Which Deck of Cards to Buy: Choosing by Design and Style
How to choose a deck of playing cards by design: classic, illustrated, vintage, casino and licensed styles, limited and gilded editions, and key brands.
In short
To decide which deck of cards to buy, start with the design and with what you plan to do with it. Most paper decks come from a handful of manufacturers and handle in a similar way, so what really sets them apart is the style, the theme, the brand and whether it is a special edition.
- Design: classic, illustrated, minimalist, vintage, casino or themed (film, TV, music, anime).
- Edition: standard, limited, numbered, foil or gilded (metallic edges).
- Use: playing, magic, cardistry, collecting or giving as a gift. For almost everything, a poker size deck with a regular index works.
In a playing card shop, the most common question is not what stock a deck is printed on, but which one looks best, which one a Star Wars fan would like, or what it means when a deck is "gilded". That makes sense: a poker deck always has the same 52 cards plus the jokers, and what changes from one to the next is almost everything you can see. This guide on how to choose a deck of playing cards follows that order: design first, then special editions and brands, then use, and finally the technical points worth knowing.
Why design matters most when choosing playing cards
Behind hundreds of different decks there are only a few printers. The United States Playing Card Company (USPCC), which makes Bicycle, Bee and Tally-Ho, has belonged since 2019 to the Belgian group Cartamundi, which also owns Fournier and its factory in Vitoria, Spain. Add a few more printers, mostly in Asia, that work for the independent brands.
The brands you see on the shelves (theory11, Art of Play, Kings Wild Project, Fultons and many more) design and publish their decks, but most of them have them printed at those same factories. That is why two paper decks from the same manufacturer usually feel very similar in the hand, and the difference you notice when choosing lies in the artwork, the tuck box, the finishes and what the theme means to you.
| Printer | Examples in store |
|---|---|
| USPCC (United States, Cartamundi group) | Bicycle, Tally-Ho, Bee, theory11 Keith Haring, Art of Play Dreyfus, Cherry Casino |
| Cartamundi (Belgium) | Stockholm17 The Parlour, Butterfly Marked, Shin Lim Regalia, Dynamo Abandoned Luxury |
| Expert Playing Card Company | Jerry's Nugget Gilded, Superior Silver Arrow, Queens |
| Other Asian printers (WJPC, Taiwan Playing Card Company, Legends) | Mandala V2, Chancers, One Piece by Card Mafia, Grinders |
How to choose a deck of playing cards by design and style
If you are looking for unique playing cards or simply cool playing cards, an easy way to find your bearings is to think in style families. They are not official categories, but they help you know what to look for and explain it if the deck is a gift.
Classic
The familiar look: a back with a repeating pattern and traditional court cards. They are easy to read and are what you see in homes, clubs and casinos.
- Bicycle Rider Back
- Tally-Ho Circle and Fan
- Bee
More detail
The Bicycle Rider Back carries the cherub on a bicycle that the brand has printed since the late 19th century. The same back comes in many colours (green, gold, pink, orange) if you want something classic but different.
Illustrated and artist decks
Every card, or at least the court cards, aces and jokers, is drawn by an artist. People buy them almost like a small art print.
- Art of Play Dreyfus
- Lady Moon V2
- theory11 Keith Haring
- Dan & Dave Ultimate Deck
More detail
This group includes collaborations with well-known illustrators, such as Keith Haring or Shepard Fairey (Obey) at theory11, and decks where all 54 cards are a different illustration, like Dan & Dave's Ultimate Deck.
Minimalist
Few elements, flat colours and plenty of empty space. Some even drop the corner indices.
- Vanda Ren
- Mirage V4
- NOC Pro 2021
- theory11 Shantell Martin
More detail
Ren and Mirage V4 have no numbers in the corners: each card is recognised by its pips, as in old decks. NOC decks have a plain single-colour back and are marked for magic.
Vintage
They recreate or reinterpret antique decks: period typefaces, redrawn court cards, ivory tones and old-fashioned tuck boxes.
- King's Head
- theory11 Hudson
- Shakespeare
- The Parlour
More detail
King's Head, by Joker and the Thief, is modelled on American decks from the 1930s. theory11's Hudson revives a 19th-century New York brand, and Kings Wild's Shakespeare recreates a deck from 1902.
