautiiful deck is inspired by the beauty of Morocco, commonly known for its mesmerizing architecture and its labyrinth-esque marketplaces. Designer Alex Chin meticulously encapsulated the culture and architecture design into the deck.

The tuck box exterior is where the journey begins. The 2-piece box is printed on premium linen and pearlescent stocks featuring golden and silver intaglio engravings inside and out. The tuck also showcases an intricate geometry mimicking the detailed plasterwork and textiles of Morocco.

Inside, the face cards feature 4 indices to allow reading right to left connected by the archways Morocco is known for. Interestingly, the court cards are not represented, and instead, a custom plasterwork pattern featuring all the pips was created embedded in the background. Ace of Clubs is the featured ace of NPCCD. The Jokers are lights on and light off. The lights on feature the keyhole silhouette turning into a lantern exposing a genie inside.

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​The 12 Most Funded Kickstarter Playing Cards Campaigns Ever

The custom playing cards market has boomed over the past year, investment in crowd-funded decks have surged and new designs and concepts are pushing the boundaries of the simple constraints of one tuck x four suits x thirteen cards.

There’s no doubt that crowdfunding has had an impact on the playing cards industry. For those unfamiliar with crowdfunding, in a nutshell, is the collective effort of individuals who network and pool their money (backers) to support projects initiated by other people or companies. The pool is used as capital for products and/or services offered as rewards to backers- only if the funding goal is achieved. Each project has a variety of different pledge options (reward tiers) where larger pledges are rewarded with increasing incentives.

Kickstarter has been the most popular platform for crowdfunding playing card projects. In this "Top 12", we’ve collated 12 of the most funded playing card projects on Kickstarter to date. Black Mint, The Princess Bride and MISC Goods have dropped outside the Top12. Joining the list are Bitcoin, Parlour and Jerry's Nugget Reprint Playing Cards.

12. 3D Metal

Back in 2013, designer Dale Mathis broke new ground with this unique eye-catching deck of playing cards. Dale has designed a clockwork-like contraption that is complete with movable gears and a mechanical card frame to this unique eye-catching tuck case. Inside, the cards are printed by the United States Playing Card on standard Bicycle playing card stock and embossed finish.

Funded on: November 16th, 2013
Total funded: $148,637
Total backers: 1,226

11. Federal 52 

Designed by Jackson Robinson of Kings Wild Project, the Federal 52 is the original deck released in the Federal 52 series. Inspired by modern U.S. bank notes, this deck features new, hand-drawn renditions of the presidents and other key figures found on U.S. currency. The deck features an embossed tuck box with green foil seals, Bee casino stock & magic finish. Winner of United Cardists Deck of the Year Award 2013, six categories including Deck of the Year.

Funded on: April 22nd, 2013
Total funded: $149,156
Total backers: 2,798

10. The Parlour

The Parlour Playing Cards is a collaboration between Lorenzo Gaggioti of Stockholm17 and the Gentleman Wake. These exquisite deck playing cards are inspired by the age-old and admired decks. The Parlour features fully custom card backs, Ace of Spades, jokers and improved semi-custom court cards meticulously crafted by Lorenzo. Printed by Cartamundi and tucks by printed by Oath Playing Cards on deep navy blue, wine red, and black colored premium paper stock, with embossed metallic foil in red/blue/black and gold.

Funded on: May 16th, 2019
Total funded: $151,484
Total backers: 1,697

9. Bitcoin

A collab between Andrei Jikh, Patrick Kun and designer Billy French. Every aspect of this stunning deck is designed to mirror the Bitcoin currency - the value, the look, the feel, and ultimately - the story. Three decks were offered during the campaign, Black (standard), White (limited) and Green (KS exclusive) colorway. All three decks feature custom Ace of Spades, Jokers, and card backs. The court cards, however, are kept largely the same as standard Bicycle faces but with gold metallic ink as accents! Printed by Legends on the brand new soft Stud Paper with Cardistry Finish.

