Deck View: Oath Standard (Burgundy Edition) Playing Cards

Elegance. Functionality. Custom.

Oath Standard (Burgundy Edition) Playing Cards is a refined player’s version of Lotrek’s elusive Golden Oath deck.

Featuring the signature Golden Oath back design in a deep burgundy colorway, this edition balances elegance with functionality. The court cards are fully custom, vibrant, and beautifully illustrated... yet remain familiar enough for comfortable gameplay.

Printed by Oath Playing Cards and available on Rare Playing Cards for $19.95.

ROYAL PLAYERS Playing Cards

ROYAL PLAYERS Playing Cards from Oath Playing Cards is a darkly elegant limited-edition deck created as a real-world production test for a new printing partner. While the project serves as a technical evaluation aimed at helping designer Lotrek increase production capacity and reduce delays, the deck itself is presented as a complete standalone release rather than a prototype or “test print.”

The artwork was intentionally designed to remain visually strong and fully functional even if the new printer’s registration accuracy did not perfectly match Oath’s usual standards. Printed on metallic bronze stock, the deck combines rich metallic surfaces with layered foil treatments throughout. The backs feature both port wine and gold foils, while the faces include gold foil detailing paired with Oath’s latest reinterpretation of classic court cards. The tuck box continues the luxurious presentation with dual foils and embossed finishes.

Despite being framed as an experimental production, ROYAL PLAYERS maintains the haunting, refined visual identity that defines Oath Playing Cards releases. The project also offers collectors a somewhat accessible entry point into Lotrek’s premium catalogue, delivering high-end materials and finishes at a lower price than many of the company’s more elaborate editions.

Available for $65 on Oath Playing Cards.

FRAGMENTA Playing Cards

FRAGMENTA playing cards by Oath Playing Cards is their boldest and most eccentric creation yet, a fully custom deck designed to look like a factory miscut.

The deck is precisely crafted with gold and silver metallic inks on both faces and backs, plus an updated take on Oath's standard courts. The deck looks great in motion, especially in fans and spreads.

The wild concept extends to the tuck box, which features five different foils and detailed embossing, giving it a striking, luxurious feel. 

Available for $23 on Oath Playing Cards.

Lotrek's “Mystery III” Playing Cards

Earlier this month, Lotrek from Oath Playing Cards announced his new deck, “Mystery III” playing cards. No images of the deck will be shown, and it can only be revealed when the deck arrived at your destination.

There are a total of 750 decks produced, with 400 decks already being given to the members of his Patreon. For the public, there will be three different release windows, with 100 decks in stock for each window. The first two window is already gone, although you can try your luck with the third window on Sunday, 25th February 1pm UTC.

The flat price of the deck is $125 with free shipping. You can get them on Oath Playing Cards.

RUBAIYAT Players Playing Cards

Oath playing cards latest offering is a luxury and elegance in a work inspired by the Persian poet Omar Khayyam (1048-1131), transforming poetry into art, blending elegance, mysticism, and design innovation. 

The deck comes in 2 editions, red and blue. Both decks features ornate, Persian-inspired patterns, delicate flourishes, and a color palette rich with sophistication, evoking illuminated manuscripts and the grandeur of ancient artistry. 

From the backs to the face cards, the designs balance symmetry, luxury, and meaning, creating a deck that feels both timeless and contemporary. But what truly sets this deck apart is its tuck case. According to the product page, the tuck carries an innovative surprise feature never before seen in playing cards.

Available from Oath Playing Cards for $50.

News: Lotrek Oath Announced the Much Anticipated Damask Playing Cards

Lotrek Oath announced the much anticipated Damask Playing Cards at the 52 Plus Joker Convention at Cleveland, Ohio. The sublime 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.

Only the red deck was announced but a blue variant of the deck was available for sale during the convention as well. The decks come with two inks plus 4+1 foils on the face cards, 2 foils on the back, printed on a striking paper stock.

Top 5 Collector Playing Cards of 2020

What an uncertain year it has been! However, one thing is certain: we are incredibly fortunate to be part of such an inspired community of artists, designers, cardists, magicians, and collectors! Even with the pandemic, we have had a huge selection of decks released and delivered this year. 

We've compiled our favorite decks for 2020 right here. This will be the second of four articles counting down to our Deck of the Year reveal next week.

Top 5 Cardistry Decks

Top 5 Collector Playing Cards

Top 12 Playing Cards of 2020

Deck of the Year 2020

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 5 are solely those of the author and the list is in no particular order.

