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Poker is a subject that never seems to lose its appeal, with discussions echoing throughout various platforms. But rather than just absorbing our own chatter, it’s essential to lend an ear to the poker enthusiasts within our user community.
In an effort to provide genuine insight, we’ve meticulously curated feedback from passionate poker enthusiasts across Reddit’s PlayingCards and UnitedCardists. These diverse comments encapsulate the reality of WJPC, presenting a multifaceted perspective that transcends mere conversation.
By doing so, we try to offer you an unfiltered and comprehensive understanding of our product, drawn directly from those who know it best.
1. Affordable Alternative To USPCC/Cartamundi/LPCC/EPCC
The surge in prices since Cartamundi’s acquisition of USPCC has been a noticeable shift, requiring bulk orders (usually 1000 decks) to access their affordable services. However, within this changing landscape, WJPC has carved a unique niche by offering a compelling blend of quality, affordability, and innovative features, catering to both creators and collectors.
WJPC’s reliability as a backup option for Cartamundi during production transitions further underscores their appeal to creators. They excel in terms of speed and cost-efficiency for standard projects, prioritizing budget-friendly pricing.
Unlike Cartamundi’s requirement for full upfront payment, WJPC offers flexibility, with a modest 30% initial payment, easing financial strain for creators while maintaining quality and consistency. This combination of attributes positions WJPC as an attractive and dependable choice in the competitive playing card printing landscape.
Notably, Stockholm17’s collaboration with WJPC has demonstrated the impressive caliber of their cards, effectively competing with long-established brands. The lauded 300gsm German paper tray employed by WJPC has garnered recognition on card enthusiast forums, often favorably compared to the quality of USPCC’s offerings.
2. Continuously Improving Quality And Solutions
WJPC’s remarkable journey of improvement spans several years, marked by their unwavering commitment to seeking optimal solutions and embracing innovative concepts. As creators, the quest for fresh ideas and techniques without compromising on quality is paramount.
While some may express preferences for USPCC or Cartamundi due to processing variations, rarely does anyone fault WJPC’s print quality recently; it’s more a matter of personal taste than any inherent inferiority.
The rise in popularity of WJPC decks attests to their growing acceptance and satisfaction among users. Initial quality concerns have given way to resounding positivity, especially with decks employing the impressive 300gsm German stock, showcasing China’s substantial advancements in card production.
WJPC’s consistency and appeal make them a preferred choice for many designers, offering attractive pricing without sacrificing aesthetics. Their ongoing quality enhancements position them favorably in comparison to industry giants like USPCC and Cartamundi, steadily earning trust among creators.
3. The Choice Of More And More Well-Known Designers
WJPC has emerged as a preferred choice for a growing number of designers and producers in the playing card industry. This trend is indicative of WJPC’s continuous commitment to enhancing their quality and services, making them a noteworthy player in the custom luxury playing card market.
Prominent names such as Kings Wild, Daniel Schneider, Stockholm17, Ondrej, Wondercraft, and TWI have recognized the value of partnering with WJPC. These collaborations have resulted in the creation of visually stunning and high-quality playing card decks that have captivated enthusiasts and collectors worldwide.
Kings Wild, known for its Sterling, Marines, and more, has found a reliable partner in WJPC to bring their creative visions to life. Likewise, Daniel Schneider (known for its Black Roses), a respected figure in the playing card community, has chosen WJPC to produce decks that meet his exacting standards, ensuring that every detail is finely executed.
Stockholm17, renowned for its 17th Kingdom Avant Garde, The Notorious Gambling Frog, and more, has also turned to WJPC, appreciating their dedication to delivering fast and affordable products. Ondrej, known for its Butterfly, has benefited from WJPC’s commitment to magic cards, resulting in decks that perform exceptionally well for card manipulations.
Wondercraft and TWI, both known for their distinctive designs and concepts, have joined the ranks of satisfied collaborators with WJPC. These partnerships highlight WJPC’s versatility in accommodating various creative styles and preferences, offering a platform for designers to explore new ideas and push the boundaries of playing card design.
What sets WJPC apart is their willingness to adapt and evolve. They continuously improve their production processes, materials, and quality control measures, striving to meet the ever-increasing demands of the playing card market. This commitment to excellence has positioned WJPC as a trusted and competitive player in an industry dominated by giants like USPCC and Cartamundi.
As more creators and designers discover the benefits of working with WJPC, it’s evident that WJPC is not just a printer but a creative partner that values innovation, quality, and collaboration. With each project, they further solidify their reputation as a printing company that creators can rely on to bring their visions to life.
At last, we wish you to know that your voice matters, and it propels us forward on our journey of innovation and quality. We actively encourage genuine voices within our community to share your experiences and insights, so that can together shape the future of playing card production, ensuring that our offerings align with the evolving needs and aspirations of our diverse community of creators and collectors.
The Dutch Card House Company first got my attention with their Diamon series, which features colorful geometric designs that are perfect for Cardistry, and are also at an affordable price point.
Based in the Netherlands, their team has now produced several different successful series of custom playing cards, including Tulip, Paisley, and others.
But it was when I first saw their Secret Tale of King Arthur Playing Cards that I knew that they were for real.
This is not just your average “custom” deck but is a luxurious project that consists of two fully custom luxury decks that draw on the famous Arthurian legends.
Most of us are familiar with the classic tale about King Arthur, who was raised by the wizard Merlin, successfully removed the sword Excalibur from the stone, and became king.
The Dutch Card House Company has come up with the idea that a secret manuscript written by Merlin has been discovered, which tells more of the story about Arthur.
This newly found document is called “Merlin’s Confession”, and reveals a prophecy from the Lady of the Lake that Arthur and Guinevere will father a son who will rule over Britain and all of Europe.
It further tells the story of how King Clovis of the Franks works together with the sorceress Melina to try to prevent this prophecy from coming to pass. It is this “secret tale” that forms the back story behind this lovely custom deck.
A 68-page mini-booklet telling this story was even created as part of the project. It includes pictures of all the court cards, along with a summary of how each of the depicted characters plays a role in the narrative.
But let’s start by talking about the decks that are part of the project. There are two companion decks: ● Black Knight Edition, which was printed by LPCC in their Viper finish. ● White Knight Collector’s Edition, which was printed by WJPC in a limited edition of 500.
The design of the card back centers around a keyhole, which represents the entrance to the cabinet where Merlin has hidden his secret tale. Careful observers will also notice details from the Arthurian stories as part of the ornate design, such as the legendary sword.
The Black Knight Edition and White Knight Edition both have the same combination of colors and while the face cards are identical, the card backs have a very different look as a result of having either a black background (Black Knight Edition) or a white background (White Knight Edition).
The style of the artwork on both the backs and the faces of the cards combines old folk art with antique colors from the Middle Ages. The court cards especially bring the story to life, with lavishly illustrated characters that make good use of the space offered on the faces.
The court cards depict the following characters in each suit (from Jack through King): ● Spades: Sir Galahad, Lady of the Lake, King Arthur ● Hearts: Arthur as Ibex, Queen Guinevere, Sir Lancelot ● Clubs: King Clovis, Melina, Sir Pellinore ● Diamonds: Merlin, Lady Morgause, Sir Mordred
The pips and indices are beautifully customized in a style that is in keeping with the rest of the artwork. The dual tones used for the pips make them look very elegant, and the custom arrangement adds to the unique feel.
The deck is rounded out with some fine Jokers. There are two Jokers in the LPCC Black Knight Edition, and three in the WJPC White Knight Edition, namely the Holy Grail, Excalibur, and Guinevere.
Naturally, the Ace of Spades also enjoys a fully custom look and showcases some details from the secret story. Head over to this gallery at the Playing Card Scan Archive to see all the cards in the deck.
The tuck boxes of both decks are already beautiful, with embossed card stock and multiple foils. But it gets better because a deluxe “Camelot Box” was produced for each box. These were created by WJPC, which also printed the Black Knight edition.
WJPC is an increasingly respected playing card manufacturer based in China that specializes in printing playing cards, as well as every aspect of luxury packaging for playing cards, and has a growing track record of real success.
The Camelot Box is a very sturdy box decorated with lavish gold foil for a classy look and has a drawer with a ribbon that you pull open. This drawer has ample room for storing a single deck along with the mini-book and makes for a lovely presentation.
I can’t say enough about how beautiful this project has turned out. If you are going to search for a copy, I especially recommend a gilded edition, which adds that special touch in keeping with the luxury of all other aspects of the Secret Tale decks.
The gilded editions were produced in even more limited numbers, the Black Knight Edition with gold gilding, and the White Knight Edition with blue gilding. These also both come with a custom numbered seal.
Collectors who appreciate what they see here will be pleased to know that the Dutch Card House Company has gone on to create a second installment in the Secret Tale Playing Cards series.
This time they draw on the legendary Robin Hood, with a project entitled The Secret Tale of Robin Hood. This project is currently in the process of being fulfilled, after being successfully crowdfunded. It looks to be just as spectacular as the first installment of the series.
With the newest Robin Hood project, all the decks are being printed by WJPC. If the quality of the Arthurian decks is any indication, the Robin Hood decks will be equally wonderful.
With this beautiful series, the Dutch Card House Company has certainly shown itself to be an important contributor to today’s playing card industry, and well worth keeping an eye on!
A well-known and highly respected reviewer of board games and playing cards. He loves card games, card magic, Cardistry, and card collecting, and has reviewed several hundred board games and hundreds of different decks of playing cards.
He is considered an authority on playing cards and has written extensively about their design, history, and function, and has many contacts within the playing card and board game industries. In his spare time, he also volunteers with local youth to teach them the art of Cardistry and card magic.
Original article from BoardGameGeek, written by EndersGame.
Chris Cards Glow V2 Playing Cards
I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of playing cards that use ink that reacts to ultraviolet light. In this case, I’ll be covering an example of such a deck, namely Chris Cards Glow V2 Playing Cards, which is a recent release from 2022.