Funded on: October 21st, 2018
Total funded: $154,611
Total backers: 1,286

8. Muertos - Day of the Dead

One of the most successful deck in 2014, Muertos is an original set of playing cards designed by Steve Minty. It is independently crafted and honors the holiday that celebrates life and death; Dia De Los Muertos. The Muertos deck takes the classic aesthetics of Dia De Los Muertos and is updated with the tradition of playing and my experiences growing up. It depicts the social classes and history of the culture while simultaneously giving off a contemporary elegant luxurious feel. Printed by the United States Playing Card Co.

Funded on: July 20th, 2014
Total funded: $159,706
Total backers: 2,793

7. The Apothecary 2

The beautiful Apothecary 2 Playing Cards are meticulously designed by Alex Chin of Seasons Playing Cards. Both Verana Virtues, and Seronda Sentiment playing cards are based on the idea of capturing these invisible concepts like a feeling, or an idea, and then transforming them into very real items.

Funded on: February 18th, 2018
Total funded: $184,339
Total backers: 2,348

6. Federal 52 Part 2

The high-anticipated follow up to the Original Federal 52 campaign. The Federal 52 Part II campaign consists of a total of 6 decks. The deck includes branded and unbranded version of the Silver Certificate, the White Reserve Note, and the Black Reserve Note.

Funded on: July 25th, 2013
Total funded: $188,005
Total backers: 2,705

5. Arcana

The most funded deck of 2015, Arcana Playing cards blend the traditions of standard playing cards with the secrets of the Tarot. This stunning deck is intricately illustrated by Chris Ovdiyenko. The royals are illustrated with an unprecedented amount of detail in an engraved style. Elements in the deck include 12 uniquely crafted Courts and Aces, 4 Major Arcana cards (The Fool, The Lovers, Death, and The Tower), and standard pip number cards. Also, Arcana features a natural pearlized tuck, with embossing and a luxurious blue foil on the tuck interior.

Funded on: February 10th, 2015

Total funded: $190,592

Total backers: 3,199

4. Jerry's Nugget Reprint

After years of Pursuit, Bill Kalush of Expert Playing Card Co. obtained an exclusive license from Jerry's Nugget Casino to print the iconic cards! This is the first official jerry's Nugget Decks in almost 50 years. These decks are not meant to be replicas of the original Jerry's. Due to changes in card stock, printing process, etc.. it is impossible to copy the original deck exactly. In honor of the decks' roots, the new Jerry's are printed at USPCC, the original printer of the Jerry's Nugget Deck in 1970. This time, it is printed on crushed Premium Stock and as such, has a different feel than the originals.  

Funded on: July 31, 2019
Total funded: $447,229
Total backers: 4,094

3. Mint 2

MINT 2 Playing Cards are a follow-up to the popular Launch Edition MINTs. The new decks come with a new enhanced design and fresh new flavors- the Standard Edition Blueberry MINT, and the Limited Edition Frost Mint. Both decks feature a refined card stock for optimal handling, MAJOR improvements to the MINT marking system and slight enhancement to the back design pattern for a cleaner look.

Funded on: July 31st, 2018
Total funded: $564,565
Total backers: 5.671

2. The Name of the Wind

Funded in 2013, this is Albino Dragon's take on Patrick Rothfuss's award-winning novel, The Name of the Wind. The team worked closely with Patrick to create a deck that is as much a work of art as it is an homage to his amazing literary work. Beautifully illustrated by Shane Tyree.

Funded on: July 13th, 2013
Total funded: $589,660
Total backers: 11,332

1. The Name of the Wind Art Deck

The Name of the Wind Art Deck by Elodin Enterprises is a beautiful deck of cards meticulously hand-illustrated by fantasy artist, Echo Chernik. The decks feature characters from The Name of the Wind, the first Kingkiller Chronicle novel. Author Pat Rothfuss and Echo have been fans of each others' work for ages, and while they've brushed up against each other before, this is the first time they've been able to team up to bring something beautiful into the world. Printed by Expert Playing Card Co.