United

From Cartamundi, the United decks were made to celebrate the acquisition of USPCC earlier this year. These decks are never to be sold and were only given away to the lucky attendees of Cartamundi and USPCC's House of Cardistry event in NYC.

Legal Tender 

From Kings Wild, Legal Tender is a beautifully crafted deck and strikes a balance between classic banknote engraving and the modern sleekness of high tech banknote manufacturing. Inside, the court cards feature many iconic American figures that are featured on current American currency: Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln. Legal Tender is the culmination of some of Jackson Robinson's most breathtaking artwork combined with the industry-leading advancements in printing technology and production.

Crypt

Image by Richard Arturo (Instagram: @richardarturo47)

CRYPT Playing Cards by Lotrek of Oath playing Cards is the third installment of Oath's mystery decks. Bought sight unseen, no pictures of this deck has been released to keep all its secrets hidden like - a crypt.

Star Wars 

Star Wars Plying Card is an officially licensed deck produced by Theory11 in collaboration with LucasFilm and designed by Mattson Creative Inside the deck is fully custom with special court cards and card backs with details that will sure to delight fans. The deck is packaged shiny foil and embossed tuck boxe feature either Rebel Alliance imagery. A must-have for any Star Wars fan!

Trident

Trident Playing Cards by Kevin Yu is an incredible looking deck featuring an eye-catching tuck concept designed with magnetic opening and closing system. When the box is spread out, one will notice that each piece is lined by a stunning Foil line, which traces the weapon-shaped cutouts. The card backs feature a mesmerizing silver and copper metallic ink with highly saturated colored lines outline the image of the Poseidon’s trident. The courts are represented by legendary heroes from a different historical period, from Athena, to Alexander the Great and Hector from Homer’s epos Iliad.

Note that the selection expressed in this top 5 are solely those of the author and the list is in no particular order.
 

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Top 12 Playing Cards of 2020

What an uncertain year it has been! However, one thing is certain: we are incredibly fortunate to be part of such an inspired community of artists, designers, cardists, magicians, and collectors! Even with the pandemic, we have had a huge selection of decks released and delivered this year. 

We've compiled our favorite decks for 2020 right here. This will be the third of four articles counting down to our Deck of the Year reveal next week.

Top 5 Cardistry Decks

Top 5 Collector Playing Cards

Top 12 Playing Cards of 2020

Deck of the Year 2020

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 5 are solely those of the author and the list is in no particular order.

United

From Cartamundi, the United decks were made to celebrate the acquisition of USPCC earlier this year. These decks are never to be sold and were only given away to the lucky attendees of Cartamundi and USPCC's House of Cardistry event in NYC.

Modern Idols

Modern Idols is a brand new series of playing cards by Thirdway Industries, based on the beliefs of the modern age. Designed by the Italian designer Giovanni Meroni the decks are inspired by the TV Series about American Gods - The story is about the new Idols that replaced the Old Gods. Inside, the artwork is fully custom with unique court cards, different color schemes for each suits, and eye-catching neon ink card backs.

Legal Tender 

From Kings Wild, Legal Tender is a beautifully crafted deck and strikes a balance between classic banknote engraving and the modern sleekness of high tech banknote manufacturing. Inside, the court cards feature many iconic American figures that are featured on current American currency: Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln. Legal Tender is the culmination of some of Jackson Robinson's most breathtaking artwork combined with the industry-leading advancements in printing technology and production.

Card College

Ark Playing Cards' Card College Limited Edition is a stunning deck based on Robert Giobbi's Card College. This exclusive playing card set design reflects the classic, elegance, and legacy of Robert's work. The tuck box comes with an elegant pop-up surprise that sets this deck apart. Inside, the face cards are standard with the exception of the custom Ace and Jokers. Metallic ink is used on the face and the card backs to give it a touch of luxury and elegance.

Crypt

Image by Richard Arturo (Instagram: @richardarturo47)

CRYPT Playing Cards by Lotrek of Oath playing Cards is the third installment of Oath's mystery decks. Bought sight unseen, no pictures of this deck have been released to keep all its secrets hidden like - a crypt. 

Meadowlark

By Meadowlark Pharmacy, the Meadowlark playing cards feature fully custom artwork by Russell Gray. The overall design of the deck has a retro yet modern feel throughout. From the mirrored card backs to the court cards, Ace of Spade, and cute Jokers. The deck is packaged in an eye-catching tuck box, copper foil, embossed, and capped with a beautiful seal. Everything ties together very well!