Casino
Inspired by the decks of Las Vegas casinos from past decades: bordered backs, the venue's logo and bright colours.
- Ace Fulton's Casino
- Cherry Casino
- Jerry's Nugget
- Gemini Casino
More detail
Jerry's Nugget is a reissue of the real deck from the casino of that name. Ace Fulton's and Cherry Casino imagine the deck of a period casino and design it as if it were the house deck.
Themed and licensed
Dedicated to a film, a TV series, a band, a character or a brand, with an official licence from the owner.
- Star Wars
- Harry Potter
- The Beatles
- One Piece
- Disney
More detail
They often replace the court cards with characters (Darth Vader as the King of Spades, for example) and put a lot of care into the box. The table below gives examples by theme.
Licensed playing cards: examples by theme
Licensed decks are popular as gifts, because they connect with something the person already loves. These are some examples we currently stock:
| Theme | Examples |
|---|---|
| Film | theory11 Star Wars Light Side, Dune, Wonka, Bicycle Back to the Future, The Lord of the Rings by Kings Wild |
| TV series | theory11 Stranger Things, The Mandalorian, Game of Thrones, Bicycle Wednesday |
| Music | theory11 The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Outkast, Bicycle Elton John, Guns N' Roses |
| Anime and animation | One Piece by Card Mafia, Bicycle Stitch, Toy Story, Hello Kitty and Kuromi |
| Superheroes | theory11 Spider-Man, Avengers, Batman, Deadpool; Card Mafia Iron Man |
| Art and brands | theory11 Keith Haring and Obey; Fultons ICEE and Tellason |
How custom a deck really is
Two decks with an equally attractive back can be very different inside. When looking at photos, check which parts have been redesigned:
| Level | What changes | What you will notice |
|---|---|---|
| Back only | The back and the tuck box; standard faces | Spread in a fan, it looks like a classic deck |
| Semi-custom | Back, Ace of Spades, jokers and sometimes the court cards | The special cards carry their own stamp |
| Fully custom | All 54 cards: suits, numbers, court cards and jokers | Every card is a new drawing; it can take a little longer to read during a game |
The Ace of Spades is the card most often redesigned, because by tradition it carries the maker's mark. The jokers come second: many brands use them for the most personal touch in the deck.
Did you know decks like these exist?
At heart, every deck has the same cards. What changes is everything else: the design, the finish, metallic inks or gilded edges. Take a look at our catalogue and bring your own style to the card table.
Browse our playing cards →
Special and limited edition playing cards: what each label means
Product pages for premium decks use words like "limited", "numbered", "foil" or "gilded". None of them is an official standard: each publisher uses them in its own way. This is what they usually mean.
| Label | What it is | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Limited edition | A single print run that the brand says it will not repeat | Whether the number of decks in the run is stated |
| Numbered | Each deck has its own number, almost always on the seal that closes the box | That the seal is intact if you want to keep it |
| Foil | Metallic film (gold, silver, coloured or holographic) stamped on the box, the back or the faces | Whether the foil is only on the box or on the cards too |
| Metallic ink | Ink with a metallic sheen; softer than foil | It shines when you tilt the card, but does not reflect like a mirror |
| Gilded edges | The edges of the deck are coated with a metallic finish | Edge colour: gold, silver or other colours |
| Special box | Embossed cases, book-style opening, die cuts, magnets and even lights | If the box is part of the design, keep it |
Limited and numbered are not the same
A deck can be limited without being numbered: it was simply printed once and sold out. When it is also numbered, each copy carries its number on the seal, a sticker that closes the box and traditionally shows the deck has not been opened. Print runs for these editions usually range from a few hundred to a few thousand decks. The numbered Cherry Casino Monte Carlo Black & Gold and the ARK Apollo are examples we currently stock.
Hot foil and cold foil
Foil is applied in two ways. With hot foil, a metallic film is stamped with heat and pressure; it gives crisp shapes and is widely used on boxes and logos, sometimes together with embossing. With cold foil, the film is fixed with an adhesive and then printed over, which allows multi-coloured metallic effects and gradients; that is why it appears on the backs and faces of heavily illustrated decks. Bicycle MetalLuxe, theory11's special editions of The Beatles and the Star Wars Gold Foil are decks with foil on the cards themselves.
