Deck View: Amethyst JAQK (Limited Edition) Playing Cards

Winery. Quality. Breathtaking.

The Amethyst Edition of the timeless JAQK Playing Cards is truly breathtaking! The deck is based on artwork created by an award-winning winery in Napa Valley and produced by theory11. With no surprise, the first four editions of JAQK Cellars (red, blue, black and metallic blue) were sold out quickly!

The Amethyst JAQK features a gorgeous custom tuck case with imported French paper, metallic foil and blind-embossed accents across the surface. With 52 custom faces and 12 stunning, custom court cards, they combine distinctive design with the peerless quality of the United States Playing Card Company.

The deep purple design comes with ultra-thin borders, with a flawless feel and durable finish. A deck that is as beautiful as it is functional, JAQK Cellars Playing Cards are a true work of art. Available at JP Games.

Theory11 Releases JAQK Rosé Edition Playing Cards!

It's been a while! Theory11 last released the timeless JAQK's was 3 years ago with the Amethyst JAQK Playing Cards. Today, Theory11 released the beautiful Rose JAQKs for $12.95 on theory11.com. The JAQKs are one of my favorite playing card series, and the pink metallic pink foil resembles a sparkling glass of rosé and is truly classy!

Like the previous five editions, the deck features a gorgeous custom tuck case with blind-embossed accents across the surface create a 3D texture around the box that feels just as luxurious as it looks, along with chic silver foil detailing. Fully custom, the court cards are designed from scratch, with regal, elegant and intricate illustrations.

 

The eye-catching pink design comes with ultra-thin borders, with a flawless feel and durable finish. A deck that is as beautiful as it is functional, JAQK Cellars Playing Cards are a true work of art!

This intoxicating edition of JAQK Cellars Playing Cards is only available for purchase for 24 hours - or while supplies last! These are Limited Edition, and won’t ever be printed again. The last edition sold out in record time! Available now on theory11.com.

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JAQK Red Edition Playing Cards

The JAQK Signature Deck combines the distinctive JAQK design with the peerless quality of one of the world's most respected playing card manufacturers—the same one that makes the cards used in casinos and poker tournaments around the world - The United States Playing Card Company.

JAQK Cellars Red Edition features a gorgeous custom tuck case with metallic foils and imported French paper. All 54 cards are original art. Both jokers, which are different colors, and all the card faces including court cards are unique to this deck. These cards are unique and gorgeous. For example, the court cards feature a different grape-related theme for each. The suit pips are printed in a classy two-tone red for the hearts and diamonds and black/charcoal for the spades and clubs. Elegantly designed and easy on the eyes.

The surprising thing about this deck is the handling. It handles really well! Shuffling, dribbles and fans are done with ease. The smoothness adds to the quality finish of this deck which makes this deck really versatile for magic, card flourishing, or even just a game of poker.

This deck is sure to draw compliments every time the cards are dealt.

Pros: 
- Elegantly designed without sacrificing aesthetics
- Unique custom court cards
- Gorgeous eye-catching box
- Versatile deck

Cons: 
- Expensive

Overall: 
- 5/5

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News: Of Blue JAQK and Blood KINGS

Two new releases from the big guys this week, the JAQK Blue Edition Playing Cards by Theory11 and Blood KINGS Playing Cards by Ellusionist.

Image from Theory11.com

The JAQK Playing Cards are one of my favourite playing card series. It features a gorgeous custom tuck case with imported French paper and metallic foil, custom face cards and 12 stunning custom court cards. The new edition features striking metallic cobalt blue and silver foil, detailed embossing & crisp design and ultra-thin borders, with a flawless feel and durable finish. A deck that is as beautiful as it is functional, JAQK Cellars Playing Cards are a true work of art. Available from theory11.com

Image from @ellusionist

Not yet released by Ellusionist, JP Playing Cards leaked some images of Blood KINGS last week. The popular KINGS series is a collaboration between Daniel Madison and Peter McKinnon. Like it's predecessors, the blood KINGS is embellished with the iconic KINGS crossed-weapons gold foiled on the striking minimalistic tuck. Available as pre-order from JP Playing Cards.

Deck View: Black JAQK (Limited Edition) Playing Cards

Winery. Quality. Breathtaking. 