Star Wars 

Star Wars Playing Card is an officially licensed deck produced by Theory11 in collaboration with LucasFilm and designed by Mattson Creative Inside the deck is fully custom with special court cards and card backs with details that will sure to delight fans. The deck is packaged shiny foil and embossed tuck box feature either Rebel Alliance imagery. A must-have for any Star Wars fan! 

Robin Hood

Meticulously designed by Jackson Robinson, the unique artistic style achieved with the Robin Hood playing cards took heavy inspiration from the Bayeux Tapestry - a French tapestry from around 1066. Every stitch is hand-drawn to create this incredible display. The beautifully crafted court cards feature characters from the legend. The deck is kept in a striking tuck case designed to resemble an ancient book, including life-like features to resemble canvas and leather design-work, a book spine, frayed paper edges, and finished with realistic wear-n-tear details. 

52 Plus Joker 2020 Club Deck

The 52 Plus Joker club 2020 deck is designed UUSI. 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.

Trident

Trident Playing Cards by Kevin Yu is an incredible looking deck featuring an eye-catching tuck concept designed with magnetic opening and closing system. When the box is spread out, one will notice that each piece is lined by a stunning Foil line, which traces the weapon-shaped cutouts. The card backs feature a mesmerizing silver and copper metallic ink with highly saturated colored lines that outline the image of the Poseidon’s trident. The courts are represented by legendary heroes from a different historical period, from Athena, to Alexander the Great and Hector from Homer’s epos Iliad.

Fontaine x Babylon

The Babylon Fontaines generated quite a buzz within the community when Zach dropped the SPOTLIGHT video on youtube. The deck features a minimal white tuck box design and a white card back featuring the iconic 'f' in black and thin black borders. When using a UV torchlight, the deck is 'activated' with the Babylon brand logo revealed on the white spaces of the tuck AND card backs! Genius! 

Beowulf

A last-minute addition to the list. Beowulf playing cards inspired by the longest epic poem with the characters represented on the face cards in unique carving-styled artwork by Jackson Robinson. The deck is kept in a tuck case designed to resemble an ancient book, including life-like features to resemble canvas and leather design-work, and finished with realistic wear-n-tear details. 

Honorable mention:  Royal Verge by Dealt Playing Cards, Kodiak by Black Ink Playing Cards, Postage Paid by Kings Wild Project, Black17 by Stockholm17,  Aurum Deus by Encarded, Charmers by Kellar O'Neil, Stratosphere by Legends Playing Card Co, Tough Luck by Native Tongue Studio and Doc's Playing Card Co., Mono Hexa by Luke Wadey Design, Rose Gold Gatorbacks by David Blaine and Fontaine x DabsmyLA.

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

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Top 12: Playing Cards of 2017

What an amazing year for playing cards! To celebrate we've compiled 12 of our favorite decks right here. This IS the most challenging list we've ever had to put together to-date. 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.

Tally Ho Pearl Gilded

The Pearl Tally Ho is the final deck in a four deck series by Kings Wild Project. This beautiful deck includes an embossed, pearlescent paper stock, hot foil stamped tuck case and numbered seals. The cards themselves have completely custom courts with metallic ink accents on the face cards presented in a gorgeous pearl-pale off-white colorway and subtle metallic ink on the bold back design. The deck is gilded with a stunning Pearlescent foil.

Pantheon

Pantheon Playing Cards feature greek mythology focused on the Olympian Gods. Fully custom, from the Aces, Pips, Tuck Box and the card backs, which features the 6-pointed impossible star that is the main symbol of Pantheon. Also, the gold foil card backs are STUNNING! The Pantheon tuck is embossed, double foil on the exterior and red foil interior on premium soft-touch dark blue paper. Meticulously designed by Thirdway Industries and printed by Expert Playing Card Co with Classic Finish.

Exquisite Bolder

Three years in the making, Expert Playing Card Co's Exquisite Bolder Playing Cards is an eye-catching deck using Expert's brand new Perfecta Foil on the card backs and the tuck and 3d embossing on the side-way tuck. This amazing process creates foil with the illusion of depth built in. Also, the deck features standard courts, face cards, and incredibly thin (1mm) borders on the card back!