Although it’s commonly called UV ink, technically it’s the light that is UV, not the ink. Whatever the case, if you have a UV flashlight or similar light source, playing cards that use this ink look particularly amazing in the dark.
For a while I was even keeping a running list of decks that had this, although I haven’t kept it up once I hit around two dozen entries. But it was the striking feature of decks with UV ink that first attracted me to the Glow deck by Christof Schmitz. A cardist and creator from Germany, he has released several decks under his brand Chris Cards, with the help of fellow team members Dan and Lena.
His first Glow deck appeared last year, with the help of crowdfunding support on Kickstarter. The card backs of the main deck featured borderless black backs, with a design that relied on white lines. Under UV light, this design sprang to life with vibrant blue and purple.
The tuck case of the Glow V2 deck has a fairly straightforward design in black and white, and the back design is similar to the original deck. Once again the design of the tuck box and the cards uses two UV colors, but this time around the card backs and faces light up in a vibrant green and a vibrant red, for a whole new look. The card faces proved to be a real surprise for me. These are all white, with a custom design in red and black for the indices. Especially striking are the court cards, which have lots of missing detail and plenty of white space.
It almost seems underwhelming, but that’s deliberate, because under a UV light these come to life with full detail, including borders and more. A single giant pip resides on the Aces as well as on all the number cards, and these also come alive under a UV-light source. On their own, this deck works fine for playing card games, or even for card magic or cardistry. But it is especially spectacular when using it for card flourishing in the dark with a UV light. For me, this added a whole level of enjoyment to cardistry that a regular deck can’t provide, no matter how good the design.
With the flick of a switch, the Glow V2 deck lights up like a Christmas tree, and it feels like you’re performing with cards that have an in-built lighting system. Head to Christof’s Instagram (e.g. these stories) or to his youtube channel to see this deck being put through its paces, and see how amazing it looks under UV-light. As for the handling of Glow V2, I found it to be excellent. This deck is printed by WJPC in China on their popular 300gsm German card stock, which is the same stock used for Stockholm17’s recent Notorious Gambling Frogs decks.
It feels very soft from the get-go and is especially well-suited to card flourishing. Many people have compared it positively with USPCC’s crushed stock, and the performance and feel reminds me very much of that, so it is ideal for cardists. Even though this particular deck has borderless backs in black – normally a bad idea as white shows underneath with wear – the back design of Glow V2 cleverly has white areas on the edges and corners. This cleverly disguises any signs of wear in the area where they would normally appear.
My only complaint is a minor one, namely that over time I saw some tiny flecks of black move to the faces. But overall I’m very impressed with the stock and the handling. I’m not surprised that many creators have been turning to WJPC in the past year, given that their pricing tends to be more affordable than some of the more well-known printers, without compromising quality.
It’s also worth mentioning that some gilded versions of the Glow V2 deck (250 in red and 250 in green) were also produced, and these are still available from the creator.
Chris Cards Holographic Playing Cards
Alongside the main Glow V2 deck, a Chris Cards Holographic deck was produced at the same time. This was a more limited edition, with a print run of only 500 decks, all individually numbered. Not only does the tuck box of the holographic deck have holographic foil but the cards themselves also have holographic foil on both sides. Unlike the Glow V2 decks, the details on the court cards and other face cards don’t have white space printed with invisible ink that shows up under UV light but show full details.
This deck really comes to life when the cards get the benefit of being well-lit when they shine with a bright array of rainbow colors. Both the Glow V2 deck and the Holographic deck appeal for different reasons, and in both cases it is the novelty factor of shiny colors that is so gripping – one shining by day (Holographic), the other shining by night with the help of UV-light (Glow V2).
Especially for cardists looking to find something different to use for creating fun videos, or just to enjoy casually, both of these decks have what it takes to provide something truly different and yet very satisfying. About the original writer: EndersGame
A well-known and highly respected reviewer of board games and playing cards. He loves card games, card magic, cardistry, and card collecting, and has reviewed several hundred boardgames and hundreds of different decks of playing cards.
He is considered an authority on playing cards and has written extensively about their design, history, and function, and has many contacts within the playing card and board game industries. In his spare time he also volunteers with local youth to teach them the art of cardistry and card magic.
Lorenzo Gaggiotti, better known to most of us as Stockholm17, is a rock-star in the world of modern playing cards. As evidence, you only need to consider the most recent Diamond Awards hosted by 52 Plus Joker in early October. He took out the number one spot in two elite categories: 2022 Deck of the Year Award, and 2022 Artist of the Year Award.
His highly praised “Eye of the Ocean Playing Cards” project is what earned him the coveted award for this year’s Deck of the Year. And it was the accumulated designs he contributed to the playing card industry from July 2021 through June 2022 that earned him the prestigious award for Artist of the Year.
It just doesn’t get any better than being crowned as top dog in these two categories by the world’s most illustrious club for playing card collectors. Because the playing card community can bestow no greater honour. But it’s not the first time Stockholm17 has been crowned with this level of success. He already took out the top honours in both categories in 2019, courtesy of his spectacular House of the Rising Sun deck.
Other industry accolades include the fact that his name is found three times on the list of Portfolio52 (previously United Cardists) Deck of the Year award winners. His Heretic deck won that award in 2015, and his House of the Rising Spade deck in 2018. The club deck he designed for 52 Plus Joker in 2021 won Portfolio52’s Deck of the Year award in 2021, and this extravagant design was also declared as Kardify’s 2021 Deck of the Year.
Clearly Stockholm17 is no stranger to success, and it’s no wonder that he is one of the most sought after and popular designers in the playing card industry today. His journey to the pinnacle of playing card design began in Italy, the country of his birth. There his natural abilities as an artist were nurtured and encouraged by his mother, who was a painter. As he honed his skills as a professional graphic designer and illustrator, Sweden became his adoptive home, and he now lives in the city of Stockholm. He’s now been designing playing cards professionally for about a decade now, and his reputation continues to grow with each new project that he produces.
The two major releases produced by Stockholm17 in the period of eligibility for 2022 Artist of the Year are quite well known: Eye of the Ocean, and Odd Fellows. Eye of the Ocean was a huge project that explores a naval theme of adventure, relating to the quest of a young 18th century woman to sail the high seas and find the island that her mother was searching for when she disappeared. Odd Fellows was created as the very first official deck for Portfolio52, the new parent company of United Cardists, and celebrates six brightly coloured, playful, and unusual characters, each with its own deck.
But in this article I want to take a look at one of the lesser known decks that was part of Stockholm17’s output in the past year, namely his Notorious Gambling Frogs Playing Cards. I never thought I would use the words “gambling” and “frogs” in the same sentence. “Notorious” and “gambling” perhaps, but not in combination with amphibians. But it’s that kind of originality that imaginative creators like Stockholm17 come up with.
Let’s learn more about this deck by talking to the man himself. I posed a number of questions to Stockholm17 about his Notorious Gambling Frogs project, and here’s what he had to say about it:
Q: What is the concept behind the Notorious Gambling Frog deck, and what was your goal with this project?
A: The idea is about designing and producing a standard deck, with a classic look, cheap (as much as I can) and easy to play with.
Q: How did you come up with this interesting and unusual theme?
Q: Of the different cards in this deck, which ones are you especially pleased about and why?
A: The Jokers, just because they are illustrated and depict the frog in three elegant poses.
Q: What was your thinking with the design of the card backs?
A: Frogs eat dragonflies, right?
Q: What aspects of this particular deck have proven most satisfying for you?
A: The main goal was to design a deck that is standard and at the same time “polished” with easy-to-read faces. When I say `polished’ it is about the design of the court cards. I took the standard Bicycle court cards and remade them.
Standard Bicycle faces are rough. I know the majority do not see this because they are used to them, but there are graphic design aspects of those faces that bothered me and the Notorious Gambling Frog display a neat design in all its aspects. All the lines are neat, and the design is a little more modern. These are the standard courts I am going to use for these kinds of decks.
Readability was another important aspect, therefore I decided to have indices on the four corners with a font that is easy to read and elegant at the same time.
Q: What was your goal in using all four indices, which is more common with European decks?
A: This choice costs me nothing and balances the design of all faces. On top of that, left-handed players can handle the cards in the way they prefer. It is an aesthetic and ergonomic choice.
Q: The deck feels very custom, without departing too much from a traditional style, ensuring it is very suitable for using in card games. Was that deliberate, and part of your goal?
A: Yes, it feels custom and traditional at the same time. I wanted to make a deck that people are not afraid to use, and where they do not need to spend time understanding what cards they have in their hands. The price is also an important factor, and makes it more likely that people open the deck to use it.
Q: There’s a green and an orange version of this deck – why these two particular colours?
A: They are complementary colors. For the games with 2 decks it is a good color combination. Also, I wanted to do something different from blue and red.
Q: How did you decide to use WJPC to print this deck?
A: For standard projects they are faster and cheaper. One of the goals was to sell it for as little as I could. However, mind that I am not Bicycle and my production runs do not go over 3000 decks on average.
Q: What was your experience in working with WJPC like?
A: Pretty good, although if something is not standard or not in a catalog, it gets harder to make them understand a concept. They are also very reliable with the deadlines for standard products, and their production line does not struggle to understand how they have to pack a deck.
Q: The card stock used for this deck (300gsm German stock) has been received very positively by collectors. What are your own impressions of it?
A: I like it very much, very close to the popular ones. Unfortunately this card stock may be discontinued and a slightly slimmer one (290gsm) replacing this option. WJPC sent a sample, and I have to say it handles very well and I am sure people will like it.
Q: Is there anything else about this project that you’d like to share?
A: These decks have a little easter egg printed on the tuckbox, which is quite easy to find.
I am not planning a third color at the moment for this series, but I probably will produce a mini deck in 2023. I know the third joker frog will feel alone without its own deck, but for now two are enough.