This beautiful, one-of-a-kind deck is based on artwork created by an award winning winery in Napa Valley and produced by the wizards at theory11. With no surprise, the first two editions of JAQK Cellars (red and blue) were sold out in less than 72 hours! The Black will be the third edition but unlike its predecessors, it features a brand new stock, feel and finish.

The Black JAQK features a gorgeous custom tuck case with imported French paper and metallic black foil. With 52 custom faces and 12 stunning, custom court cards, they combine distinctive design with the peerless quality of the United States Playing Card Company.

Beautiful as it is functional, the JAQK playing cards are a collector's item that will draw compliments every time the cards are cut. Available at JP Games.

Deck View: JAQK (Rosé Edition) Playing Cards

Classy. Limited. Sweet.

The JAQK Rosé Edition Playing Cards by Theory11 features pink metallic pink foil resembles a sparkling glass of rosé. This is the fifth deck in the series and comes with a gorgeous custom tuck case with blind-embossed accents across the surface to create a 3D texture around the box, along with chic silver foil detailing.

Inside, the cards are fully custom, and the court cards are designed from scratch, with regal, elegant and intricate illustrations. The eye-catching pink card back design comes with ultra-thin borders. A deck that is as beautiful as it is functional, JAQK Cellars Playing Cards are a true work of art!

News: Theory11 Releases JAQK Amethyst Edition Playing Cards

THREE new releases from Theory11 last week and this one is the one that got me most excited! The Amethyst Edition of the timeless JAQK Playing Cards. The JAQKs is one of my favorite playing card series, and the striking purple is truly breathtaking.

Like the last four editions, the deck features a gorgeous custom tuck case with imported French paper, metallic foil and blind-embossed accents across the surface. Fully custom, the court cards are designed from scratch, with regal, elegant and intricate illustration.

The deep purple design comes with ultra-thin borders, with a flawless feel and durable finish. A deck that is as beautiful as it is functional, JAQK Cellars Playing Cards are a true work of art.

Top 12: Playing Card Decks to Start Your Collection

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

No doubt, there are an incredible number of amazing decks out there and each deck is unique In its own way! So, how do you start your collection?  How do you know which decks to use for your stylish cardistry video? How do you impress your poker buddies at the weekly meet-up?

In the first of the Top 12 series, we’ve collated 12 of our favorite custom decks to start you off on this new adventure. The playing cards featured below are readily available and reasonably affordable. As this series progresses, we will cover decks that are slightly harder to get and a little more expensive.

Enjoy the selection below. Difficulty scale from easy (1) to difficult (5). If you have one that we haven't discovered. Do feel free to share.

12. Republic #2

Republic #2 is the second release in the Republic brand from The Ellusionist Playing Card Co. The clean and simplistic theme & layout draws the eye and makes fan and colour changes stand-out! Everything about Republic #2 has been distilled to deliver a pure experience.

Difficulty: 1
Price: $6.99

11. Bicycle Pluma

Designed and printed by the United States Playing Card Co, the Pluma Deck features a blend of tribal and avian imagery, and is an updated version of a historic plate in the Bicycle archives. Available in blue and brown which plays off each other in an allusion to earth and sky. Original artwork on the tuck, card back and the Ace of Spades.

Difficulty: 1
Price: $3.99

10. Artifice

Another fascinating deck from Ellusionist Playing Card Co, the Artifice deck was developed with the relentless fascination of deception, dexterity and the dark psychology of the word Artifice itself. The  Artifice radiates quality with classy design and commands attention.

Difficulty: 1
Price: $6.99

 9. Fulton's Clip Joint

From the classy guys at Dan and Dave, the Fulton's Clip Joint Playing Cards celebrate our fascination with cinema, history, and the art of the grift. Inspired by vintage Los Angeles and Film Noir, Fulton's captures a time and place where men were men, women were dames, and the next deal could be your last. The playing cards are beautifully encased in a linen box with embossed ornaments and foil stamping.

Difficulty: 1
Price: $6.95

8. Seven Seas

Stunning deck by Brainvessel! This 54 Card deck is about the dichotomy of a life at sea, featuring famous ships, sailors, explorers, pirates, privateers, ghost ships and the dangers and monstrous creatures!