Cardistry Touch Origin

Crafted from scratch specifically for cardistry, the deck features a unique geometric design that accentuates spins, flourishes and large, multi-card displays. Also, a single design is repeated on each card for an enhanced cardistry experience. Printed by Cartamundi on a premium quality paper with a softer stock and coated in brand new "cardistry finish", which feels broken in right out of the box. All 51 cards are housed in a very unique swivel box. The team at Cardistry Touch won the Cardistry deck of the year at Cardistry-Con 2017 in Los Angeles.

Apothecary

This gorgeous deck is exactly what you come to expect from Seasons Playing Cards. Stunning foil, exquisite artwork, and entrancing design! Apothecary is an homage to old world illustrations. Reveling in the realm of true artisan craftsmanship, these cards embrace the engraving style intricacies and the custom illustrated courts elevate the experience with entrancing details.

Radia

A bold new vision in playing cards. Encarded's RADIA is the first modern deck to combine the finest traditional paper stock with a complete coating of metallic foil and the highest quality printed details. By printing an intricate design inspired by a 19th-century Spanish gold engraving right on the foil, RADIA has unparalleled shine and visual dimension, but with its high-performance coating it also handles like any modern playing card should, fanning and shuffling beautifully. The deck is housed in a beautiful tuck with pearlescent paper, purple ink, gold foil, embossing and a custom die-cut, RADIA is the perfect combination of simplicity and complexity.

Origins Shadow of History

The Origins Shadows of History deck by Rick Davidson is inspired by the elegance and charm of playing card history. The deck is beautifully crafted and features an ornate premium quality tuck case, embossed and hot stamped with stunning metallic foil. The face cards are entirely custom with vibrant gorgeous courts, diptych jokers and a bold Ace of Spades, printed with ornate metallic ink backs.

Winterberry

Beautifully designed by Estonian graphic designer Toomas Pintson and produced by Got Magic?. The enchanting deck is fully custom, and meticulously hand-illustrated from the ground up. The deck features a distinctive style of illustrations making it truly a unique piece of art inspired by the beautiful and cold Nordic winters. The goal was to create an elegant and beautiful deck of cards that card collectors would appreciate. The cards are housed in a gorgeous tuck case crafted by Clove St. Press on a deep-black soft-touch paper with silver foiling. Sealed by a tax-stamp style seal.

Golden Oath

This year, Lotrek's Golden Oath Playing Cards won Joker Plus 52's 'Deck of the Year' award for his painstaking work on this stunning deck. All the artwork are foiled including 2 foils (gold and red) on the card back and 3 foils (gold, silver and red) on the face cards. A tremendous technical challenge!

Dystopia

Dystopia Playing Cards by Joker and the Thief is a disturbed tribute to cult movie Mad Max, Muscle Car Culture, the Australian Film Industry and Outback. This blood and fuel injected deck features 100% custom illustrations by Pedro Oyarbide - a symbolic back design, a striking ace of spades, tyrannical court cards, insane jokers, and of course, a stunning tuck box from professional letterpress studio Clove St. Press, capped with a custom shaped seal.

Drifters

From Dan and Dave, Drifters Playing Cards is a gorgeous deck designed by Curtis Jenkins, illustrator of Monarchs playing cards. Born from the wilderness, a sense of adventure and the wonders of the unknown, the Drifters Playing Cards showcase the majestic beauty of the great outdoors. The deck features fully custom courts, jokers, beautifully illustrated aces, and gorgeous back with incredible line work. Every shuffle and cut of the cards is a reminder to never settle, to chase a life of freedom. The cards are housed in an eye-catching custom letter-pressed tuck case featuring intricate detail and incredible line work.

Gemini

Two years in the making, Gemini is a fascinating deck of playing cards designed by Lorenzo Gaggiotti of Stockholm17. The Gemini Playing Cards has been meticulously crafted to give it a classic medieval feel. The deck features aces that are depicted as axes and the royals of the court cards interact with their own pip, becoming part of the illustration. The number pips are bold and BIG. The striking Gemini tucks are adorned in gorgeous foil on thick black paper and feature beautiful calligraphic text.

Honorable mention: Butterfly Playing Cards by Ondrej Psenicka, Papilio by Kiran Kuruvithadam, Titans by Jody Eklund, RAVN Purple Haze by Stockholm17, Bharata by Sunish Chabba, The Confessions Series by Ellusionist, National Playing Cards by Harold Apples, Hocus Pocus 40th Anniversary deck by Edo Huang, Pearl Playing Cards by Hanson Chien Production Co, and Regalia deck by Shin Lim.


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

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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