Now let’s take a closer look at the Notorious Gambling Frog deck for ourselves. It comes in two main colours, green and orange, a combination that pairs well together. The tuck box features matt card stock with embossing, and showcases our frog protagonist in one of two poses, depending on the colour of the deck.
The reverse side of the box features the symmetrical two way design that will return on the attractive card backs. The body and wings of a dragonfly forms the main part of the design on each half of the card, along with smaller details. It’s a design that suits the theme well, offering something unique and memorable, without distracting too much from playability.
Instead of the usual black and red for the pips and indices, these playing cards rely on a colour scheme of dark green and orange red. This does a good job of complementing the overall colour scheme of each deck, without being so novel that it would distract from gameplay when used in card games. The pips themselves are customized enough to make the deck feel unique, without looking so unusual that they become a focus of attention or distraction.
A successful formula has been applied to all aspects of design: combining the novel with the familiar, gearing everything to a balance between creativity and functionality, to ensure that this deck will be especially at home at the card table. This is also why the cards have indices in all four corners, to further enhance playability and practicality.
The court cards take their cue from traditional courts, but have had an overhaul in the usual Stockholm17 style, to give them more personality, and to ensure that they too have an original feel. The Aces all get special treatment, with a giant over-sized pip on each card. These in particular showcase a subtle design detail found throughout the deck that is easily overlooked: the canvas of the cards is off-white, and has a faint hash pattern as background that further adds to the unique look and feel.
The four extra cards included alongside our familiar 52 friends are three Jokers – each with its own frog personage – while the fourth card is either a 17 of Spades or a 17 of Hearts, depending on whether you have the green or the orange deck.
For those who appreciate a touch of luxury, a limited edition version of each deck is available with gilded edges, in either orange or green. It looks quite spectacular, and I was particularly pleased to notice that the gilding doesn’t negatively impact the handling.
In fact, the handling of these playing cards, which were produced by WJPC in China using their popular German 300gsm stock, proved very satisfactory all round. These decks are further proof that the quality of playing cards coming out of China has improved dramatically in the last couple of years. It’s no accident that we’re seeing an increasing number of big creators turning to Chinese-based producers like WJPC and EPCC/LPCC to print their projects, in an affordable manner without big compromises to quality. The handling qualities of WJPC’s German 300gsm stock are very pleasing, and in numerous playing card forums that I frequent, this card stock has been universally well received, and is often compared favourably with USPCC’s stock, which is no small praise.
It’s true that the Notorious Gambling Frog decks don’t showcase the same level of creativity and novelty we’ve come to expect from most Stockholm17 projects. But that is very much deliberate, and by design. This deck was created with card players in mind, and is best enjoyed at the card table, over a game of Cribbage, Rummy, Hearts, or Spades. The fact that the two different coloured decks pair well together also makes it suitable for games that require two decks, like Canasta.
While the Notorious Gambling Frog may not dazzle as much as its big brother The Eye of the Ocean, its more practical and down-to-earth looks are exactly what give it appeal. It also demonstrates Stockholm17’s versatility as a playing card designer, and illustrates that he’s capable not just of producing a large earth-shattering project that blows people away, but also in coming up with a very practical deck that is still original and charming.
His frogs may be notorious gamblers, but purchasing a Stockholm17 deck is no gamble, and rarely disappoints. These frogs only help confirm Stockholm17’s credentials as the worthy winner of this year’s 2022 Diamond Award for Best Artist, and are certain to be enjoyed at any card table.
A well-known and highly respected reviewer of board games and playing cards. He loves card games, card magic, cardistry, and card collecting, and has reviewed several hundred boardgames and hundreds of different decks of playing cards.
He is considered an authority on playing cards and has written extensively about their design, history, and function, and has many contacts within the playing card and board game industries. In his spare time he also volunteers with local youth to teach them the art of cardistry and card magic.
In the world of sports there are big name teams and big name athletes. Practically everyone has heard of superstars like Roger Federer, LeBron James, and Tiger Woods, or championship winning teams which have created a lasting legacy like football’s New England Patriots and baseball’s New York Yankees. But there are often hard-working athletes achieving great success under the shadow of these giants.
Much the same is true in the world of playing cards. Most readers will be familiar with big name printers like the United States Playing Card Company, and their European counterpart and owner, Cartamundi. But there are many smaller and lesser known manufacturers who are achieving high levels of success in the shadow of these industry giants, and whose names any creator or collector should also know about.
Examples of such smaller but successful players in the industry include Experts Playing Cards, Legends Playing Cards, and other playing card manufacturers based in Taiwan and China. Especially for creators and designers looking to produce their own deck of playing cards, many printing card companies like these are alternative manufacturers you should be aware of, given that they also can produce high quality products.
In this article I’d like to take a look at another of these lesser known companies, Shenzhen Wangjing Printing Company (WJPC), which has been making an increasing contribution to the playing card industry in recent years.
Shenzhen Wangjing Printing Company (WJPC)
I personally first became aware of WJPC a few years ago when one of my favourite creators, Elephant Playing Cards, switched to using WJPC for the manufacture of some of their decks. When another respected creator, Guru Playing Cards, also used WJPC to print one of their projects, I was forced to sit up and take careful notice. Since then WJPC has produced numerous projects for other designers as well, and it was time to find out more about them.
WJPC is based in Shenzhen City, which is located in Guangdong Province, China. It has been around since 2006, which is when it was founded by entrepreneur Jack Yang. Jack’s vision for producing quality playing cards began with a chance meeting with professional poker players, and he quickly began making this a reality after establishing the company.
By 2009 the company had expanded beyond playing cards to tarot and oracle cards, flash cards, and game cards. Around this time they were also producing accessories like their own packaging and printing their own instructional booklets, and had begun doing business with overseas customers.
In order to meet the growing demand and to increase the quality of their output, they added a six-colour Heidelberg printer to their factory equipment in 2012. Expansion continued in 2019, with a new manufacturing plant established under the name Dongguan Wangjing Poker Company, which was fully equipped with a wide range of modern equipment. You’ll also find some of their products under the name Acelion, which represents their own high-end brand.
WJPC’s current facilities have around 18,000 square meters of floor space, and is staffed by a team of over 300 skilled workers. So we’re not talking about a rinky-dinky backyard operation here, but a significantly sized manufacturing business. In terms of equipment, they now have two Heidelberg printers, as well as automatic varnishing, die-cut and packaging machines, and some of the latest state-of-the-art equipment.
They now consider themselves to be a professional manufacturer of numerous types of cards. So while custom poker-sized playing cards represent part of the product range that they cater to, they have expertise in a wider range of other printed products, including cards used for games, flash cards, advertising cards used for promotions, and more. Many creators of custom tarot decks have turned to WJPC for producing their products too, due to the specialized requirements of their projects for foils and other features that achieve a luxury look.
Aside from a solid customer base in China itself, WJPC now serves a global audience, with customers located around the world, including a significant number in North America. According to figures I found on their website, their annual sales top US$20 million, and 80% of their total revenue is generated by export products. See this promo video to get an idea of their factory and equipment.
I personally have several WJPC decks that I’ve used and play-tested, so I had some idea of what kind of quality to expect. But since the company offers free samples to creators planning to use their services, I got in touch with them, told them I was writing an article about them, and that I was interested to see some samples of the kind of work they can do, besides a vanilla deck of playing cards. So let’s pull out a few decks from my own collection, and from the sample cards they sent me, and get some impressions of what they can do.
Bharata V2 Playing Cards (2018)
The Bharata V2 Playing Cards were produced by Guru Playing Cards in 2018, in a limited print run of around 500 decks. It was a successor to the first edition produced in 2017, which was a luxury gilded version geared more to collectors, whereas V2 was intended more for actual use in card games, while still remaining beautiful.
Bharata is the original name of India, and this deck was conceived as a tribute to the childhood stories of kings and queens that have become part of the art forms and history of Indian culture. The tuck case immediately introduces this cultural heritage with vibrant and colourful patterns set on a black background, with the border and lettering in silver foil, and embossed surfaces, while the inside has full interior printing with a silver foil pattern.
The faces are nicely customized throughout, but the court cards have a special charm, with a lush oval border, and enchanting characters depicted as part of the Indian royalty. The artwork here is by top Indian illustrator Ishan Trivedi, these illustrations are based on Indian folk art forms such as Kishangarh and miniature paintings. The Jokers continue this style, and feature two beautifully costumed characters with a full one-way design.
Plump pips on the number cards help make good use of the entire card space, and match the overall feel of the deck. The exquisite and colourful design of the card backs is particularly delightful, and includes patterned flowers and swan-like figures.
The cards have an embossed linen style “air cushion” finish. Out of the box they fanned and spread evenly and smoothly, and even after extensive usage in card games the cards still spread reasonably okay, without the severe clumping I’ve seen from lower quality playing cards. The super smooth edges give the impression of a laser cut, and while faros aren’t impossible, they aren’t easy and there doesn’t seem to be a single direction that favours them. However I did learn from the creator that he didn’t specify a traditional or modern cut when placing this order, so this is likely not WJPC’s fault.
The cards are quite stiff and hold their shape well, and while the quality doesn’t match that of industry leaders like USPCC, it is higher than a deck produced by companies like MPC or NPCC. Reviews from others who have the Bharata V2 deck were also positive, with many people pleasantly surprised at how well the deck handled, especially in comparison to low expectations from those who had been somewhat disappointed with some previous WJPC produced decks.
Zoo 52 Playing Cards (2019)
This pair of decks offer a homage to those with an affection for dogs and cats, and should delight anyone who enjoys an amusing and loving tribute, with extra charm provided by some novel tuck boxes.
The immediate appeal of both decks lies in the cute tuck box for each. These have cardboard ears that fold up, to complete the look of the friendly cat and dog on the front of the box. It is also textured with a tactile feel that gives the impression of canvas, or the kind of card-stock on which an artist might do watercolor painting.
