Kickstarter: ENIGMA Playing Cards Relaunches on Kickstarter. Hits Funding Goal!

The team at Enigma Cards based out of Monterrey, Mexico launched Enigma Playing Cards earlier this year on Indiegogo. Unfortunately, the project did not reach the funding goal. After reworking and enhancing some elements of the deck, ENIGMA Playing Cards are now available on the popular crowdfunding platform Kickstarter and is already 101% funded!

Two years ago, Enigma Cards wanted to create a deck that would set itself apart from any known deck available in the current market, using elements not commonly used in playing card designs. To do that, they enlisted the help of Anagrama Studio, a world-renowned Mexican design team known for their work on architecture and branding.

The end-result is certainly intriguing! The card backs use horizontal traces to maintain and enhance the movement and flow of cardistry moves. It also suggests the idea of a riddle, a labyrinth, some might think there is something hidden in it. At the same time, the back design produces an optical illusion were the spectators brain might try to fill in the empty spaces between the horizontal traces enhancing the decks presence when performing.



The court cards have been designed with the same minimalist approach as the tuck, stripping down all the “heavy” elements from the court cards and making them simple and sleek. The ace of spades features the all-seeing eye embedded in a big spade that is being pierced by 2 swords.

You’ll also notice that the tuck box has taken more of a classy and elegant approach compared to the initial launch. It will feature the "spot UV" process that allows printing over black paper, leaving a shiny black print with an embossed effect over a black matte paper. On the front, the logo and the eye will be adorned with silver foil.

ENIGMA is being printed by The Expert Playing Card Co. and single deck starts from $10.

First Look: ELITES ROUGE Playing Cards by DMC

The fifth generation of Magician Drummond Money-Coutts' (DMC) signature cards will be released for sale in less than a week. The DMC ELITES: ROUGE Playing Cards were created with the intention to be nothing short of the greatest deck of playing cards for performing card magic available today. ROUGE is simply the best deck DMC have ever produced. Every aspect of the deck has been iterated and re-engineered again and again.

The immediate feature of the deck, and the thing that makes it most exciting to every magician who handles one, is also the most cunningly hidden: the unique world-class optical marking system. On the marking system, DMC said,

We have been told by magicians and dealers alike that the ELITES are a quantum leap in marked cards. The markings can be read from up to six feet away - and yet under intense scrutiny remain invisible until the secret marking is revealed.

The system hides the value and suit of the playing card in plain sight, with no decoding necessary, no mental working out to do to process some binary signal – it literally just says the value and the suit, clearly and visibly, with an incredible range on it.

The deck features standard faces to maintain familiarity for the performer and audience without drawing too much attention. The stock is a new cardistry grade board engineered specially by Cartamundi. DMC added,

The finish is the revolutionary new "No.9 Finish" from Cartamundi, and the ELITES ROUGE are the very first playing cards in the world to be printed onto this unique stock. The cut, paper, print, varnish, card box and gold foiling are are all of immaculate quality - and I couldn't be prouder of this as a timelessly beautiful and disarmingly powerful addition to the armoury of any magician.

DMC ELITES: ROUGE will be the most useable deck for card magic out there. High-quality materials, world-class design, and a great price point will generate both demand and interests amongst working magicians and card aficionados alike.

Now available for pre-order at SovereignPlayingCards.com


To find out more about ELITE ROUGE Playing Cards and anything DMC, head to dmcmagic.com or follow him on Instagram.

Deck Watch: November 2016

While we'll be the first to say that Playing Cards as an investment is not the wisest of choices, the value of certain decks is an interesting thing to take note of. With anything deemed to be a "Collectible" value comes into play for various reasons, from just knowing to gambling on the possible return on your investment.

Deck Watch is just a look at what some items are actually selling for in the market. Over time it should be interesting to see how values hold and or fluctuate month to month and what trends develop. Each month Deck Watch will feature the top 5 Playing Card decks, in terms of selling price*,  in both the Modern, as well as Vintage categories.

Guide:
David Blaine Create Magic (3) - $450.00 / 300.00
(3) = Indicates the number of this deck that sold
$450.00 / 300.00 = Indicates what the highest selling price was for the 3 (450) and the lowest of the 3 (300.00)
Average High End Selling Price= Indicated with a ▼/▲  and red or blue, depending on if the total has gone up or down from last month. 

Top 5 Modern Playing Cards

5. Zenith - $169.00
4. ICONS Signature Edition - $175.00
3. Sovereign Copper Metal Playing Cards - $200.00
2. Texas Legacy Edition - $200.00
1. Aurum Laser Cut Special Edition - $299.00

Average high-end sale price for November Modern Decks: ▼ $208.00 for a single deck.

Top 5 Vintage Playing Cards

5. Hard of Port Cut Plug Playing Cards - $495.00
4. Jerry's Nuggets (Blue) - $500.00
3. Chilson McKinley Card Co. Lansing MI Playing Cards c1894 - $500.00
2. Dundorf Four Continents Chromolithographed  Playing Cards c1880 - $645.00
1. Sahara Casino Playing Cards - $995.00 (Sold as a set for $1,199.00)

Average high-end sale price for November Vintage Decks: ▲ $547.00 for a single deck.


* Methodology: Items are filtered from ebay under the heading of  "Playing Cards" for the prior month and only include actual Sold Items and not "Offer Excepted" listings. Selling price rank is based on a single deck listing unless the per deck price on multiple items ranks appropriately. Items that would normally occupy multiple slots will be consolidated into one listing which will include the number of times it sold and its highest/lowest selling price.

Deck Watch is intended to be purely informational entertainment. Kardify by no means is setting or guaranteeing posted values to specific items. The value of anything is based on your own personal opinion. 

News: Latest Addition to the LUXX Collection- Greille Playing Cards

Beautifully illustrated by Rick Davidson, Greille is the latest addition to the LUXX collection from JP Playing Cards. Inspired by Aztec and modern grid-like patterns, this deck blossomed into life with its' stunning foil printed backs.

The detail and intricacies of the foil backs make Greille stand-out from most decks in the market.



According to owner Paul Middleton,

The goal with LUXX was and always will be to create decks to be used and enjoyed. By printing with Legends on classic finish the deck is just as practical and handles as well as any other in the collection.

We were told that there are less than half of the matching sets (paired numbered seals and matching dealer coin) remaining.

Also, the stunning gilt-edge editions are now available for Elliptica and Palme. These are produced in collaboration with a highly-skilled English craftsman. Definitely a stunning gift collectors during the holiday season. Check it out, here!

Greille Playing Cards are available now on JP Playing Cards.