Funded on: September 16th, 2017
Total funded: $630,300
Total backers: 10,090

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Top 12: Playing Cards of 2019

Another record year for playing cards! What an incredible year it has been! Looking back, one thing is certain: we are incredibly fortunate to be part of such an inspired community of artists, designers, cardists, magicians and collectors! We have had a huge selection of decks released and delivered this year. To celebrate, we've compiled 12 of our favorite decks for 2019 right here. We realized that the benchmark is increasing each year with designers and producers putting out stunning decks, trying new innovation and design styles. So, if you think we've missed your favorite deck, let us know in the comment section below. :) You can also download the PDF on our Patron page.

Note that the selection expressed in this top 12 are solely those of the author and the list is in no particular order.

Crayon

Designer Jackson Robinson released the Crayon deck, a nostalgic deck that looks just like your fave childhood crayons! A Super Duper Polka Dotted Gilded Edition Crayons features the limited edition red tuck case but with vibrant color splash paint and stickers scattered throughout the tuck... externally AND internally. No two tucks are the same. Inside, the deck is fully custom and features fractured holographic gilding, which gives this deck a vibrant and fun vibe!

NPCCD 2019

This year’s 2019 National Playing Card Collection (NPCCD) was inspired by the beauty of Morocco. The country is commonly known for its mesmerizing architecture and its labyrinth-esque marketplaces- the two aspects of the culture that designer Alex Chin wanted to imbue into this series when designing it. This year’s theme was to encapsulate this culture into this year’s 2019 NPCCD Palace Edition.

Fontaine Futures

Zach Mueller unveiled the Fontaine Future at Cardistry-Con Portland featuring a new product offering not seen in the playing cards industry. The decks are packed in a sealed anti-static shielding plastic pouch, giving it a futuristic look. Six different decks are on offer for the "blind packs": Glitch (1 of 1000), Polka (1 of 1500), 500 (1 of 500), Window (1 of 2000), Floral (1 of 2500) and Parrot (1 of 2000).

Six Strings

Six Strings is a collaboration between Kardify and Murphy's Magic inspired by the most majestic and fascinating musical instrument- the guitar. This limited edition deck is designed by Ade Suryana. You will love the fully custom design featuring gorgeous reimagined courts, visually appealing pips and suits, bold Ace of Spades, and an intricate card back design. All packaged in a beautifully crafted letter-pressed tuck case by Clove St Press.

Nutcracker

A fully custom deck crafted from the ground up and designed to communicate the joy, wonder, and imagination of Christmas. The artwork is hand-illustrated by Jackson Robinson, from the card backs, Ace of Spades to the whimsical royals and jokers. What makes this deck incredible is the limited card stock with gold foil on both sides printed on top! The white borders are double priced so it would look like hot press foil with zero impressions on the cards from the foiling.

Messymod

Art of Play's minimalist, delightful and weird deck of playing cards conceived by the Los Angeles based creative team, TRÜF born from their love of geometry, pattern, white space, Bauhaus, and Miró and mashed it all into a style called Messy Modernism – “messymod” for short. The deck features a completely custom design in typical Messymod fashion. What we love about this deck is that each card has its own presence and personality, making it an ideal piece of artwork that can stand on its own.

Luminosity

From Blackink Playing Cards, Luminosity Playing Cards are inspired by Norse Mythology depicting the age-old conflict between good and evil. Not only is it functional, but the fully custom deck has unique characters with their own story. The face cards include Silver Metallic ink accents which give it a touch of elegance. The Tuck Case designs are unique and printed on matte grey card stock adorned with elegant copper hot foil stamping and embossed.

Standards

Produced by Art of Play in collaboration with Kevin Cantrell Studio, Standards playing cards are crafted with meticulous attention to detail inspired by nineteenth-century British opulence, an era of elegance unsurpassed. Stredefineedefines luxury at the card table with fully custom artwork from the bold Ace of Spades, intricate card backs, to the gorgeous courts and ornate jokers.