The card backs both have a one-way design with a clever mosaic-style collage created entirely of cats and dogs respectively. But it’s the court cards that are the real center piece of both decks, with charming hand-painted images in water-colour, depicting scenes with our beloved furry friends. In contrast, the number cards are rather ordinary, and I’d have liked to have seen some more customization there. Even so it’s still a charming deck that will especially appeal to cat lovers and dog lovers.
Like the Bharata V2 deck, the card-stock used for this is WJPC’s 310gsm German black core paper, with an air cushion style embossing pattern (which they refer to as “linen air texture), and their “butter varnishing” finish. This seems to be their most commonly used and most durable stock, and the best option for creators.
WJPC already seemed to be upping their game at this point. Elephant Playing Cards had used WJPC for some previous projects too, including their Cyberpunk and their Elephant decks, and there were some quality issues in both cases. Those problems seemed to have been ironed out with the arrival of the Zoo52 project, and I have no complaints about the look and feel of the cards. While they seem to be more clumpy than the Bharata V2 deck after extensive usage, they do faro much better, and overall they hold up well, and seem to be of decent quality.
The Photography Deck (2020)
The Photography Deck: Camera Cheat Sheet Playing Cards was a hugely successful project that was crowdfunded with the help of Kickstarter. It generated more than $360,000 in funding, which at the time was the fifth top playing card Kickstarter project of all time. Even now it still ranks in the ten top projects of all-time (based on funds raised), but has the added distinction among the select few playing card projects with over 10,000 backers.
This deck was created by the brand Travel9to5, which specializes in travel, film, and photography, and the man behind it is creator and adventurer Eric Bohring. He had the clever idea of incorporating tips and tricks for photography on all the cards. This element gave this deck an appeal that went far beyond your average custom deck, since it had a strong crossover appeal with photography enthusiasts. It received a lot of positive press in photography websites and blogs, and people love how the deck effectively doubles as a camera reference sheet with rules and techniques about photography.
A few different versions of the deck were offered, and beside the main deck there was also a limited edition with green card backs, plus a blue-backed waterproof PVC deck. The standard version had black card backs which incorporate two cameras on tripods, as well as various iconography familiar from the world of photography.
Each suit cleverly focuses on a different aspect of photography: camera basics (Spades), composition (Hearts), technical (Clubs), and shooting styles (Diamonds). And it’s not just the court cards that get the luxury treatment, but each and every card in the deck is filled with information and graphics about the principles and techniques of photography. It really is a photographer’s dream come true, especially for amateurs looking to sharpen their skills.
All the things you’d expect are included, from important concepts like negative space, leading lines, rule of thirds, as well as technical details such as exposure, aperture, shutter speed, focal length, depth of field, and much more. I’ve dabbled in photography in the past, so I really appreciated the content, as well as the way in which it had been implemented and designed.
Photography websites seemed to be unanimous in their applause for the brilliance of the concept, and also spoke very highly of how the cards felt and looked. Like the two previous decks, these also use WJPC’s 310gsm German black core paper with their “butter varnishing” finish, and overall have an embossed feel and satisfactory handling that you’d expect as a bare minimum for quality playing cards.
Compared with the above two decks, this one comes the closest to the looks and handling that I’d expect from a USPCC printed deck. The cards do everything right: they have the right stiffness, spring nicely, hold their shape, faro well, and generally handle pleasantly. After moderate use there’s still some clumping, but less than the earlier decks, and less than what you typically get from the Taiwan printed decks of manufacturers like EPCC and LPCC.
WJPC 15th Anniversary Fluorescent Playing Cards (2021)
To commemorate the company’s 15th anniversary in 2021, the company released a special deck of playing cards that employed fluorescent or UV light sensitive ink. I was fortunate to see these WJPC 15th Anniversary Fluorescent Playing Cards in person.
The tuck box has embossing and silver foil, with a logo on one side, and a circular pattern on the reverse side that matches the design of the card backs. Concentric circles in different colours with coloured tips in opposite corners immediately give a cardistry vibe. Before even pulling the cards out of the box I knew that this would be a deck well suited for card flourishing.
The card faces largely have a traditional design, which is chiefly noticeable with the court cards. But there are two main changes that have been made to make this deck excel when put through its paces in the hands of an experienced cardist.
Firstly, the colours have been reduced to a binary colour scheme, with a dark blue paired alongside an aqua blue. Secondly, there’s a triangle of colour in the middle of the long edge of the cards, which accentuates the beauty of fans and spreads. I’m not sure why the creator opted not to make this a symmetrical two-way feature, unless the goal was to make it a one-way deck for card magic, but when it comes to visual aesthetics it means the deck looks best in fans and spreads when the cards are all facing the same way.
But it gets better. This deck uses what the company describes as “fluorescent ink” on both sides of the cards, which card enthusiasts commonly refer to as UV ink. Strictly speaking it isn’t the ink that is UV, but it is reactive to UV light, so to be technically correct it should be described as UV blacklight reactive ink. The idea is that this ink is completely invisible, unless it is viewed with a special UV blacklight source. My copy of the deck even came along with a mini UV torch, so that I could enjoy this feature.
And sure enough, once you view the deck with the benefit of a UV flashlight, it really “shines”. Not only do the colours of the card backs really come to life, but on the faces of the cards a star pattern emerged out of nowhere and began to beam. This video will give you some idea of what it looks like, but quite honestly in the hands of a true cardist it looks even more amazing, especially when you start to do flourishes like a Cascade.
This particular deck is advertised as using card-stock that is 300gsm German black core paper, so the cards are slightly thinner than the decks with 310gsm paper covered above. The difference in looks, feel, or handling is barely noticeable, however. I can best compare it to the difference between crushed stock and non-crushed stock: the 300gsm stock feels a little softer and more pleasant, whereas the 310gsm stock feels a little stiffer and perhaps more durable. Both perform quite satisfactorily in my opinion.
Love is a Smoke Playing Cards (2021)
Another example of a more exotic deck that showcases the special features that WJPC is capable of is Love is a Smoke Playing Cards, which features artwork created by Giordano Loddo. Giordano Loddo is a digital art director and UI designer who lives in Italy, and whose graphic design work and illustrations can be seen over on Behance.
The deck was produced in a limited release of just 500 by Velata Playing Cards. The man behind the Velata brand is Riccardo Conturbia, former founder of Passione Playing Cards.
The tuck box design introduces us to an image that will recur throughout the deck, chiefly on the card backs. It features a stark design with pursed lips, from which smoke is emerging, with a single green eye depicted in the center of the smoke. The tuck box adds a heart and the phrase “Love is a Smoke” to this image.
Judging by the fact that all of the court card characters have a cigarette in hand, it appears to be a homage of some kind to smoking. (Kids, this doesn’t mean that smoking is a good idea.) It’s a fully custom deck, and the court cards especially don’t disappoint, with bright colours, and a garish style that brings you back to the smoke filled days of the 1960s and 1970s.
But let’s get to the design of the card backs, because these see the use of holographic foil, which gives the smoke and the borders an eye-catching iridescent look when held up to the light. The central eye proves to be a nice focal point for spins and twirls, and the cards really do look glamorous when used for card flourishing, courtesy of the creative and shiny holographic back design.
But that’s not all. The edges of the deck also have holographic foil! I’m not sure if this has been applied through a traditional gilding process, or in some other way. But it sure looks absolutely exquisite, and complements the card backs beautifully. While this does immediately make faroing more difficult, this is obviously a deck that is intended to be enjoyed for its luxury looks first of all, rather than be put through the paces of extreme card flourishing. So I haven’t given this deck heavy usage, because it’s designed to be enjoyed slowly and carefully rather than for cardistry.
Even so it seems to handle reasonably well, and the cards fan and spread smoothly and pleasantly out of the box. Like the 15th anniversary deck, the cards use 300gsm paper stock, so they are slightly more flexible than the 310gsm decks, and they spring rather nicely.
Tarot and Oracle Cards
While WJPC has a lot of experience with playing cards, and that’s also where the company’s roots lie, they have now expanded to cater for the production of a whole range of other closely related printed products and accessories. These include tarot and oracle cards, educational flash cards, and playing cards for board games and card games. In addition, they also produce a wide range of custom boxes for decks of cards and games, as well as print instructional booklets to accompany custom decks and games.
But it’s especially with some of their tarot and oracle decks that they have the opportunity to showcase some of their best work and highest technological achievements. Tarot decks and oracle decks typically don’t have the exacting requirements of playing cards that are used intensively for cardistry or card magic. As a result, it is possible to focus more on extra features and luxury touches, without needing to worry that these won’t be able to withstand the intense workout that a cardist or magician typically puts a worker deck through.
Standard tarot cards are 70mm x 120mm (2.75″ x 4.75″) in size, which is longer and narrower than poker-sized playing cards, but this different sized canvas presents tarot artists with different opportunities in design. Around a dozen different card stocks can be used, ranging from 270gsm to 400gsm, as well as PVC plastic. But it’s especially the printing and finishing options that really give opportunity to add luxury and bling. These include holographic printing, various levels of gloss, gold or silver gilded edging, gold foil stamping, and more. And to complete the presentation, customers can select from various packaging options produced in-house by WJPC.
The number of different options can be somewhat dizzying, but the results speak for themselves. The cards I sampled included The Runic Odyssey (New Edition) by Hievaya, which is a stunning oracle deck, with relatively thick stock with a smooth feel (described by the creator as “velvet lamination”), and a matte black look. Both sides of the cards use lavish gold foil for the letters and artwork, and it looks absolutely exquisite. The edges of the cards are finished with matte teal. Someone needs to get the artist who produced this to make a custom deck of poker-sized playing cards with a similar look and feel! This particular project comes with other extras like a 262 page guidebook, a hinged neck box, a faux suede pouch, and a certificate of authenticity, all of which were produced by WJPC as well.
