So you're just starting out and you want to buy your first marked deck?

Dec 1, 2012
697
198
TX
www.youtube.com
So you're just starting out and you want to buy your first marked deck?

What is a marked deck you say?

A marked deck is a deck with secret marks on the back of the card, that allow you to identify the value and suit on the face.

The first attempts to mark playing cards involved bends, crimps and tiny pinprick bumps known as "blisters", resembling the Braille script. Later, when the first designs appeared on the backs of playing cards, cheats began altering the designs on the backs of cards.

But did you know that - marked decks aren't' only for beginners or gamblers - did you know many magic pros use marked decks? It's true.

Chris Kenner
Michael Weber
Dani DaOrtiz
Lennart Green
Menny Lindenfeld
Jean-Pierre Vallarino
and many others use marked decks

But which one should you buy?

With these decks, your job is simply to "read" the back of the card, and you can immediately identify it. It's that easy


What are your favorite marked decks?

Tell us below
 
Mar 15, 2018
247
97
boardgamegeek.com
Like the video says, magicians favour a Bicycle style deck that uses a reader system of markings, which this is.

I've tried most marked Bicycle decks on the market, and agree that the Penguin Marked Deck (available in RED or BLUE is the #1 choice, given the excellent markings which are easy to use, the excellent tutorials, and the excellent price.

Great video David.
 
Jan 2, 2016
1,092
881
24
California
Like the video says, magicians favour a Bicycle style deck that uses a reader system of markings, which this is.

I've tried most marked Bicycle decks on the market, and agree that the Penguin Marked Deck (available in RED or BLUE is the #1 choice, given the excellent markings which are easy to use, the excellent tutorials, and the excellent price.

Great video David.
Do you know if they're available on non-Elite stock?
I do love the elite stock feel but from my experience it's less durable
 
Dec 1, 2012
697
198
TX
www.youtube.com
Bicycle only has one roll of paper that they make all their cards from. Some are crushed heavier in the printing rollers, but there is really no telling with an on going print run like this one. Penguin's first order of cards wont be the same thickness as the next. Buy a deck and see how they feel
 
Mar 15, 2018
247
97
boardgamegeek.com
Bicycle only has one roll of paper that they make all their cards from. Some are crushed heavier in the printing rollers, but there is really no telling with an on going print run like this one.
What is your source for the statement that they only use one paper roll David?

To my knowledge Bicycle has two separate paper stocks that they make all their cards from:
1. Retail stock (= Bicycle standard)
2. Premium stock (= Bee Casino)

Both of these two stocks then have the further option of being "crushed".

Theory11 VP of Operations Lyle Borders wrote the following here:
Generally, USPC only offers two stocks (Classic / Bicycle stock, and the thicker Premium / Bee stock). There is no such stock as "crushed stock". Once you choose your stock from above, you have the option to have that stock "crushed". It is not a separate stock, it is an optional process.
 
Jan 2, 2016
1,092
881
24
California
Bicycle only has one roll of paper that they make all their cards from. Some are crushed heavier in the printing rollers, but there is really no telling with an on going print run like this one. Penguin's first order of cards wont be the same thickness as the next. Buy a deck and see how they feel
Gotcha. I should have worded that better as I meant do they make the Marked Maidens on non-crushed stock
 
Dec 1, 2012
697
198
TX
www.youtube.com
You worded it fine.

The short answer is no.

The long answer is ALL stock from USPCC is "crushed" it's just crushed thicker (casino/bee) or thinner (retail/classic) depending on how it's ordered.

Finding thicker decks is getting harder and harder.
 
Mar 15, 2018
247
97
boardgamegeek.com
The long answer is ALL stock from USPCC is "crushed" it's just crushed thicker (casino/bee) or thinner (retail/classic) depending on how it's ordered.
Again, what is your source for this, David?

What you are saying seems to be different than what Theory11 VP of Operations Lyle Borders has said about this (I quoted it above). He has specifically said USPCC has two different stocks, both of which can be crushed to different thicknesses.
 
Mar 15, 2018
247
97
boardgamegeek.com
USPCC has two "stocks" but only 1 roll of paper.
So what does that mean exactly? Especially because each of these two stocks comes with the option of being crushed or not? (as per what Lyle Borders has said, quoted above). Where does the second stock come from then?

You seem to be saying that there is basically one stock that has three or four crushing options. Or am I misunderstanding you?
 
Dec 1, 2012
697
198
TX
www.youtube.com

Antonio Diavolo don't let any of this confuse you, it's not important and doesn't have anything to do with your question.​


The answer is still no. As of right now, PENGUIN only orders their marked deck "this way" but i'd still invite you to try it out.

have a great day !!!
 
Mar 15, 2018
247
97
boardgamegeek.com
I seem to remember that you were weighing decks at one point, David, similar to how you were comparing the thickness of 10 cards with your caliper.

Is there anything you can share about what your findings were? Do you have a chart somewhere showing the results of that?

Or were all the decks an identical weight, regardless of the stock or amount of crushing?
 
Mar 15, 2018
247
97
boardgamegeek.com
Exactly. Quote: "THE PAPER ROLL STARTS THE SAME - EITHER AS CLASSIC GRADE OR PREMIUM GRADE."

Note that last part. In other words, they are saying that there two types of paper roll. One is classic grade. The other is premium grade.

And these can then be thin-crushed on an order by order basis. Their point is that the thin-crushed stock uses the same paper roll (either classic grade or premium grade) as the non-crushed stock.

But it will either be a roll with Classic Grade or a roll with Premium Grade. Those are two types of stock. And each can remain non-crushed or can be crushed.

It seems to me that what US Playing Cards has written to you confirms exactly what I have been saying (and what Lyle Borders has said), David, and contradicts what you have been saying.
 
Dec 1, 2012
697
198
TX
www.youtube.com
Ok.

You are right. I humbly retract all of my statements. You win.

I apologize to you and everyone else for portraying that I knew what I was talking about.

I will not contribute further.
 
Searching...
{[{ searchResultsCount }]} Results