theory11 Artisan Playing Cards (White)

Let me just say this... These cards are frikken gorgeous!Everything about these screams excellence and luxury, right down to the metallic seal. The boxes are made from very nice card stock with one of the most matte finishes I've seen in paper. The black box, in particular, is an incredibly deep black that you'd normally only expect from a gloss finish, and this sets off the gold foil artwork ablaze, yet the embossing effect is still visible. The white deck has the same artwork, but on a white, almost cream colored card stock instead. There is no coating on these boxes; these are bare card stock, and as such, are extremely susceptible to water damage. Both come with stamp-like seals with edition numbers, which are also present on the aces.The cards themselves are top quality, as is expected from the USPCC. The backs have a thin white border, about half as thick as regular cards, and this thin border also serves to showcase the attention to detail present here; it's extremely uniform all around. When you put a border this thin on something that will be cut later, the slightest registration errors will be far more noticeable. I see none, and I've sorted several regular decks so their thin borders are all on the same sides.The black deck has a black pattern printed over a pale bronze metallic background. Similarly, the Ace of Spade uses black and metallic to great effect, mimicking the design on the box, but without the foil or embossing. The white deck has the same design on the back, but without the black ink; the design is made up entirely by the metallic ink and the white card stock.The faces are identical on both decks, and have no more than three colors printed on them; black, a burgundy red and the metallic bronze (it's a bit dull to be gold really). There are two identical Jokers, which have a circular emblem with "The Guild Of Artisans" across the top and "The U. S. Playing Card Company" on the bottom, also using the three inks. The decks also contain one double-backer and a promo card for Theory 11.I normally remove the seals on my decks, carefully to avoid ripping the boxes, and toss the cellophane wrap as well. I made exceptions for these decks, leaving the seal in place, and keeping the boxes in what's left of the wrap to keep them protected. The seals, due to the embossing of the boxes, are easily peeled up to allow opening. Even with limited, gentle handling, I know these will eventually start to show signs of wear and I'm already planning to get at least one more set for backups. At $16 for the pair, they're a great bargain, but they're so nice, you'd hate to see any harm come to them. As such, these will appeal to collectors more than anyone, and few would actually want to put these through the wear & tear of game play.Personally, I think Theory 11 outdid themselves on these decks. But to be sure, I'm collecting their other decks now. The designs of these two just caught my eye first.

Beautiful deck, one of my all time favorite poker decks

Beautiful cards. No defects. We are using this for our wedding; we will have guests sign the cards with sharpie.

I couldn’t bridge with bicycle cards—heck, I could hardly riffle shuffle. If you’re have a hard time with cardistry, tricks, or just want a pretty deck, these are the ones for you. I picked up bridging in 15 minutes as soon as I switched to these cards. Yes, they really do handle that much better.

Only the ace of spades is really beautiful. It's a good deck of cards, shuffle well, thick, good feel in the hand. I was going to try and inspire my daughter to design her own deck of cards. I used only the ace of spades and some face cards as examples of how detailed one can become.

I just hadn’t imagined that playing cards could be THIS gorgeous!

I purchased the playing cards as a gift and my friend loves it. They are strong and they will last for a very long time.

These cards look absolutely amazing. If you're a collector, these are a must have. The box looks great. I love the detail on the box design: Embossed with gold foil for the back and the Ace of Spades design on the front.The cards themselves feel great and handle pretty well also. I haven't done many flourishes with them but they do make pretty good looking giant fans. They work great if you're into magic tricks also. As far as handling goes, they feel like a standard bicycle deck.The faces are pretty much standard. The reds are a deeper red than your standard bicycle deck. The color on the court cards is different. The reds are deeper, the yellows are darker and look closer to the gold foil on the box. All in all it's a tremendous deck to own, no matter what you plan to use it for