Hievaya’s Runic Odyssey (Original Edition) is also rather lovely, and features a similar style and design on beige cards. While it doesn’t have quite the same impact as the gold on black, the gold foil still is a visual delight. It looks particularly amazing on the cards which depict the different lunar phases, because this gives the gold foil an opportunity to shine – literally.
The edges of this deck are gilded with gold, and because of the extra thickness of the cards, the gilding can be more easily admired when examining an individual card than a single card from a poker-sized deck, and I suspect it will be longer lasting too. And it’s not just the ordinary smooth gold foil most of us are familiar with from a gilded deck, but has a sprinkled effect which looks even more impressive.
Several sample cards from other tarot decks also impressed me with their luxury looks. Because these kinds of decks can employ thicker cards, adding touches like gold foil on the front and backs is very effective, especially when these technical possibilities are taken advantage of by a skilled and creative designer. Some of the cards used holographic foils, and when applied the faces of the cards and to the edges, the results looked genuinely amazing.
I would love to see more custom playing cards that utilize these kinds of options, and perhaps there are designers of custom poker-sized decks that can even learn a thing or two from the amazing cards that some tarot designers are putting out nowadays. There’s no doubt in my mind that these are high end playing cards that are visually stunning.
Main Stock & Finish Options
As mentioned earlier, WJPC caters to a much wider market than merely poker-sized cards, and the clients they print for produce tarot decks, flash cards, card games, and more. All of these markets have different requirements, in terms of playing card size and the type of card-stock. Even things like durability and handling can become less important depending on how the cards will be used.
But since most of my readers are interested in poker-sized decks, I’m primarily interested in how suitable WJPC playing cards are for card games, card magic, card flourishing, and for collecting; and my focus will be on how their cards live up to the specific needs of those communities.
Stock
WJPC offers a fairly wide range of card stocks for custom poker-sized decks: A-grade blue core (270, 280, or 300 gsm) paper and imported black core paper (Imported from Germany – 300, 310, or 330gsm, France – 300gsm, Italy – 280, or 290, or 305gsm). The range of options seems a little dizzying at first. So which should you use?
In the world of playing cards, you’ll often find mention of “black core paper”. Since playing cards are typically made from layers of paper, this is a reference to the central layer of adhesive which binds the two outer layers together. This needs to be opaque, so that you can’t see straight through the cards and discern the printing on the other side.
For quality playing cards, you typically want to avoid gray core and blue core paper, which may be fine for other uses, but are significantly inferior to black core paper. Black core paper is often sourced from countries like Germany, and not only does it ensure that the cards are opaque, but also has a good stiffness and durability, so that the cards will stay in shape after shuffling, and not remain permanently bent after light handling.
The WJPC-printed poker-sized decks in my own collection nearly all use German black core paper, with the 300 or 310 gsm thickness. This is fairly comparable to the thickness and handling performance we’ve come to expect from manufacturers like USPCC. The 310gsm stock doesn’t feel as thin and flexible as USPCC’s thin-crush stock, but is a reasonable equivalent in thickness and feel to a standard Bicycle deck.
Comparing the 310gsm stock to a standard Bicycle deck and the 300gsm stock to crushed stock will give you some idea of how the two compare in terms of handling. Unlike some cheaper playing cards I’ve seen, the cards hold their shape quite well even after heavy shuffling and handling, so there’s a healthy balance between stiffness and flexibility. I’m told that for cardistry style decks, the 305gsm Italian black core paper is a good choice, but I haven’t personally had the chance to try a deck with that card-stock.
Finish
Experienced handlers are also fussy about the embossing pattern and finish used on their playing cards. All the custom poker-sized decks from WJPC that I’ve used have a standard air-cushion style finish for ideal handling.
WJPC also offers several options for the actual finish (or varnish) that is applied to the cards afterwards. Applying a finish to playing cards is standard practice in the playing card world today, and along with the embossing pattern in the paper stock, it ensures good handling and durability. The “butter finish” is what WJPC typically uses for most of their cards, and it is available either as a glossy varnish for ordinary playing cards, or as a semi-matte varnish for higher end playing cards like those used for casino games, cardistry, and card magic.
So how does it hold up? In terms of durability, the cards seem to hold up quite well. One difference one quickly notices is that some WJPC cards won’t spread or fan evenly over the long term, and the deck will look quite clumpy, although this seems to be less of an issue with their more recent decks. That could make them less suitable for cardistry, however, and even some card magic.
But that is typical of playing cards in the second tier of playing card manufacturers, other than those printed by the big two (USPCC and Cartamundi), so it is hard to fault them for that. There were apparently some issues with the finish and printing of the Elephant and Cyberpunk decks that WJPC printed several years ago, but that seems to be from their earlier days, and I haven’t come across reports of similar problems with any recent projects.
I also found that in the case of a deck with borderless backs, after heavy usage the ink on the borders did start to eventually wear slightly, even somewhat making its way onto the faces of the cards. This wasn’t a problem at all for decks with standard white borders, and it also depends on the ink colour (in this instance, the culprit was red, which is apparently more prone to this issue).
It’s not a big issue, but might be a reason to stay away from a borderless design, although this will really only be a concern for decks that are going to see heavy usage for cardistry or card magic. For the rest the colours and printing looks consistent, and stands up well.
Cut: Cut is also important to serious playing card connoisseurs, because it has an impact on the ability to do faro shuffles. WJPC uses integrated slitter cutting machines to do this job. So unlike the inferior quality decks that some printers manufacture and cut with lasers, and are thus impossible to faro shuffle, WJPC playing cards faro shuffle reasonably well, although perhaps not quite to the same standard as what you might be used to from a USPCC printed deck.
MOQ: I have also asked the WJPC about the minimum order quantity (MOQ), and was told that while 200 decks is officially the smallest batch that they typically print, it is recommended to order at least 500 decks. In reality the total cost for 500 decks isn’t much more than it is for 200 decks, since a significant amount of the cost is a result of set-up costs and processing, rather than materials. But the sales team will typically work with customers to try to find the most competitive option.
Consumer Feedback
Creators
Several well known creators have made use of WJPC as their printer for fulfilling their playing card projects. So rather than just limit myself to my personal impressions from handling several decks in my own collection, and seeing some additional sample cards from other decks, I decided to approach these creators to see what I could learn about their experiences with WJPC, and what they would recommend.
The creators I consulted primarily have a target audience for casual users in the mass market, rather than cardists or magicians, who have far more exacting standards and requirements for playing cards. They acknowledged that experienced handlers in cardistry and sleight of hand card magic have the expertise to observe miniscule differences in quality and handling, that primarily are noticeable when executing complex flourishing moves or difficult sleight of hand manoeuvrers.
But aside from that particular subset of consumers, there was real satisfaction with the quality of the playing cards, both in terms of looks, feel, and handling. According to these creators, WJPC playing cards exceed the quality of the “average” deck of playing cards that most people are familiar with, and a laymen typically considers the performance to be very good, especially if they’ve not previously had experience with embossed “air cushion” style card stock that shuffles smoothly, and is as durable as these decks tend to be. Feedback from their customers has been consistently positive about the quality in that respect.
One creator had some less than satisfactory experiences when WJPC decks were first entering the crowdfunding marketplace, and there were some instances where the printing wasn’t up to snuff, and where the finish was poor. In one case, WJPC reprinted an entire production run free of charge in order to rectify this, and in another instance a different creator reported that WJPC patiently listened to his concerns about one aspect of a print run, and also redid things with WJPC footing the bill.
But these issues were only the case for one or two early decks, and since that time these creators have only had positive experiences, expressed complete satisfaction with the product, and indicated their intention to keep using WJPC for mass production going forwards. One creator also mentioned a concern he’d experienced with the tuck box sometimes being 1-2mm too wide on the short side of the deck, which can cause cards to wear or the box to become damaged during shipping.
They also had very positive things to say about WJPC’s customer service, as one creator put it: “Their client relation process is fantastic – it is super easy to produce with them. They are quick, accurate and respectful in all communications – super important and surprisingly rare!” In comparison, the response times this same creator had with USPCC and Cartamundi was very disappointing. My own experience in communicating with one of WJPC’s representatives has been similar.
Even though I’m not one of their customers, I have bombarded them with questions about different things, and have always received prompt, polite, patient, helpful responses, and even transparent and openness about the potential drawbacks of particular printing options.
The creators I consulted also spoke highly of WJPC’s comprehensive and wide range of products and options, and stated how helpful their staff were in suggesting different production methods, inks, etc, while showing a flexibility and willingness to make revisions on the fly. The cost was also a factor: “Their prices are very competitive“. Particularly when producing in high volume the savings can be significant.
One creator also noted an advantage about their location: “They are in mainland China, which means they are located near logistic support making importing to warehouses simpler.” I’m not a creator and have no experience in most of these areas, so I simply pass on these observations from creators without further comment, except to observe that the reports are consistently positive.
Collectors
People in the card industry have also spoken quite highly about the quality and handling. There was some frustration about inconsistency of the quality of early projects, but real satisfaction with more recent ones. Here are some comments from experienced collectors:
● “I did not expect them to handle as well as they did and I was pleasantly surprised.” (on Bharata V2 – source).” ● “A great addition to the WJPC line-up … it’s handling is far superior to other Guru decks … On the WJPC side, it sets an excellent balance between sturdiness and playability, slipperiness and resilience.” (on Bharata V2 – source) ● “This WJPC deck basically handles very closely to a USPCC deck, the only visible difference being the coating that looks (not feels) glossed.” (on Circuit – source) ● “I was pleasantly surprised with the handling of the cards. I was really leery about them being printed in China but they actually feel a lot like USPCC.” (on Zoo52 – source) ● “The cards handle better than I expected.” (on Zoo52 – source) ● “The recently printed WJPC decks that I have look great and handle great.” (on Cernunnos and Montenzi No.7 Winter – source)
Recommendation
Overall, I’ve been quite impressed with WJPC’s contributions to the playing card industry. There seem to have been some initial teething issues with some of the initial crowdfunding projects they were involved with (e.g. the Cyberpunk deck and Elephant deck from Elephant Playing Cards). But that was mainly pre-2018, when results were inconsistent, and in recent years reports I’ve seen have been much more positive. Judging by my own experience with some of their decks, they seem to be stepping up their game, and have figured out what kind of quality and standards people in the playing card industry expect.