Star Wars

A last-minute addition to the list. Theory11 released the deck in conjunction with the release of JJ Abram's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. 2 decks are on offer, The Light Side and The Dark Side. The Light side tuck box features a striking blue foil on black tuck while the Dark Side, stunning red foil on black tuck. Both decks will feature iconic design elements from the Star Wars universe. From the window of the Millenium Falcon, Kylo Ren, Luke Skywalker's lightsaber and X-Wings to R2D2, Star Destroyers, and TIE Fighters.

Ascension

There's something special about Steve Minty decks, and his latest deck is no different. Ascension Playing cards are epically designed and illustrated as an homage to his beloved TV series while giving it a spin in his style and interpretation. The deck features fully custom artwork from the gorgeous Aces to the pips, indices, and courts featuring characters from the series. 

Chronos

Lotrek first announced Chronos Playing Cards during the 2019 52 Plus Joker Annual Convention. As the name suggests, the theme of the beautiful deck is time. The deck is fully custom from the pips, jokers to the court cards and Ace of Spades. All this while keeping the traditional elements of playing cards in place. The tuck box is stunning and the card backs are printed with gold foil.

Betrayers

All four decks are gorgeous! Betrayers Lucis, Tenebra and Veritas, in particular, are vibrant, colorful and thought-provoking, which add to the appeal and character of the decks. Giovanni Meroni loves to add small custom details to his artworks, so there is a lot to discover. What makes Betrayers different is flat design style and bold color schemes giving the illusion of 3D. Fans of Giovanni will notice that the artwork of Betrayers is a departure from his usual style.


Honorable mention:  Parlour by The Gentleman Wake, Butterfly by Ondrej Psenicka, Vittoria by Nicolai Aaroe, Silk by Lotrek, Equinox 2019 by Kings Wild,  FLUX by Lotus in Hand, Valley Forge by Kings Wild, Seafarers by J&T Playing Cards, Playing Arts ZERO by Playing Arts, Mono-Xero by Luke Wadey Design, Bitcoin by Patrick Kun and Andrei Jikh, Jerry's Nugget Reprint by Expert Playing Card Co., Coffee by Edo Huang, Tavern on the Green by Theory11, Ladybug by PlayingCardDecks and Tom's Town by Art of Play.

The selection expressed in this top12 is solely those of the author. 

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Deck View: Verana Virtues Playing Cards

Beautiful. Floral. Summer.

This beautiful deck will be the final deck featured on our Deck View this decade. The Verana Virtues Playing Cards are meticulously designed by Alex Chin of Seasons Playing Cards and is part of the Apothecary 2 collection. The deck is based on the idea of capturing these invisible concepts like a feeling, or an idea, and then transforming them into very real items.

The deck is fully custom and crafted from the ground-up. The court cards gorgeous with pleasant light and shade effects, which gives it a sense of depth. The back design composition has been implemented with a summer theme and incorporates a full bloom floral designed. Beautiful!

Verana Virtues is printed by the United States Playing Card Company on linen (Aristocrat) stock and coated with a premium magic finish. The deck packaged in a sculpted embossed tuck printed on exquisite linen-textured stock.

Available on seasonsplayingcards.com for $15.95.

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Here is October's Issue of Kardify Magazine

We just released Kardify Magazine Issue #29 on Patreon for our Patrons who pledge $3 or more on our Patreon page. This issue compiles selected articles we’ve published from mid-September to mid-October. The goal is to help you stay on top of the latest playing card news, releases and previews.

Also, don't forget to check out our other cool reward tiers on Patreon! The new tiers include monthly desktop and smartphone wallpapers, mystery deck shipped to you every 4 months of ongoing contribution, social media shout-outs, and multiple sponsorship tiers! Check it out!

