Collector decks like Beyond the Endless Dark playing cards are getting a lot of attention at the moment. Here is a comparison of two other playing card decks compared to Beyond The Endless Dark Playing Cards

Pros

Unique Design – Features a rotating colourful star system, evolving the style of the original Beyond deck. The artwork is visually striking and makes for a great display piece.

High Quality – Manufactured with premium materials, ensuring durability and smooth handling, ideal collector decks for cardistry and magic performances.

Cons

Price – Slightly higher priced compared to standard decks, which might not be ideal for casual use.

Complexity – The intricate design might be distracting for signed card tricks where simplicity is preferred 

Chancers V3 Green (Marked) Playing Cards by Good Pals

Pros

Marked Deck Includes a discreet marking system that is beneficial for magicians to perform card tricks without the audience noticing. That’s are in decent collector decks.

Aesthetic Appeal – The green colour and design elements make it stand out, appealing to collectors and enthusiasts alike.

Cons

Learning Curve – Requires time to learn and utilize the marking system effectively.

Specific Use – Primarily designed for magic, it might not be the best choice for general use.

Magnolia White Playing Cards

Pros

Elegant Design – Designed by Paulina Diaz, these cards feature a minimalist white design with elegant artwork, making them aesthetically pleasing and perfect for sophisticated magic performances.

Versatility – Suitable for both magic and general card games due to their standard face cards and high-quality stock.

Cons

Durability – While made with good quality, the white colour might show wear and tear more quickly than darker decks.

Limited Edition – Being part of a limited release might make replacements or additional purchases more difficult 

Conclusion

Best for Magic

Chancers V3 Green (Marked) Playing Cards – Ideal for magicians looking for a functional marked deck.

Best for Aesthetics

Beyond The Endless Dark Playing Cards – Perfect for those who want visually stunning collector decks.

Best for Versatility

Magnolia White Playing Cards – Great for both magic and casual play with an elegant touch.

Each of these decks offers unique features catering to different preferences, from performing magic to collecting playing cards that are aesthetically pleasing.

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To start with let’s take a look at the design, the tuck box is gorgeous with metallic gold, silver and red ink embossed upon a soft touch tuck box, with an elegant seal to finish things off which is of course also metallic ink, the detail is exquisite both on the front and the back, the more you look the more detail you’ll uncover, this deck is wonderfully intricate but then again, what else would you expect from Theory 11! Despite the fact that both the front and back designs are lovely, I have a criticism… They are very, very similar, this isn’t the end of the world by any means, just an observation that I thought I’d share, look at the pictures and come to your own conclusion! Moving onto the inside of the tuck box, it is once again patterned with metallic gold ink featuring the same circle design shown on the front continuing the luxurious aura throughout.

The back design of the Neil Patrick Harris Deck is identical to the design on the back of the tuck box, with more gold ink. I personally really like the design and all of its detailed intricacies, however, I have noticed a rather apparent flaw which may or may not surprise you, the cards have been printed by the United States Playing Card Company, the playing card enthusiasts amongst you probably know that cards by USPCC are prone to misalignment issues, annoyingly this luxury, collectable deck is no different, the borders are all over the place – this doesn’t affect the deck’s usage or novelty, it is just an annoying quality control issue that may bug some more than others, I myself accept the irritating misalignment and look past it because let’s be honest, the deck is excellent regardless.

Moving onto the face designs, the court cards are standard in appearance with a change in colour, they feature an updated red and gold colourway – this is great because it meets both the criteria for magicians, who want standard faces and collectors who want something novel. The ace of spades is wonderful, it is yet again intricately detailed in gold and black ink, take a look at the pictures – I think you’ll like it! The spot cards are all very basic, they feature a very, very slightly different pip design that card enthusiasts will notice, laypeople however will not, this once again is excellent for the magician who wants to perform with these cards yet retain the standard feel to avoid the audience’s suspicion of trick cards! I think the face designs of the cards meet the equilibrium between the collectors and performers needs, they sit in between the two making the practical advantage per individual more likely.