It’s not that difficult to satisfy consumers who have minimal experience with playing cards. For the average person, a WJPC deck will instantly be a step up in quality, and have looks, feel, and handling that easily exceeds what you’d find in a cheap corner store deck. These look and perform quite well, and I’d even consider them a grade higher than the cards you typically get from popular printer MPC. They don’t quite match the levels of top tier playing cards printed by USPCC, but the average person won’t notice that either.
The quality differences will mostly be obvious to experienced cardists and magicians, who rely on consistent fans and spreads even after significant usage, and are skilled at more technically difficult moves like faro shuffles, where small differences in cut can have a big impact.
But the average person will never need or even notice those small differences in quality, and so for the typical collector or card gamer, any differences will go unnoticed for the most part. While a WJPC deck may not satisfy the very high demands and standards required for experienced card flourishers or card magicians, they’ll do just fine for everyone else, and offer pleasing results.
But where WJPC really shines is in areas where touches of luxury or detail are needed, such as UV inks, metallic foils, and holographic foils. Designers of custom tarot cards have shown real creativity in this area, because many tarot decks are created with the goal of achieving a supreme look of luxury and beauty. If the tarot cards I’ve seen are any indication, WJPC has the goods to get this done.
The requirements of a tarot deck are admittedly slightly different than a poker deck. As a result, the usual requirements many of us expect in a deck of custom playing cards, such as embossed card stock, fall to the background. When these qualities become irrelevant, and all the focus can be on artistic design, and luxury touches like foils and special inks, the tarot cards WJPC has produced are absolutely spectacular.
Perhaps designers of custom playing cards can learn a thing or two from the creativity and innovation that their fellow artists in the world of tarot are doing with the help of printers like WJPC. The custom playing cards we’ve seen produced by WJPC are already good, and with artists willing to experiment with the special features that WJPC offers, they can only get better.
Where to get them? You’ll find a selected range of WJPC produced decks on PlayingCardDecks.com here.
Other manufacturers. For similar coverage of other playing card manufacturers, see: USPCC, Cartamundi, LPCC/EPCC, TWPCC, HCPC, NPCC, MPC, Shuffled Ink, USGS, Piatnik
A well-known and highly respected reviewer of board games and playing cards. He loves card games, card magic, cardistry, and card collecting, and has reviewed several hundred boardgames and hundreds of different decks of playing cards.
He is considered an authority on playing cards and has written extensively about their design, history, and function, and has many contacts within the playing card and board game industries. In his spare time he also volunteers with local youth to teach them the art of cardistry and card magic.
WJPC’s basic business can be divided into 3 major categories: custom card printing, custom card box printing, and custom instruction booklet printing. If you happen to have custom printing needs in the above areas, you are welcome to cooperate with us – one of the largest custom card printers in China. We will provide you with first-class & high-end products, very cost-effective prices, and the most attentive & detailed service experience.
Once you send us an inquiry/quote, our customer service staff will reply to you with a specific quote as soon as we receive the relevant information. Of course, if you wish to avoid multiple rounds of conversation and receive a more complete quote the first time, please refer to the following help guide of the process for a walkthrough and hands-on exercise.
PS. Please note that for some of the more complex printing needs, we may need to take more time to put together a price list, usually no more than a week.
<Long text warning, may take 15 minutes to complete reading.>
Q: “I have an amazing idea for custom card printing, but have never touched custom card printing. Therefore, I would like help. What kind of process will I go through? What details and information should I provide you with?”
A: “If you have never printed your own cards, or have had some unpleasant experiences with custom cards printing, we are confident that you will have a complete understanding of the process and be satisfied with your experience. So, let’s start with a step-by-step walkthrough!”
How To Place An OrderIn WJPC?
Custom Cards Printing
Applications
First of all, you have to be clear, what use and occasion your custom cards printing is for. Based on our past experience with customization and printing, we have broken down all card types into 5 categories, including:
Custom playing cards
The playing cards we are talking about here are mainly used for tabletop games, casinos, magic, advertising, gifts, etc. Common products are Bridge cards, Poker cards, Cardistry cards, Casino cards, Magic cards, Promotional cards, Gift cards, etc.
Custom game cards
The game cards mentioned here are mostly used for board games, anime peripherals, video game peripherals, etc. Common products include drinking game cards, party game cards, children’s game cards, anime collector cards, game collector cards, etc. The complete card games not only includes cards and instruction booklets, but also covers a variety of accessories such as maps, dices, and role pieces.
Our tarot cards are mainly based on the three major tarot systems: Marseilles tarot cards, Rider-Waite tarot, and Thoth tarot cards. Or you can divide a deck of cards into affirmative, negative, neutral, and exception cards according to the meaning of the tarot, where the main products are Affirmation cards.
Custom oracle cards
Oracle cards are similar to tarot cards, but they are more flexible and diverse (if you want to learn more about the differences between Oracle cards and tarot cards, you can click custom oracle cards to learn more). You can completely create your own system rules, character images, card sizes, number of cards, etc.
Custom flash cards
Flash cards are usually used for home education, school & institutional education, corporate training and other purposes. Its main products include educational flash cards, word flash cards, alphabet flash cards, animal flash cards, music flash cards, math flash cards, language flash cards, sports flash cards, etc.
Custom tarot cards
Design
Q: “I have defined my usage requirements and roughly prepared the rules, questions, colors, and names of the custom cards printing. Can you do the design for me?”
A: “Unfortunately, we don’t own the card design service, but we can provide professional pre-press layout guidance and adjustment. For example, we will tell you where the bleed and safety zones are for printing, whether certain color combinations are appropriate, whether there will be too much text for a certain size, what surface treatment processes can be used to make a certain pattern brighter… All of our suggestions are made for printing purposes only, and we do not censor or tamper with your ideas or designs.
We support PDF, PSD, AI, and other file formats. Please make sure that the images in your files are in CMYK format and the 400~600 DPI range, too low or too high is not conducive to print (More on this will be updated in a new section Process, please stay tuned).”
Size
For the time being, we offer a total of 24 different card sizes:
1.25″x1.75″ (31.8mm×44.5mm)
1.61″x2.48″ (41mm×63mm)
1.73″x2.64″ (44mmx67mm)
1.75″x2.5″ (44.45mm×63.5mm)
1.75″x3.5″ (44.45mm×88.9mm)
2″x2″ (50.8mm×50.8mm)
2″x3.5″ (50.8mm×88.9mm)
2.2″x2.54″ (55.9mmx64.5mm)
2.2″x3.43″ (56mm×87mm)
2.25″x3.5″ (57mm×89mm)
2.32″x3.58″ (58.9mm×90.9mm)
2.45″x3.95″ (62mm×100mm)
2.48″x3.46″ (63mm×88mm)
2.5″x2.5″ (63.5mm×63.5mm)
2.5″x3.5″ (63.5mm×89mm)
2.6″x3″ (66mmx76.2mm)
2.75″x2.75″ (70mm×70mm)
2.75″x4.75″ (70mm×120mm)
3.25″x3.7″ (82.55mm×94mm)
3.5″x3.5″ (88.9mm×88.9mm)
3.5″x5″ (89mm×127mm)
3.5″x5.75″ (89mm×146mm)
4″x6″ (101.6×152.4mm)
5″x7″ (127×178mm)
There are 4 regular sizes, and they are the most common sizes we print: 2.25 “x3.5” (Bridge size), 2.48 “x3.46” (Poker size), 2.75 “x4.75” (Tarot size), 3.5 “x5” (Jumbo size). In addition, we can also customize more specific sizes according to your individual needs. If you are not sure which size is more suitable for your custom cards printing design, please feel free to consult us.
Shape
We have the ability to cut different shapes of cards, including rectangle, round, polygon, oval, heart, car, cat, etc. Usually, playing cards, tarot cards, oracle cards are recommended to use square or round cards, while study cards, advertising cards, gift cards, etc. are more suitable to use shaped cards to enhance the card presentation.
Shape
Card face
Q: “When you talk about custom card printing, do you mean single-sided printing or double-sided printing, and what are the differences in design and cost for these?”
A: “We support both single-sided and double-sided printing of cards. If you wish to have only the front or back side design, the other side can be directly used from our design templates, or from our product listings; or if you seek complete personalization, you can directly give us the design artwork for each and every side. Note here, however, that if you need each backside to have a different design pattern, it may make the price go up significantly.”
Playing card back template
Playing card front template
For more information on design templates and colors, etc., please ask us.
Size of deck
A: “How many decks of cards do you have in a deck? Can I make 100 or even another larger number of decks?”
Q: “The regular number of cards is different for each type of deck. Besides the regular number of cards, you can also customize a lower or higher number of cards. But different numbers of printing plates are required for different sizes of deck. The more printing plates you have, the higher the cost.
Take Poker size for example, if you have 110 cards or less and the same design on the back, then only one printing plate is needed for the front and one for the back (total 2 sets). Once the number of cards exceeds 110, or if a different design is used on the back, the amount of printing plates used will increase accordingly, resulting in an exponential increase in the final price of your cards.”
The following is the optimal number of cards for different card stock options at different sizes:
Blue core/ Art paper/ Plastic
Poker size (2.48″x3.46″)
54 cards/deck
Tarot size (2.75″x4.75″)
29 cards/deck
Square size (2.5″x2.5″)
65 cards/deck
Mini size (1.61″x2.48″)
95 cards/deck
Black core
Poker size (2.48″x3.46″)
55 cards/deck
Tarot size (2.75″x4.75″)
34 cards/deck
Square size (2.5″x2.5″)
71 cards/deck
Mini size (1.61″x2.48″)
107 cards/deck
For more options of custom cards printing, please send a message to us.