Difficulty: 1
Price: $20.00

7. Black JAQK

A breathtaking masterpiece from Theory11, the JAQK Cellars Black Edition features a gorgeous custom tuck case with imported French paper and metallic black foil. With 52 custom faces and 12 stunning, custom court cards, combining distinctive design with the peerless quality of the USPCC.

Difficulty: 2
Price: $6.95

 6. Virtuoso Spring/Summer 2014

Nothing pushes a deck of playing cards to its limits like card flourishing. That's why the Virts created the Virtuoso deck — the only deck designed for the art of card flourishing. The Virtuoso deck's back design visually amplifies the art from swirling, strobing and connecting according to each individual's movements and displays.

Difficulty: 1
Price: $9.95

5. Artisans

Illustrated by hand in South Africa, Artisans are in a league of their own. A breathtaking mix of elegance, style, and sophistication. Produced by Theory11, these premium, luxury playing cards feature elegant gold foil hot stamped onto ultra-lux black paper derived from sustainable forests.

Difficulty: 1
Price: $6.95

4. Curator

Talented artist Emmanuel Jose has created every element of the Curator Deck entirely by hand. One card a week. No digital software, or pen and ink. Every design was painstakingly crafted out of paper. Known as a "transformation" deck, this style of art has been around for years. The entire deck has a black, white, and red theme, which extends to the striking minimalist tuck box.

Difficulty: 2
Price: $11.95

3. Misc. Goods Co. 3rd Edition

Created and designed byTyler Deeb the 3rd edition deck features new typography, icons and artwork details. Completely custom designed from front to back to be familiar but still completely new.

Difficulty: 1
Price: $15.00

2. Silver Split Spades

A beautiful instalment of the widely collected Split Spade series. The tuck features embossing and silver foil stamping. The cards themselves feature perfectly balanced metallic inks on both sides. Designed uncompromisingly for performance and style, these are one of the best and the most practical deck in the market.

Difficulty: 1
Price: $20.00 (for minimum qty of 2)

1. Silver Certificate 

The Silver Certificate deck is the third deck released in the popular Federal 52 series. Inspired by US Silver Certificate Bank notes of the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Silver Certificate deck features new, hand-drawn renditions of the presidents and other key figures found on US currency. Comes with an individually number holographic seal on the outside of the cellophane wrapper.

Difficulty: 2
Price: $30.00

Bebemos Casino Playing Cards by Theory11

Bebemos Casino Playing Cards are a celebration of sun, leisure, and late-’70s California cool. Produced by theory11 in collaboration with San Diego–based tequila brand Bebemos, this beautiful limited edition deck captures the spirit of an era defined by beach culture, golden hours, and effortless freedom.

Born in San Diego and inspired by the laid-back indulgence of the 1970s, the deck blends vintage charm with an upscale, refined finish. Gold, red, and champagne foil accents give the cards a warm, luxurious glow, evoking coastal sunsets and the pursuit of leisure that Bebemos embodies.

Inside the tuck box, the design continues to impress! Each card back features elegant gold foil detailing, paired with fully custom court cards inspired by Bebemos’ visual identity. 

Co-founder Patrick Tracy personally requested the use of the classic JAQK Cellars court style, subtly reworked with new colors and refinements to align with the Bebemos aesthetic. The result is a look that feels both familiar and refreshed, balancing heritage with modern polish.

The card back marks a notable departure from theory11’s usual visual language, leaning into a more timeless, lifestyle-driven design. It also reflects a return to theory11’s roots, answering longtime requests for more original, non–pop culture decks. 

Available NOW on Theory11 for $14.95.

Kickstarter: 7 Questions with Asad Chaudhry of the Foundations of Card Magic

What is the best way to approach magic? What are the most important things to learn? In what order should I learn them in? Currently funding on Kickstarter, the Foundations of Card Magic will answer those questions with structured video course on powerful AND practical card magic.

Created by Asad Chaudhry of 52kards, the goal of Foundations of Card Magic is to make the course approachable for complete beginner, and at the same time provide a lot of value for experienced magicians. As there are a lot of materials to cover (from basic card handling to techniques, flourishes and routines), the instructions will be thorough, yet concise. The video will be shot with multiple angles and have slow motion footage when relevant. This will all be compiled into a DVD..

We had a quick chat with Asad on his background in Magic, 52kards, using Kickstarter, the idea behind the Foundations of Card Magic and his thoughts on the community support he's been getting.