The Neil Patrick Harris Deck comes with a few extra cards, let’s explore them. First of all the NPH deck comes with two identical jokers, this is perfect for magicians who may wish to do routines using the two cards, a nice touch that the performers amongst you may appreciate. The next two extra cards lead me onto the amazing, unique feature of this deck. Here it comes, the moment you have all been waiting for, the deck is a puzzle! The two extra cards are the puzzle cards to get you started, one quotes the brief and the other is full of cryptic clues, I must admit I haven’t cracked the secret puzzle…yet, however, it is a fascinating challenge that creates the unique selling point of this deck, many people buy this pack just for the puzzle! Considering most magicians like to solve puzzles as well as shuffle cards, it is the perfect combination! 

Moving onto the feel of the deck. They feel great, it’s exactly what you would expect from Theory 11 and USPCC. The card stock itself is relatively standard, it sits between thick stock and crushed, this means you get the best of both worlds – smoothness and durability! The cards are very smooth to handle and shuffle with ease. 

Let’s explore the practicality of this deck. Honestly, for magicians, you are better off using a regular pack of Bicycle Cards, Bee’s, Tally Ho’s etc merely due to the fact you are going to be getting through decks like there is no tomorrow if you were to use the NPH deck for practice and performance you’ll suddenly have a very expensive habit on your hands, at the very least reserve them for special occasions! For card collectors, the deck is wonderful, the luxurious feel, the detailed design and of course the hidden puzzle. This deck should be in your collection, there is no doubt about that! Once again, I can’t speak for cardists but at the end of the day, you can use any cards for cardistry – it is simply a matter of your personal preference and style!

In conclusion, the Neil Patrick Harris Deck deck is wonderful, one of the most luxurious and novel decks in my collection, I highly recommend it due to the reasons listed above. I won’t perform with the deck, that’s not to say you can’t though, it will instead take a pride of place position in my display, it’s a gorgeous deck and deserves to be displayed accordingly! 

The deck is available worldwide here:

I sincerely hope this review has helped you and that it has provided the insight you were after. Let me know your thoughts about both the blog and the cards in the comments down below and feel free to ask any questions either on here or directly through my Instagram, @matthomermagic. 

Thank you for reading, until next time,

Matt Homer

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Let’s look at the decks in turn.

Bicycle Tangram Deck

First up is in some ways the weakest of the four. I’ve been playing with tangrams since I was a kid and even bought my own children a set to play with – so I love the concept. It is a novel idea and it is great fun to have a card with a tangram to cut out and play with – and another with some shapes to try to make.

But as a deck of cards it has some flaws. Although it is a clever idea to carry the tangram idea into the suit pips, in reality I found them quite difficult to distinguish – which would be a bit of a problem in either play or magic. The extremely stylised court cards did little for me.

The back design is ok but not that attractive nor does it particularly lend itself to attractive fans or flourishing. I think I liked the Jokers best. Handling is fine on nice USPCC playing card stock.

A mixed bag really, but not a bad deck for the collector or the Tangram enthusiast!

The Tangram Deck is available from MoM for £9.99 (at the time of writing).

David Koehler – Wonder Playing Cards

The stand out feature of the Wonder Playing Cards is their bold back design. Reminiscent of the sort of thing you could produce if you were a black belt in spyrograph (remember those?!) – in bold printing press colours which are pleasing to the eye. I’m not sure how well the design lends itself to spreads and fans – but a lot of fun to spin!

The faces are standard USPCC faces apart from the Ace of Spades. I really like the attractive Jokers – and the way the harsh diagonals contrast with the spirals of the main design. The deck also comes with a double backed card which is always useful for magic. And an extra four of hearts. I’m not sure why, but who knows when you might need an extra four of hearts!

A nice little deck.  The Wonder Playing Cards are available from MoM for £9.99 (at the time of writing).

Blue Steel Deck – bu Bocopo Playing Card Company

Pacakged in an unassuming blue tuck case, I think the Blue Steel Deck is my favourite of the collection today.

It has an elegant, stylish but understated back design.  For some reason it reminded me (but is not really anything  like!) the classic Bee – but it has a border unlike the Bees.

The deck has standard faces with the exception of a custom ace of spades – which is big and bold – just the way I like Aces!

I particularly like the jokers – unusually the deck has 3 – 2 blue and 1 red  – but apart from the colour they are identical which could make for some attractive colour change effects.