Funds received from the magazine will help us keep the site running and growing, and bringing new quality content to you. Our aim is to support designers by backing on crowd-funded projects and supporting magic and playing cards retailers with their new releases. If you want to support us, please head over to our Patreon page. If you have an idea for an article you would like us to pursue, do get in contact with us. We hope you enjoy the read. In this issue:

+ Diamond Awards 2019: Find out who won the Artist of the Year and Deck of the Year award at the 52 Plus Joker convention held in Charlotte, NC.

+ Merah Putih V2: Check out the beautifully designed deck by Ade Suryana inspired by the attractive and intricate design of the 1800s.

+ Vivaldi: Masterfully illustrated decks that bring the baroque vibe and music of the Italian composer and violinist Antonio Vivaldi to life!

+ Top 12 Halloween Decks: It’s that time of the year! We have painstakingly compiled the best playing cards for All Hallows’ Eve just for you.

+ 5th Kingdom: Produced by PlayingCardDecks, the Semi-Transformation deck is hand-illustrated and feature fully custom artwork. Check it out!

+ NPCCD 2019: This year’s 2019 National Playing Card Collection (NPCCD) was inspired by the beauty of Morocco. Find out more behind Alex Chin's inspiration.

+ Citrus: Here’s the vibrant fourth and FINAL deck from the FLAMINKO Deliciousness Series, the CITRUS Deck!

+ DÉRIVE The cool guys at Cardistry Touch just released their new deck for pre-order.

… and more! 57 pages of articles and deck images. Enjoy!

First Look: Check Out the 2019 NPCCD Playing Cards

This year’s 2019 National Playing Card Collection (NPCCD) was inspired by the beauty of Morocco. The country is commonly known for its mesmerizing architecture and its labyrinth-esque marketplaces- the two aspects of the culture that designer Alex Chin wanted to imbue into this series when designing it. This year’s theme was to encapsulate this culture into this year’s 2019 NPCCD Palace Edition.

On the deck design, Alex told Kardify,

I wanted the deck to feel like a journey that would adapt to the collector. The themes that came out from developing this journey were ACCESS and DISCOVERY mimicking the experience one has from getting lost in the central medina only to find something even greater. It’s a series about not just knowing where to look but also how to look. The tuck box exterior is where the journey begins. The 2-piece box is printed on premium linen and pearlescent stocks featuring golden and silver intaglio engravings inside and out. The face features intricate geometry mimicking the detailed plasterwork and textiles of Morocco. The 4 diamonds represent the 4 “gates” of the medina as an entry point for the journey.

The back features a small keyhole pattern revealing a peek towards the inside, which makes the deck really unique! Alex explains,

If you cannot look inside it represents the “locked” version while if you can see space behind the keyhole it represents an “unlocked” version. The box was made without any half-circle thumb flaps to make it difficult to open without access. To “unlock” the deck you use your thumb to slide out the inner box in the keyhole to reveal the gate. The inner box reveals the beautiful gate. The sides feature a SPADE (blue) and CLUB (copper) representing the spade and club gates. There are 3 completely separate decks that were printed to help better represent the 3 variations of each gate.

Inside, the face cards feature 4 indices to allow reading right to left connected by the archways Morocco is known for. Alex describes,

It was only because of the creative constraint of being unable to illustrate people that their complex architectural geometry was invented and embraced as a method of expression throughout culture. As an homage to that court cards are not represented and instead a custom plasterwork pattern featuring all the pips was created to be embedded in the background of all the cards. Based on the value of the card the pattern would “reveal” the appropriate pips in the plasterwork. The Palace Gate features the textured effect on the faces of the pips so that you can also feel the architecture as well.

Ace of Clubs is the featured ace of NPCCD. The Jokers are lights on and light off. The lights on feature the keyhole silhouette turning into a lantern exposing a genie inside. Lights off show the glimmer of the texture of the walls. Each joker is custom to their respective deck.

