To my shame, the Murphys Magic Signature NOC Playing Cards are the first deck of the iconic NOCS I have actually handled (and the range is really quite large now).
If you haven’t seen any NOCS (where have you been) they’re all about minimalism, and these are no exception.
They are housed in a lovely sideways tuck case – I’m a big fan of the sideways tuck – 
which is fairly minmal outside and fairly busy inside – a bit like a posh blazer. The Murphys branding is there – but not in a way which might cast suspicion on the deck with non-magicians – the ‘M’ could refer to almost anything.
I’m a fan of the striking and bold Aces (I always prefer the bigger pips).
Their design picks up the theme of the inside of the case – I’m sure there is a technical term for this design, but I’m going to call it zig-zags!
Unlike so many of the decks which pass through our hands, these are printed by the Expert Playing Card Co – which results in a glossier finish than the USPCC Air Cushion stock. It feels slightly heavier stock than a normal deck of Bikes which is nice for sleights and very smooth for cardistry.
The Jokers are one of the more unusual aspects of the design. They feature cross-shaped typography of the word Joker which, if I’m honest, doesn’t do much for me.
The back design is the trademark solid (in this instance blue) colour – but these cards also have a small yellow border around the blue. Like (all? most?) NOCs 
they also include a subtle marking system on the back which enables you to identify the suit.
These are a nice release all in all. I do wonder whether adding the extra branding takes away slightly from the minimalism. But they handle so nicely that they are well worth a look for the magician or collector.
The Murphys Magic Signature NOC Playing Cards are available from Merchant of Magic for £8.50 (at the time of writing).
Review copy kindly provided by Murphys Magic to whom dealer enquiries should be directed.
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