Cardstock
In the field of cardstock, we often use the terms weight, core, and texture to distinguish between different types. Cardstock’s weight is measured in GSM (grams per square meter) and is commonly available in weights of 300gsm, 310gsm, 330gsm, and 350gsm. Generally, the lighter the paper, the more suitable it is for repetitive shuffling and splicing, while the heavier the cardstock will present a higher quality.
Cardstock layer
Card texture mainly refers to the surface texture of the cardboard. These textures can be classified into two types: smooth and linen. The smooth face is the standard cardstock surface on the market today and helps to highlight colors, shuffles and other manipulations. The linen face makes the cardstock lighter and softer, and the linen cardstock we currently use uses “air infusion technology”, which means that each side of the cardstock has unique air pockets. These air pockets can transmit vibrations, provide a smoother and more fluid handling experience.
Different cardstock texture
There are the 6 main types of cardstocks we recommend for custom cards printing:
S30 Standard Smooth blue core
Weight: 300gsm
Core: Blue core
Texture: Smooth
This is the most standard choice of cardstock on the market. It has the advantage of being cost-effective, having good memory and flexibility, and being able to limit the amount of light transmission through the card to a certain extent. It is mainly suitable for lower budgets and lower products or for customers aiming at game design, advertising promotions, weddings, etc.
S33 Superior Smooth black core
Weight: 330gsm
Core: Black core
Texture: Smooth
This cardstock is one grade higher than S30. It uses a black core to enhance the opacity of the card while maintaining excellent smoothness and increases the stiffness and texture of the cardstock by adding weight. It is suitable for scenarios where it is over-handled for use or where cheating issues are emphasized, such as casinos, magic, high-end gifts, high-end games, etc.
L31 Linen air black core [min.250] & L33 Linen air black core [min.1000]
Weight: 310 & 330gsm
Core: Black core
Texture: Linen air
These two cardstocks are illustrated together because they are both black core and linen air textured, only in terms of weight, L31 is 310gsm, and L33 is 330gsm. These two papers are absolutely perfect for top-notch products. They have an ultra-high standard of visual contrast for clean, detailed, and lustrous card graphics.
At the same time, they maintain a high level of stiffness, smoothness, and confidentiality, which greatly prevents card bending, wear and tear, and translucency, and enables excellent handling. They are very popular with our customers of high-end gift cards, casino cards, tarot cards, and oracle cards.
Please pay attention that the minimum order quantity for L31 is 250 decks, while the min. for L33 is 1000 decks.
A35 Thick Standard art paper
Weight: 350gsm
Core: Coreless
Texture: Smooth
This is the heaviest and thickest card stock in our recommended options, and we call it art paper (some people also call it coreless paper). It achieves vibrant and evenly printed patterns and maintains a high degree of stiffness. However, because it does not contain a paper core, it can transmit light and is less confidential. Therefore, it is suitable for use with game cards, tarot cards, oracle cards, study cards, etc. that emphasize a steady handedness and is not suitable for casino cards.
P10 Plastic white [min.500]
Color: White
Thickness: 0.3mm
Texture: Smooth
This cardstock is special, made of 100% white, 0.3mm thick PVC. It stands up to the test of harsh environments, has excellent water resistance and flexibility, and can maintain excellent shape, color and mobility even after long exposure, wetting, violent shuffling & cutting, and other operations. It can be said to be the first choice of top poker players and game card players. The min. of this cardstock is 500 decks.
For more cardstock options (such as recyclable and eco-friendly paper), please contact us.
Print type
Full color print (CYMK) & Spot Color print
First, let’s explain the terms. Full color print is a standard color technology in custom cards printing that achieves individual colors by mixing four primary colors (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black) to allow for millions of shades and a greater number of individual colors. However, because CMYK mixes four colors of ink, the colors will always show slight differences when actually printed.
Spot Color is used when you want a 100% accurate color or a color that is unique to your company. It requires a special matching system that identifies each color with a number so that it can be mixed with individual inks. Also, it is an important corporate identity that is critical to maintaining corporate image and protecting proprietary products. In general, it is not possible to match Spot Color and CMYK color exactly, and Spot Color is much more expensive and difficult to implement.
For WJPC, we use one of the highest standards in the industry for color printing: the Pantone Color Guide Suite, Heidelberg offset & digital printing presses, and the Heidelberg color management system. So whether it’s individual proofs small runs, or large quantities of cards, we can use the most appropriate printing method to achieve a rich, true, and deep color spectrum (stay tuned for more on printing technology in our new section Process).
Full-color print
Lamination
Lamination is essentially an adhesive film covering the surface of cards. It serves to protect the cover from creasing and scratching, which is waterproof and dustproof, and to this extent enhances the visual design of the cards.
Holographic film [min. 250]
Effect: Super shiny
Fit: Tarot cards, game cards, collector cards, etc.
This is a premium lamination option with different patterns and a relatively high price. After holographic treatment, the card surface will become very shiny and cool, bringing a luxurious visual feeling by itself. In addition, it can also protect the card to a great extent from warping, delamination, fading, moisture, etc. However, it will reduce the smoothness, resulting in less smoothness in shuffling or cutting. The minimum order quantity for this option is 250 decks.
Gloss lamination
Effect: Shiny
Fit: Poker cards, game cards, flashcards, etc.
Gloss lamination creates a bright, vibrant, and beautiful effect on the card surface. Generally speaking, we would recommend it for card faces with lighter overall colors of patterns (such as a lot of pink, white, etc.). It can perform well to protect against fading, water, rubbing, scratching, and so on, but it cannot be used at the same time with the edging finish.
Matte lamination
Effect: Elegant
Fit: Tarot cards, oracle cards, affirmation cards, etc.
Matte lamination gives a non-smooth effect to the card surface, which makes the color more subdued and elegant. For some overall darker colors (such as a lot of black, dark blue, etc.), matte lamination is recommended. Besides, it can be matched with spot UV and spot gold stamping to present a more stand-out visual effect.
Our standard matte lamination can be both colorfast and waterproof, but there is an inevitable risk of scratching or scuffing. If you have higher requirements, we recommend using our higher-end anti-scratch matte, which can largely avoid scratches.
Stamping
Stamping in cards mainly plays a decorative role by transferring different colors of aluminum foil onto the card surface by heat pressing, thus creating a special metallic color. Our common colors are gold and silver. For other colors, you need to ask our customer service staff.
Gold stampingSilver stamping
Edging
Likewise, Edging plays a kind of edge decoration effect in the card, which can greatly improve the grade of the whole product. According to the different techniques, it can be divided into heat treatment and cold treatment. Among them, heat treatment is suitable for cards after oil treatment, while cold treatment is suitable for cards after glue treatment. Our commonly used colors are gold, silver and holographic, for other colors, please ask us.
Gold edgingSilver edgingHolographic edging
For more information on print type, please consult our staff.
Surface finish/ varnish
Finish, as mentioned here, mainly refers to the covering of the card surface with a layer of paint. It is also known as varnish, which can improve the gloss and smoothness of the card, and serve as a colorfast, scratch-resistant, and moisture-resistant. Moreover, in today’s world where environmental protection is advocated, varnish-treated cards are more environmentally friendly and can be easily absorbed by the soil.
Gloss/ Matte finish
UV/ Spot UV finish
Similar to lamination, the difference between gloss finish and matte finish is that they present a different surface effect. Our customers often choose gloss for casino cards, Cardistry cards, and PVC cards, so as to maintain a more perfect feel and slipperiness. However, for PVC cardstock, gloss may have the problem of color loss because it is too slippery. For customers such as tarot cards, oracle cards and game cards, matte is often chosen to enhance the quality of the products.
This is a more special kind of finish, usually used with edging, can make the card surface become particularly shiny and attractive. Also, it has the function of high-temperature resistance. This option is highly recommended if you need high-grade advertising cards, gift cards, tarot cards, etc.
In addition, we also offer butter finish, aqueous finish and other more advanced options, please ask us for details.
Surface finish
Order Quantity
Q: “I have a general grasp of the basics about custom cards. However, what is your minimum order number?”
A: “The starting quantity for our regular products is 100 decks, but if you choose the more advanced cardstock or print type, the quantity will be higher. Please refer to the appropriate section above for the exact quantity. If you would like to order a single sample or less than 100 decks, please ask our staff.”
Custom Packaging Printing
For the cards, we have a complete line of custom-matching products, the bags and the boxes being two of them. Also, the boxes are sold as our separate products, all made of high-quality card stock, and come in a wide variety of sizes, with the same or higher quality than the top packaging you see on the market.
Application
Shrink-wrapped
The most common and simple packaging in the card industry directly uses heat-shrinkable plastic to shrink and wrap around the outside of the cards, thus achieving the most basic protective effects such as waterproof, dustproof and transparent.
Velvet bag
Mainly used for tarot and oracle cards, some game cards with pieces or chips can also be used. It is professional packaging, not conventional bags that can be replaced. It is made of velvet material, mainly in black and purple, with a dense and soft velvet surface, wear-resistant, and not easy to shed lint. You can choose our plain bag, or customize it by printing your own logo or pattern on the surface.
Magnetic book box
Commonly used in high-end gift cards, card games, tarot cards, and affirmation cards. It is a structure with magnetic closure, which makes its side look like a fine and heavy book and has a flap effect like reading a book. The material determines its hardness, stiffness, and resistance to compression, providing perfect and long-lasting protection for your cards, with sufficient weight and texture.
We offer both plain box and custom boxes and a wide range of size options to fit all of our deck sizes and card counts.