There are 6 decks in the series. 3 variations for both locked and unlocked gates versions of the deck. The decks are available in singles as well as in (3-Pack) Palace Packs or Secret Kingdom Set (6-Pack). The sixth deck features the cards gilded in gold and is ONLY available in the Secret Kingdom Set. It is numbered out of 250. All other decks are numbered out of 499. The sticker seal represents the oriental rug that you will see in the hidden corridor being repeated. Alex concludes,

This deck is hands down the most costly deck I’ve ever had to produce from the mirrors, to the secondary tuck, to the finish, to the gloss. But I hope people will enjoy the experience.

There will be a Special Supporter pricing for the first 48 hours. Head to NationalCardCollectionDay.com on October 17th to cop these stunning decks. Don't miss out!

Deck View: NPCCD (2018 Edition) Playing Cards

In anticipation of the National Playing Card Collection Day (NPCCD) this month, we thought it be awesome to feature the 2018 Official NPCCD Deck designed by Alex Chin of Seasons Playing Cards The theme of the deck series is about perspective and what we see. The deck is fully custom and meticulously designed.

The back design features a mobius strip that reveals a sphere of 2 heads. Inside the head of one person is the exterior head of another represented by different colors. Small suit symbols hide in them and are revealed to show what they are thinking about which change based on which “reality box” you use. The Aces is meant to blend the lines where the box stops and the cards begin. It shows through the front facing window. The red filter tuck show the King.

The beautiful tuck box features gold intaglio engraving onto astral pearl stock that exudes a feeling of luxury. The tuck box contains 2 large die-cut windows featurin a red “worldview” that shows the deck inside. The tuck flap is a side loading custom die that is shaped like the famous ribbon face. It is part of the innovative “kinetic diecut window” Alex designed which allows the diecut to change shape through layering. The opened window shows more information on the cards. When closed it completes the illusion of a pawn chess piece between the faces.

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Top 12: Playing Cards of 2018

This is a record year for playing cards! We have a record number of decks released and delivered this year. To celebrate, we've compiled 12 of our favorite decks for 2018 right here. A very challenging list to put together due to the number of decks in the market. We realized that the benchmark is increasing each year with designers and producers putting out stunning decks, trying new innovation and design styles. So, if you think we've missed your favorite deck, let us know in the comment section below. :)

Note that the selection expressed in this top 12 are solely those of the author and the list is in no particular order.

LUNA

Luna Decks by Bocopo Playing Cards Co. (BPCC) and Kevin Yu of Riffle Shuffle is an eye-catching deck with a revolutionary fanned deluxe tuck case. The deck has been inspired by the historical significance of the moon and sun in both Western and Chinese culture.

Cartomancer

Alain Benoit's Cartomancer Playing Cards won 52 Plus Joker's 'Deck of the Year' award for a very unique deck that fully incorporates themes of cartomancy into the deck design. Each card tells a story with an original illustration made with vintage engravings and prints. The whole deck paints the landscape of our lives in a beautifully nostalgic style. The result is a thought-provoking synergy between significance and design.

Illusion d'Optique

Seeing is not necessarily believing! Illusion d’Optique is the most jaw-dropping collection of optical illusion playing cards ever assembled. From Art of Play, the deck features 54 eye-popping original designs created by a master of visual perception, Gianni Sarcone. Watch closely as colors change, shapes transform and static, printed ink seems to come alive. The deck is housed in a wild, rainbow-sheen holographic tuck-case.

Junkanoo

This is an Uusi exclusive commission for Baha Mar Casino, "Junkanoo" is a playing card deck that pays homage to the storied, folk festival of the same name held every year in the Bahamas by the local island residents. The deck is fully custom with original artwork by Uusi and reflect the beauty and creative abundance of this local community and truly embody the Baha Mar catchphrase, Life Spectacular. The deck is packaged in a gorgeous tuck box, with gold foil details and embossed.

Hana

The Hana luxury playing cards is an original set of decks designed by Steve Minty. These gorgeous decks are inspired by the unique elegance of traditional Japanese culture. Elements from aspects of textile, art, and social structures are incorporated into this deck along with Steve's design sensibilities to make these different from what that has done before.