Can you tell us about yourself and what is your background in Magic?
Sure, I’m a 26 year old guy living in San Jose, California. I started learning about magic almost 13 years ago after seeing a friend do a back palm card vanish at school. It quickly became an obsession and I started spending hours every day reading magic books and practicing. My focus has always been close-up sleight of hand magic with playing cards, but I also dabble a bit with rings and coins. I ended up going to school for electrical engineering and spent a few years working in the industry before quitting my job earlier this year to work on 52Kards full time.

Can you tell us quickly about 52Kards and how it came about?
The Youtube channel actually came first. I had amassed quite a large collection of tutorials on card magic, and it was becoming difficult to organize them in a clean way. I built the website and developed a very user friendly video library to allow visitors to find exactly the type of video(s} they are looking for. You can see it in action over at 52Kards.

Later on I added the deck store, the community section, the blog, etc; but the videos have always been the core of 52Kards.

From running a vibrant site for a community of aspiring card magicians to starting your own Kickstarter project. When did you first start thinking about using Kickstarter? What made you decide to take the plunge?
The Foundations of Card Magic has been in the back of my mind for quite some time now. Using Kickstarter to launch it was a no-brainer for me. I love the Kickstarter community and am thrilled to see so many amazing projects being funded by ordinary people. Over the last couple of years I have gathered large following of magicians and playing card enthusiasts, and I have never sold anything to my audience before; so it just made a lot of sense to crowd fund the project.

Can you describe the Foundations of Card Magic project and why you are passionate about it?
The Foundations of Card Magic is a culmination of the strongest and most practical card magic I have come across thus far. It will consist of the material that I feel is the most important for students of this craft to learn. I get messages every day from students asking questions like “what is the best way to approach magic? What are the most important things to learn? In what order should I learn them in?” Magic has been such a blessing in my life and I’m excited to share it with others who are eager to learn.

From the project page, what are a few of your favorite reward levels and why? 
The $25 is the most popular. You get a digital download of the DVD and you get invited to a private Facebook Group for magicians called “The Inner Circle”. My favorite is probably the $50, where you get everything I just mentioned, plus I ship you a signed deck of cards from my personal collection (shipping fee is on the house).

The project is currently 4x above the initial funding goal. What do you think of the playing card community in terms of the feedback and support that you’ve been getting?
The feedback I have received from the project has been incredible. I wasn’t expecting to hit the funding goal so fast and so many times over. I think there is a lot of overlap between the magic community and playing card community, but I think most of the people backing this project are probably magicians first, and card collectors second. Most of us magicians completely geek out over custom decks though :P

Finally, what are your favourite playing card decks? 
Here’s a few that come to mind. Not in any particular order... Split Spades, Monarchs, Empire, Aurum, Classic Bikes are good and JAQK Cellars.

Awesome project Asad! At the time of writing, the project is 500% funded with 23 days to go.


Don't miss out! Pledge now to get the digital download or physical copy of the DVD. Backers will also receive a life time membership to the 52Kards Inner Circle group.

Kickstarter: 7 Questions with John Powell of Occults Playing Cards

Following the success of Double Black Playing Cards, Gambler’s Warehouse released their second custom playing card deck- Occults, on Kickstarter. Featuring the original artwork of John Powell, this mysterious deck is the result of extremely high demand for a coloured version of their previous release. Occults Playing Cards features 56 playing cards with custom Faces, Courts, Jokers and Tuck.

We caught up with John to talk about his design background, the inspiration behind the Occults deck, the design evolution of the deck and Kickstarter.

Could you introduce Gambler's Warehouse (GW) to our readers? What is your design background?
GW: We have been involved with the playing card industry for over twenty years. We recently expanded to be able to handle 300+ orders daily and have opened a new retail store-front based in Dallas/Fort Worth Texas. We are excited to finally be creating custom decks and have several designers that we are working with to bring the community fresh ideas and unique, quality playing cards. We want to give John Powell the opportunity to speak on behalf of his own design and his experience in working with us. So without further ado, Herrrrre's Johnny! ;)

John: I've been a graphic designer for 18 years now. I've worked primarily in licensing and merchandising with companies like Warner Brothers, Nickelodeon, Metro Goldwyn Mayer, Sony Signatures, Cartoon Network and a bunch more making products licensed for movies. I then kind of fell into product design after playing professional paintball for a few years. I've been lucky enough to get to work with Gambler's Warehouse on my first card deck and we already have more planned.