Rigid box
A popular card game box, consisting of 2 parts: the base and the lid. Beautiful, easy to open, and affordable are its biggest advantages. Also, it achieves excellent hardness, stiffness, and resistance to pressure and wear, and is much less expensive than the magnetic book box.
We support both plain box and custom boxes and a wide range of size options that correspond to all our card sizes and sheets.
Tuck box
The most common box for playing cards and game cards. It uses a top and bottom insert for easy packaging, versatility, and low price, and is suitable for standard playing cards, flash cards, and lighter weight products. This is arguably the most practical and minimalist type.
We have both plain box and custom box sets of prices and a wide range of size options to meet all our cards.
Window tuck box
The window tuck box opens in the same way as the tuck box, but it has a “window” cut into the front of the box so that the first card can be displayed in it. It allows your customers to see the product at a glance and increases credibility. The price of it is slightly higher than the tuck box.
Currently, we only offer plain box option. It also has a wide range of size options that can correspond to all of our deck sizes and sheet counts.
For more packaging methods in custom cards printing, please send inquiries to us.
Print type
Q: “Just like the cards are divided into front and back, can your boxes also print front and back, or even outside and inside?“
A: “Yes. You can choose to design and print all sides of the exterior box (6 sides in total) or all sides of the interior + exterior (12 sides in total), depending on your needs. However, we are unable to offer the service of printing just the inside of the box.”
Surface finish
Similar to the cards, you can design different patterns and finishes on the custom boxes for a more ornate, higher-quality package effect.
Lamination
It is a process of covering the box’s surface with an adhesive film. We classify this process by texture and gloss according to the different adhesive films:
SmoothLinen
Smooth or Linen mainly refers to the textures of the box surface. Smooth, which means no texture, is a standard finish and is generally chosen by customers who do not have particularly strict requirements. Linen, on the other hand, is more popular in the field of game cards, tarot cards, etc. because it makes the packaging look more professional and performs better in terms of non-fading, anti-scratch, and anti-wear.
Gloss or Matte really depends on personal preference, there is no absolute advantage or disadvantage between them. We offer the following 3 more detailed options in this section, with increasing gloss levels from left to right:
Matte
Silk matte
Gloss
An elegant, sophisticated coating. It provides a softer, more natural look and makes the text on the box surface easier to read. It also softens the contrast of darker colors, making them less prominent.
A unique coating. It lies somewhere between 100% shiny and 100% matte, i.e., to a certain extent, it allows for a smooth touch in the glossy way and durability and ease of writing in the matte way.
A shiny coating. It produces a glass-like appearance, which enhances the color and vibrancy of the box’s surface pattern. It is one of the most common lamination options.
Note: The lamination process and the edging process conflict with each other and cannot be used together.
Finish/ Vanish
Finish is a process of covering the box’s surface with a layer of paint. You can choose any kind of bright paint according to your preference because there is no absolute good or bad between them. We offer the following 4 choices in this section, in increasing order of gloss from left to right:
Matte aqueous
Common gloss
UV gloss
High gloss
A subtle matte effect. It provides scratch and wear resistance while maintaining a degree of color richness and vibrancy. It is a cost effective process.
Normal gloss effect. It has standard dirt and water resistance, and makes colors appear brighter and richer.
The effect that has been chosen most often. It has a higher gloss (especially for deep colors), higher abrasion resistance and clarity than the two methods on the left. It is also a recyclable and environmentally friendly material.
A super shiny, dazzling and reflective effect that makes the surface look almost like a mirror. If you want your packaging to stand out at once, this is the best choice.
Surface effect
Full color print
Our full-color printing produces rich and true colors on the box surface and is cut and pasted using a special machine for perfect folding.
Full color print
Embossing/ Debossing
Embossing and debossing are both based on the principle of using a mold or metal plate to emboss the surface of a box, thus achieving a convex or concave surface effect. It can emphasize the local design and turn 2D into 3D in terms of visual and tactile sensation. Embossing is often used to highlight names and logos, while debossing is often used to emphasize borders, underlines, background patterns, etc.
Embossing and debossing box
Stamping
The surface with stamping can bring a very professional and luxurious feeling. We offer both gold and silver colors, so you can choose according to your preference. We also recommend pairing stamping with embossing and debossing to create a more stunning 3D look.
Gold stampingSilver stamping
Box seal
The seal sticker is not a must-have option, but it can finalize your card product and make your package look more authentic, complete and professional. We support both WJPC standard seal (standardized sticker with WJPC’s logo) and custom seal options, so you can choose as you like.
Wrapping
Again, this is not an absolute choice. However, we generally recommend it to our customers, as this can effectively prevent the surface of the package from being scratched, worn or even getting wet during shipping. We currently have two selections: one is shrink-wrapped , as a free standard configuration, can be well protected. The second is cello-wrapped, which is easier to unpack than shrink-wrapped and has the same protective features.
Hang tag
Hang tags allow your cards to be hung on the shelves parallel to the customer’s line of sight, thus making them easier to spot in the store; rather than stacked up and down or left and right, thus increasing the risk of damaging boxes or products. We currently have different shapes of hang tags, which is made of high quality 100% transparent plastic or color printed cardboard with super adhesive, strong and beautiful, can fit most store shelves.
Paper hang tagPlastic hang tag
Custom Booklets Printing
Booklets act as illustrations and promotions in the cards, promoting your products to your customers and explaining clearly the themes and rules you have set, thus leaving a professional impression. With a wide range of sizes and folding methods, our booklets are perfectly adapted to different sizes of packaging.
Folding method
Cross fold
A simple and generous style suitable for booklets with little content and focus, such as children’s game guides, flash card instructions, etc. It folds a printed sheet of large-size paper (2 sides) twice to form a cross in the middle, thus dividing it into 8 different small content pages.
Cross fold
Bi-fold/ Z-fold/ Accordion
All three are left- and right-folded booklets that are not only small in size, but can also be easily unfolded and read. They are mainly printed on art paper and CMYK colors, and are processed with water-based varnish on the cover.
Bi-foldZ-foldAccordion
Saddle stitch
It uses the traditional sewn method of folding and cotton thread stitching larger size sheets in half. Compared to metal stitching, it avoids scratching your fingers or cards, while remaining small, compact and thick.
Saddle stitch
Q: ”What is the maximum number of sides for these booklets above?”
A: ”The limit of max sides is determined by the way the booklet is folded. Currently, folded booklets can be made up to 8 sides, while saddle stitch booklets can be made up to 56 sides. If you need more sides or effects, please ask us.”
Even if these basic knowledge of custom cards printing is clear to you, you may still feel doubtful about the actual effect. Don’t worry, we provide sample shipping service for cards, packaging and booklets. Among them, you can choose from stock sample, digital printing sample with your design or custom samples with your design. Please see the video below for the specific design ways:
The above is all about custom cards printing quote walkthrough and guide. If you have more questions about this, don’t hesitate to ask our staff. Hope you have a happy and smooth shopping experience at WJPC!
But it was the striking feature of decks with UV ink that first attracted me to the Glow deck by Christof Schmitz. A cardist and creator from Germany, he has released several decks under his brand Chris Cards, with the help of fellow team members Dan and Lena.
His first Glow deck appeared last year, with the help of crowdfunding support on Kickstarter. The card backs of the main deck featured borderless black backs, with a design that relied on white lines. Under UV light, this design sprang to life with vibrant blue and purple.
The tuck case of the Glow V2 deck has a fairly straightforward design in black and white, and the back design is similar to the original deck. Once again the design of the tuck box and the cards uses two UV colors, but this time around the card backs and faces light up in a vibrant green and a vibrant red, for a whole new look. 
The card faces proved to be a real surprise for me. These are all white, with a custom design in red and black for the indices. Especially striking are the court cards, which have lots of missing detail and plenty of white space.
It almost seems underwhelming, but that’s deliberate, because under a UV light these come to life with full detail, including borders and more. 
A single giant pip resides on the Aces as well as on all the number cards, and these also come alive under a UV-light source. 
On their own, this deck works fine for playing card games, or even for card magic or cardistry. But it is especially spectacular when using it for card flourishing in the dark with a UV light. For me, this added a whole level of enjoyment to cardistry that a regular deck can’t provide, no matter how good the design.
With the flick of a switch, the Glow V2 deck lights up like a Christmas tree, and it feels like you’re performing with cards that have an in-built lighting system. Head to Christof’s Instagram (e.g. these stories) or to his youtube channel to see this deck being put through its paces, and see how amazing it looks under UV-light. 
As for the handling of Glow V2, I found it to be excellent. This deck is printed by WJPC in China on their popular 300gsm German card stock, which is the same stock used for Stockholm17’s recent Notorious Gambling Frogs decks.
It feels very soft from the get-go and is especially well-suited to card flourishing. Many people have compared it positively with USPCC’s crushed stock, and the performance and feel reminds me very much of that, so it is ideal for cardists. 
Even though this particular deck has borderless backs in black – normally a bad idea as white shows underneath with wear – the back design of Glow V2 cleverly has white areas on the edges and corners. This cleverly disguises any signs of wear in the area where they would normally appear.
My only complaint is a minor one, namely that over time I saw some tiny flecks of black move to the faces. But overall I’m very impressed with the stock and the handling. I’m not surprised that many creators have been turning to 
Not only does the tuck box of the holographic deck have holographic foil but the cards themselves also have holographic foil on both sides. Unlike the Glow V2 decks, the details on the court cards and other face cards don’t have white space printed with invisible ink that shows up under UV light but show full details.
This deck really comes to life when the cards get the benefit of being well-lit when they shine with a bright array of rainbow colors. 
Both the Glow V2 deck and the Holographic deck appeal for different reasons, and in both cases it is the novelty factor of shiny colors that is so gripping – one shining by day (Holographic), the other shining by night with the help of UV-light (Glow V2).
Especially for cardists looking to find something different to use for creating fun videos, or just to enjoy casually, both of these decks have what it takes to provide something truly different and yet very satisfying. 
About the original writer: 