Damask

Lotrek Oath's stunning Damask Playing Cards is printed with two inks plus 4+1 foils on the face cards, 2 foils on the back, printed on a striking paper stock! Incredible! The deck features a floral design pattern throughout, from the borderless card backs to the Ace of Spades and the beautiful borders of the face cards.

El Recuerdo

Created with the spirit of freedom in mind, El Recuerdo Playing Cards by Sviatoslav Pashchuk are dedicated to Mexico’s heroic struggle for independence. The decks beautifully combine the modern attributes of Mexico with the history and traditions of the Incas and the Maya. The idea is to make El Recuerdo decks more graphics, similar to the old money used in Mexico in the 17th century. The face cards have a large number of symbols. Each suit has a unique armament of that time, the ancient Incas symbol, which symbolizes the suit, Mexico most recognizable plant, an integral part of the national cuisine. The center of each card contains Maya golden calendar and a decorative plate.

NPCCD 2018

To celebrate the 2018 National Playing Card Collection Day, Alex Chin has released the Official NPCCD Deck, a truly remarkable deck featuring the world’s first light filter that literally changes the design of the deck based on the filter of the tuck box. The chess-themed deck is fully custom and meticulously designed. The back design incorporates a mobius strip that reveals a sphere of 2 heads. The beautiful tuck box features gold and silver intaglio engraving onto astral pearl stock that exudes a feeling of luxury. Each box contains 2 large die-cut windows featuring either a red or blue “worldview” that shows the deck inside.

VIEWS

Luxurious and unique in design. VIEWS Playing Cards are an illusion-themed deck of cards designed by Yves Krähenbühl and produced by Nick Earl of Got Magic?. The cards are fully custom and designed from the ground up. The back design features the motion-like bending VIEWS dots with a mint undertone to create the illusion. The face cards have custom pips, and the modern clean-looking courts have Pantone metallic inks. The eye-catching tuck case is crafted out of a synthetic soft-touch paper by Clove St Press. It is surrounded by the mind-bending illusion card back design, hot-stamped in white and mint foil.

RIPNDIP Fontaine

Sold out in 10 minutes! Zach Mueller's highly anticipated Fontaine collaboration deck is the best collaboration deck yet. RIPNDIP is a Los Angeles based clothing brand that has a very specific voice and it often focuses on eccentric designs that aren't afraid to stray from the norm. This is clearly reflected on the FULLY custom RIPNDIP Fontaines. The tuck features RIPNDIP's iconic white cat, Lord Nermal. In fact, Lord Nermal is featured prominently throughout the deck. From the card back patterns, Aces to the pips, courts, and jokers.

Deck the Halls

Initially released as part of Kings Wild Shorts, the Deck the Halls: White Christmas Edition Playing Cards are designed to look like a sweater. The courts, face cards, Ace of Spades and card backs features embroidery artwork with three color thread. Definitely a unique deck for the holiday season and will surely put a smile on someone's face.

House of the Rising Spades

House of the Rising Spades Playing Cards are richly detailed and features Lorenzo Gaggioti's incredible artwork. The exquisite decks begin on the outside with a stunning tuck case and finished with breathtaking face cards inside. There's just so much to like about this deck!

Honorable mention: Delirium Lost Decks by Thirdway Industries, COBRA by JP Games Ltd, Untitled v1 by Adam Borderline, Maduro by Kings Wild Project, Maidens by J&T Playing Cards, Ragnorak by Design Imperator, Tigers by Kings Wild Project, Off the Wall by Art of Play, Orbit V5 by Orbit Brown, Red Cherry Casino by Pure Imagination Projects, Planets by Vanda, Papercuts by Art of Play,  ULTRA by Toomas Pintson, Odissea by Thirdway Industries and Alice in Wonderland by Playing Card Decks.


The selection expressed in this top12 are solely those of the author. 

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