All in all a pleasingly stylish deck which I could see working nicely for magic or regular use.

Blue Steel Playing cards are £9.99 at MoM (at the time of writing).

Keith Glover’s Runic Royalty Deck

The final deck we’re looking at today is an odd one out from the rest.  It is a super limited edition (1,000 only) deck originally funded on Kickstarter (in conjunction with the same team who produced the interesting Alice in Wonderland Deck).

The first thing we noticed was that they are the only deck in this selection with a seal on the tuck case.  A small, but significant, feature.

They feature an ‘aged’ design i.e. both faces and backs have been coloured to appear aged – which leads to a mellow and pleasing colouring.

The Jokers are very striking, and both they and the court cards feature custom drawn modern ‘cartoon’ style imagery.  There’s a lot of detail here and I can see these appealing to lots of users.  All the pips and indices on all the cards have been custom drawn and make a pleasant change from the standard USPCC design on so many other decks.

The back design is intriguing and I could see it fitting a number of interesting presentations.  Including a double-ended court-card is another really useful (and unusual) feature for a deck which might be used by magicians.  Mentalists, too, could find this useful.

This one’s going to appeal to magicians and collectors I would think.

PlayingCardDecks.com are available from MoM for £17.99 (at the time of writing).

And a final word for all those who love cardistry.  I’m not sure any of the decks we’ve looked at today would really suit that kind of thing.

Although I haven’t seen these in person, I quite like the look of the Broken Borders deck – which lends itself to some fantastic bold flourishing effects.  Head over to MoM to see some pictures of the Broken Borders playing cards.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our round up of these new bicycle cards.  Keep checking back for more card and magic news and reviews.

Review decks kindly provided by Murphys Magic to whom dealer enquiries should be directed (apart from the Runic Royalty Deck which came from PlayingCardDecks.com).

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As a magicians first and card lover second, these Black Luxury Expert at the Card Table playing cards tick all the boxes. A classic look, celebrates a classic text and the cards even look something like a book. These are great. £12.50

On a completely different theme (and not to be mixed up with the classic Syzygy Magazine) are Elite Playing Cards new Syzygy Playing Cards. The name (who knew?) comes from an Ancient Greek word for an astromonmical phenomenon – and there are astronomical elements in the classy design. I also love the velum tuck case and rich colours. £12.99

On a more mundane note, you have probably heard about USPCC’s Maiden back design – a variation on the classic rider back. I can almost guarantee a spectator won’t notice the difference if you swap between the two. Some gaffs are being printed with this design, so you may want a normal deck too. Also available in Blue. Both at £4.99

If you’re a fan of variations on a theme, then check out this limited edition Bicycle Paris Back deck. The design features the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe and includes a few special cards which would be useful for magicians. Also available in Blue. Both at £13.99

The same company (Jokarte) are behind another limited edition deck – the Bicycle Golden Luxe. This is a re-release of a deck long sold-out and has been put out with a new embossed black tuck case to add to the ‘lux’! Real metal is added to these cards yet they still handle beautifully. (Also available in a striking Emerald edition). £25.50

We’re slightly out of space and time now (this is sounding like Dr Who!) and can’t do justice to all the other latest cards.  But for an intriguing design, why not have a look at The Other Kingdom Playing Cards – both limited edition decks – one focused on animals and one focused on birds. £14.99 I I also like the look of the Black Crown Deck (£5.99) but have rather mixed feelings about the Death Playing Cards (£9.99)!

The post Latest Cards roundup – keeping you up to date appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

Let’s kick straight off with Trick Soup. A confession – I’ve not clapped eyes on this twin DVD set. However, everything that Gary Jones and Chris Congreave put out is worth looking at. They are two top class working pros and have released some superb magic over the years. So I have no hesitation recommending this sight unseen, and look forward to getting hold of my copy! £34.50

Next up is a lovely twist (did you see what I did there?!) on the old Paul Harris Reality Twister (without the lens) and the latest in a long line of effects using the humble sharpie marker. In Spiralled the barrel of a Sharpie Pen becomes tightly twisted leaving a wonderful visual effect. £14.72

I’m a die hard Chop Cup fan, and I love the thinking behind Alan Hudson’s Chop Glass. This is a way of performing the classic chop cup routine but with a glass you pick up from the table you’re working at. This both makes it seem utterly fair and saves pocket space. A genius idea for anyone who does lots of wedding or walkaround gigs. £48.50 (For another, really unusual, new take on the chop cup idea check out the Transformer Chop Cup by Sean Yang – though I’m less convinced by the look of this one!)

