Recommended Mass published playing cards?

Darkmage

Thank you, darkmage!

I will try to find some playing card decks from my vicinity instead. I never own playing cards before so I am not sure what to expect. After what gregory has said, maybe I shouldn't get decks with images that will distract.

I would like a deck that has good aesthetics though :)

Most playing card decks will be virtually identical except for the backs. Unlike Tarot, where the face of the card is everything, playing card novelty is on the backs of the cards. That's changing as more decks become available and more people collect.

I'd start off with just a drugstore deck. If that works well for you, branch out into the novelty decks. If you have a used bookstore near you, check the bins there. I've gotten lovely playing card decks for less than a dollar.

If you're in Eastern Europe, traditional cards there consist of a deck of 36, not 52 or 54 like in the US, and have suits of Hearts, Bells, Acorns, and Leaves. I need to pick up a deck or two as they're cheap enough on Ebay. Spanish cards, or Naipes, are different as well. They have the standard Tarot suits but only pips 1-7, with Courts of King, Knight, and Knave. You can find those by looking around on places like Ebay and Amazon, too.

But for traditional playing cards, you can't go wrong with a basic Bicycle deck from the drugstore. It'll set you back less than $5.
 

claire1805

Oh there's no SHOULD - though I'm never sure why people want all those images (that said, I have a deck of froggy playing cards I am very fond of !) . But a cheap plain deck might give you a feel for it - and if you find that playing cards are the way to go for you - THEN splash out on whatever takes your fancy !

I will take your advice, gregory :) I do feel that cards with too much going on can take away from a reading, especially for a beginner like me. I like minimalistic Lenormands for a reason.

I am not very fond of the court cards from the traditional/typical playing card decks. They look....intimidating...like people you wouldn't want to mess with...lol...

Hmm.....the Tim Burton playing cards might just be the thing.
 

Nemia

I love playing cards produced by the Austrian publisher Piatnik. I have their Tudor Rose and Rococo playing cards, and two sets of lovely patience cards.

http://www.piatnik.com/produkte/index.php/5/at/de/spielekarten/luxuskarten

I wish I could really splurge in their shop! I will buy some playing cards with German suits (oaks, bells etc) as soon as I can afford it.

We play a lot of cards at home and I love playing patience, and I think investing in high quality decks increases the fun ;-)

(I remember the huge collection of old playing cards my grandmother used to have... when I was a girl, I laid them out and looked at them with a magnifying glass to compare them... where may they be???? probably my uncle threw them away after her death...)
 

Laura Borealis

I just saw these on Gamecrafter and thought I'd share coz I like them muchly -
https://www.thegamecrafter.com/games/decadence-playing-cards

Decadence playing cards

Historic Decadence-themed deck of cards

It's unique Decadence-themed deck of cards, and it's also educational — cause Kings, Queens, and Jacks are illustrated with portraits of famous decadents: Charles Baudelaire, Oscar Wilde, Aubrey Beardsley and others.

Suit symbols are arranged with authentic Late Victorian ornaments, and the box cover looks like the cover of The Yellow Book magazine.

If you like the Gothic, Macabre, Belle Epoque, poetry, art, and absinth — this deck is 'MUST HAVE' for you!
 

Chiska

I have a couple of decks I found at a thrift store. They are unique and I find that they evoke a bit of mystery. One is from Portugal and is lovely cardstock and the other is a give away from some now defunct cruise line from the 1960s.
 

Morwenna

I've gotten so many fancy decks from online sources over the past two years that I'm almost embarrassed about it. But the Collectable Playing Cards site, Art of Play, and Gambler's Warehouse will keep you drooling for days. And some of them don't cost all that much (though definitely more than you'll pay at the local pharmacy or wherever).

But most of the ones I go for are straight pip decks whose pips and courts are just plain prettier than the usual! I'm a sucker for curlicues, pretty borders, fancy pips (or themed pips! I have one where the large pips on the aces are constructed of skulls with ornamentation).
 

claire1805

Wow, I didn't know there are so many variations of the playing cards! Where have I been?

I searched for a local online shop with free shipping (I don't live in the US or Europe so international shipping will be a bomb) and just purchased a Red Aristocrat Vintage playing card deck!

Here are the cards: https://store.theory11.com/products/aristocrats

I hope I will like it! I read that the court cards have some metallic gold on it. That made up my decision for me.

Initially I wanted the Vintage Plaid Arizona Red playing cards (https://www.artofplay.com/products/vintage-plaid-playing-cards), but figured that I shouldn't splurge for a more expensive deck when I am just starting out. Maybe next time! :)

Thanks to everyone for sharing ! Morwena, you just opened up a new world for me...lol...
 

Darkmage

Wow, I didn't know there are so many variations of the playing cards! Where have I been?

I searched for a local online shop with free shipping (I don't live in the US or Europe so international shipping will be a bomb) and just purchased a Red Aristocrat Vintage playing card deck!

Here are the cards: https://store.theory11.com/products/aristocrats

I hope I will like it! I read that the court cards have some metallic gold on it. That made up my decision for me.

Initially I wanted the Vintage Plaid Arizona Red playing cards (https://www.artofplay.com/products/vintage-plaid-playing-cards), but figured that I shouldn't splurge for a more expensive deck when I am just starting out. Maybe next time! :)

Thanks to everyone for sharing ! Morwena, you just opened up a new world for me...lol...

Theory 11 does a lot of neat playing card decks. I like their black and white Artisan decks. Here, USPCC distributes them, and so a good percentage are sold under the Bicycle brand. Check out their Archangels deck, it's quite pretty. I find a lot of them for cheap at Barnes and Noble, esp. when they have coupons.

The Aristocrats decks are ones I've been meaning to pick up for a while but just haven't felt like ordering. I think you'll like them, though.

Happy collecting!
 

claire1805

Theory 11 does a lot of neat playing card decks. I like their black and white Artisan decks. Here, USPCC distributes them, and so a good percentage are sold under the Bicycle brand. Check out their Archangels deck, it's quite pretty. I find a lot of them for cheap at Barnes and Noble, esp. when they have coupons.

The Aristocrats decks are ones I've been meaning to pick up for a while but just haven't felt like ordering. I think you'll like them, though.

Happy collecting!

Thank you Darkmage! :) I will look up their Archangel decks. I hope I don't go into a buying frenzy.

I am happy that I have managed to find a local online distributor of US playing cards as I live in Asia. Shipping at places like Kickstarter or Theory 11 will cost me around $15, more than the price of the deck itself!

I will let you know how I think of the Aristocrat Vintage (how fine it sounds). I am neutral about the backs though but we will see when it arrives :)