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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