Nicholas Einhorn is a wonderfully understated gentleman of magic who also puts out some cracking effects. Just when you thought there could be no more variations on the bill switch a fantastic new alternative comes along. A receipt from a store is folded into 8ths and immediately turns into a banknote. Insta-Change is a great effect and well thought out idea. £34.50 (We’ve linked to the UK currency version. It is also available in Dollars and Euros.)

There have been a spate of new decks out too – so many that I’ll try and do a feature later in the month – but here’s just one of the releases to keep you going which is close to my magical heart. The Hocus Pocus playing cards have been commissioned to celebrate a wonderful US-based bricks and mortar shop – of the kind for which I have a great fondness. A bit of slightly nostalgic yet classy design, in a deep regal purple which is one of my favourite colours. What’s not to like? £12.99

As if all this were not enough, watch out for our (somewhat delayed) giveaway – which will be live soon! Have a great month.

The post Trick of the month – April 2017 – loads of new releases appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

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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Let’s start with the tuck case. This has a decent quality feel (is it me, or have playing card manufacturers been making more effort on tuck cases in recent years?) Like the cards themselves, the theme is black (apologies – in some of the photos the flash has slightly washed out the colour and it looks almost gray, but it is definitely a matt black colour)

The text and graphics are embossed in silver making a pleasing minimalist effect.  The back of the case features the masked magician (the eponymous Anonymous Magician) stencil which is featured on the back designs too.

Whilst we’re on the subject of the back design, let’s go in to a little more detail. It is a simple black back with a white border and features a pair of masked magician faces. I’m not that fond of the faces – perhaps because of associations with exposure, but more likely because I find the picture ambiguous. Is that a stylised goatee or a tongue sticking out? Either way, it doesn’t do much for me, but on the other hand the overwhelming effect in fans and spreads is essentially black!

I’m rather more positive about the jokers which feature a maskles (ineed, headless!) torso which is simple and striking.  They are also identical – which is often a useful feature in magic routines.   Similarly the extra cards which come with the deck are both useful for magic applications – a double-backer and a blank faced card.

Otherwise, the Ace of Spades is the only deviation from normal Bicycle faces. It has the Magicians Anonymous logo in the centre of the pip and the word ‘anonymous’ underneath.

All in all this is a nice deck.  They are reasonably ‘discrete’ – they don’t shour ‘magic deck.’  They handle nicely as you would expect from a decent USPCC deck.  And as already mentioned, the extra cards provided make them useful for the magician, in addition to their appeal to the card collector.

The Magicians Anonymous Bicycle Playing Cards are available from the Merchant of Magic for £10.50 (at the time of writing).

Review copy kindly provided by Murphys Magic to whom dealer enquiries should be directed.

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First up are two new decks by Art of Play. I really like the blend of old and new in the Blue Wheel Playing Cards. They take a nod in the direction of the classic Rider Back, incorporating elements of a bicycle in the design, but have created some fun contemporary court cards which really appeal. A good looking deck which could be used in a variety of settings. £11.99 Their second deck, the Jungle Playing Cards, is less appealing to me. It is bright, verging on the garish. Even the indices are busy. £14.99

We normally shy off the ‘novelty’ Bicycle Cards but I can actually see the Bicycle Denim Playing Cards fitting in a kind of street magic context. The Denim look also works well in a spread/fan. £12.50 Similarly the Bicycle Wood Playing Cards actually deliver a little more than we would expect. The overall impression of this particular deck is of age – so they could fit in to various bizarre type routines or plots based around the past. And they have a subtle one-way feature built in which would again have various applications in magic. £14.99

The Don Quixote deck is a thing of great beauty. The court cards have been beautifully drawn to represent characters from the classic Don Quixote novel. They’ve been printed on a premium card stock, and the tuck box is an elegant statement in its own right. I think these are going to appeal primarily to collectors due to their limited print run, but I could also see a creative story-telling magician getting great value out of these. £14.99 There is also a ‘Don Edition‘ of these cards with a black face which provides a different look again. £14.99

And finally, we spotted this Bicycle Disruption Deck. I’ll be honest, I don’t like the design of this that much, although there is something quirky about the court cards. However, the idea of a jumbled deck which messes with your mind could be really powerful in conjunction with a mentalism plot – so I can see some applications for this deck. And in a limited run of 1000 it is also very collectable. £14.99

What new decks have taken your fancy?