Can you describe the Occults deck and why you’re passionate about it?
The Occults deck is my very first deck. I grew up in a very strict Mormon house in Utah. We weren't allowed to have playing cards in the house. The very idea of something associated with gambling and devious behavior was pretty taboo so of course I absolutely loved them. Plus some of the first cards I ever got my hands on had naked ladies on them so they were twice as amazing and I'd fallen in love with playing cards ever since (and b00bs).

Occults was kind of my effort to show some of that love back and being not allowed all those years growing up to be anywhere around them. I was always fascinated with the courts and felt like each one of them had these faces that were just holding secrets. I have always been equally fascinated by secret societies, (mormonism is one already) sacred geometry and the marks and symbols associated with them that have this immense history or story behind them that tell it all with just simple shape or mark. I wanted to have as many stories packed into my Occults courts as I had imagined there were when I was a kid. For example in the Occults courts the queen of clubs is in love with the jack of hearts hence the heart on her chest and she's about to poison herself because he's just beheaded her brother (who is also in the courts but I'll let you decide who).

I just had all of these kinds of stories going on as I was constructing each one. There are dozens more of these little secrets hidden away and I don't want to give them away as I think the stories other people may come up with are even better than the ones I'd imagined. I basically wanted a deck that brought some of that mystery and taboo to everyone that I got sneaking away with other neighborhood kids to play cards on camping trips.

This will be the second Kickstarter project for Gambler's Wareshouse. Why Kickstarter?
Kickstarter is pretty instrumental to what I feel like GW's is trying to do with their custom decks give everyone what they want in a deck. I think they listen to all the feedback and adjust the decks art rewards whatever according to the feedback. I think its a win/win situation for backers and GWs gets to focus on producing the highest quality products that ultimately are what the backers are wanting.

How much time did you spend working on the deck? Also, can you briefly go through the evolution for one of your unique card designs (maybe the evolution of the back design)?
Each court essentially took about three days to complete. Typically I'd take a day to roughly sketch out and plan the story for each card basically build and research my secrets for it. Then a day for drawing a half of the court drawn well enough I could then scan it to the computer.Then a day or two for building them in vector in the computer. Then coloring. I built the courts in 2012 so its been over two years now since I was able to finish the Box, the back and the rest of the deck. They all seemed to fall together really easily once the courts were completed and I'd had so long to see them and run them over in my mind as to what I wanted them all to look like.

So its been such a long process I'm not entirely sure of the answer as to how long I worked on it. There was a period of over a year where the project sat and I wasn't really sure if it was going to be produced at all. I'm obviously thrilled that there has been such a great response to it and people seem to be as excited about it as I am.

What are a few key elements and principles you incorporated into your project that you think future Kickstarter creators could benefit from knowing?
Again I think its vital to listen to your backers. GW has listened and I think people really respond to that and see hey these guys care about our input our ideas and we get a better product because of it. I think its important to set realistic goals and set great stretch goals that make it worthwhile to maybe back a project for a little bit more to get a better reward.

Playing card projects on Kickstarter has grown exponentially over the past few years? What are your thoughts?
I think the capitalist market is the greatest thing of all times! I think that collectors deciding whether or not they want to buy something before it gets made is an awesome opportunity. As well as for creators who wouldn't otherwise have the money to do it. Collectors get better cards and rewards. Artists produce better quality work. Everyone comes out ahead in my opinion. I've heard about other people developing their own Kickstarter like platform where they wouldn't have to pay the fees and such and I think that's an even better idea.

Finally, what are your three favorite playing cards?
Jaqk by Cellars, Federal 52 by Jackson Robinson, Empire by Lee Mckenzie are my personal faves!

Thank you for your time John and congratulations on hitting the funding goal! 


Occults Playing Cards will be printed by the USPCC and is available in two separate editions: Limited Edition (Unbranded) and Standard Edition (Branded). Pledge starts from $13 and there are multiple add-ons available such as Card Clips, Poker Chips, T-Shirts and Collector Coin. There are also multiple rewards that will be unlocked once the project hits its set stretch goals.