The post Latest Decks Roundup appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

First up, is the Paul Harris Presents Creators Kit. This really is what it says on the tin! It contains an assortment of materials – conveniently gathered in one place – which you can use to play with and come up with ideas and techniques of your own. It doesn’t come with any tricks or instructions (though as I look at the contents I can see the elements of any number of tricks we have reviewed in recent years there!). We often say something is ‘limited only by your own imagination’ – and this one literally is! You may also find some useful refills for existing items you already own. £18.50

For inspiring creativity, I find there is little to match reading a good magic book. Jack Parker’s 52 Memories is just such a book. It has been out of print for a while but has just gone into a second printing (they’re calling it the ‘Retrospective Edition’) which is now available. It is packed with brilliant material which you will enjoy learning and performing – but which might also inspire you to come up with some cracking card magic of your own. One of the best magic books I’ve read in recent years and highly recommended. £38.50

Sometimes a new deck of cards will stimulate some new ideas.  We regularly try to highlight the latest Bicycle cards, but here’s one we’ve not yet featured. The Fate Chip Playing Cards have been inspired (as their name suggests) by the humble poker chip. The striped back design is a little brash – and reminiscent (if you’re English) of sea-side wind breakers! But don’t let that put you off – that same attribute would work well in flourishes and shuffles and fans. £13.99.

Our last suggestion isn’t designed to inspire creativity at all – it is just to make you feel good! The humble card guard has come of age in the form of these Elite Card Clips. The clips are made of brass and then coated with a choice of Antique Copper, Black Chrome, Fine 24K Gold or 925 Sterling Silver. Well, it would be rude not to wouldn’t it? £27.99 each.

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As a massive paisley fan (I make no apologies for THAT!) I cannot believe I let the Dapper Deck from Vanishing Inc pass me by. This is a really attractive deck with the paisley inspired back design picked out in the detail of the Aces too. I’m not sure I would perform with them since they may seem too unusual for a spectator – but a thing of beauty to collect! £7.50

If you like the concept but want something that would be more understated for performance, there is a NOC release which maintains the signature NOC plain back, but the paisley accent appears on the aces and on the inside of the tuck case. £7.99  And if it’s not too early to think about Christmas, what about this Deluxe Set for that special someone in your life? Both colour ways of the Dapper Deck, plus a beautiful matching handkerchief and tie, all in a gorgeous wooden box with built in practise mirror! £136.99 (only 400 sets produced)

Sticking with the elegance theme, the beautiful Bicycle Aurora Playing Cards are well worth a look. For those of you who aren’t classicists, Aurora means ‘dawn,’ and the golds of dawn and silvers of dusk mark out the court and spot cards respectively. Nicely realised with an embossed tuck case – another good one for the collection. £13.99

I’m not always a fan of solid colour faces on playing cards, but the striking fan designs you can achieve with the Bicycle Red Castle playing cards more than make up for my slight reservations about this approach. There’s a clear heraldic influence with strong court cards – but it’s that borderless back design that really grabs me here. £9.50

If you enjoy the world of the Ancient Egyptian Gods, and are looking for a classy and luxurious deck, you would do well to consider the Osiris and Anubis decks. They’re not cheap decks, but with the gold ink and foil and embossed tuck cases they look the part. Each £16.99

And for a similar ‘luxury’ feel, but at almost half the price, then you may wish to consider Theory 11’s recent release – the Tycoon Playing Cards. They are available in Ivory and in Black and are inspired by the elegance of the famous Waldorf Astoria hotel. Check out the skin tones on the court cards which are Fournier designs. £9.50

That’s surely enough to keep you going for now?! Look out for more close up and card magic news and reviews coming soon…

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