What gilded means on playing cards
"Gilded" means that the edges of the deck, the sides you see when it is closed, have a metallic finish. For years it was almost always gold or silver; today you also find red, blue, green or black. Seen from the side, the deck looks like a gold bar, which is why gilded playing cards are so common in collector's editions such as the Kings Wild The Two Towers Gilded or the Asura Deluxe.
Foil editions, gilded edges and special boxes
We have gathered them in one section so you can see them at a glance.
See premium playing cardsThe style of each brand
Knowing the style of a few brands saves time: if you like one deck, you will probably like others from the same publisher too. These are the ones that appear most often in our catalogue.
theory11
A US publisher known for its official licences and its own elegant designs. It prints in the United States on paper from certified forests (FSC) with vegetable-based inks.
- Star Wars, Marvel, Harry Potter
- The Beatles, Rolling Stones
- Medallion, Monarchs
- Boxes with foil and embossing
More detail
Besides the licences, it publishes decks with artists (Keith Haring, Shepard Fairey, Shantell Martin) and with magicians and mentalists such as Derren Brown. You can see them all on the theory11 page.
Art of Play
The publisher run by magicians Dan and Dave Buck. It treats each deck as a work of art in its own right and commissions a different illustrator or studio for each one, so its catalogue is very varied.
- Artist collaborations
- DKNG, Kelly Thorn, Studio Muti
- Very different styles
More detail
The DKNG decks are a modern take on the Rider Back; Dreyfus is a psychedelic world of mushrooms and dragons; Lady Moon is an Art Deco design. All of them at Art of Play.
Kings Wild Project
The brand of American illustrator Jackson Robinson, who started in 2013 with the Federal 52 deck. Classic-style drawing, historical and literary themes, and many gilded editions.
- Romeo and Juliet, The Three Musketeers
- Official The Lord of the Rings
- No.13 Table Players series
More detail
It usually releases each design in several versions: standard, gilded and sometimes foil, so you can choose depending on whether you want to use it or collect it. Catalogue at Kings Wild Project.
Fultons
Brad Fulton's brand, known for Ace Fulton's Casino, a deck in classic American casino style, and for its collaborations with the skateboarding world and with brands.
- Casino look
- Skate: Lance Mountain, Hosoi
- Western, New York subway
More detail
The red Fultons Classic is the usual way into the brand; the skate collaborations feature artwork by the skaters themselves.
Bicycle and Tally-Ho
USPCC's two classic brands. Besides their familiar backs, Bicycle has a very wide range of licences (Disney, Sanrio, Netflix, music) and colours.
- Rider Back, Circle Back, Fan Back
- Disney licences
- MetalLuxe editions
More detail
They are a good option when you want a themed design without going into collector's editions, or a classic deck to play with.
Others with a style of their own
Some brands are instantly recognisable by their signature look.
- Room One: boxes with mechanisms
- Pure Imagination: Cherry Casino
- NOC: plain coloured backs
- MPC: CHAO series
More detail
Room One designs boxes that open like a building or a hatch; Cherry Casino reinterprets the retro casino with pearlescent backs; MPC dedicates each suit of its CHAO series to a Chinese dynasty.
Depending on how you will use it
Once the style is clear, the intended use helps you narrow it down. You do not need any technical knowledge: these pointers are enough.
Playing
For games at home, what matters is that the cards are easy to read and that you have a spare. A classic or casino deck is a practical choice.
- Easy-to-read index
- Two matching decks
- Plastic if there are drinks around
More detail
For poker, jumbo index decks can be read from across the table. You will find options among our poker playing cards.
Magic
A normal-looking deck, so the audience does not suspect anything, and several identical ones. Rider Back and Tally-Ho are common choices among magicians.
- Poker size
- Classic back
- Several identical decks
More detail
Some decks are made for magicians, with gaff cards or discreet markings included. They are in magic playing cards.
Cardistry
Here design takes centre stage: people look for backs and faces that create patterns when fanning and cutting. One deck to practise with and another for filming.
- Coloured backs
- Eye-catching borders
- No gilded edges
More detail
Broken Borders by The New Deck Order or the Cardistry Touch decks are designed for this. More in cardistry playing cards.
Collecting
The print run, the numbering, the finishes and an unbroken seal are what count. Many collectors buy two: one to open and one to keep.
- Limited and numbered
- Gilded and foil
- Intact seal
More detail
Short-run editions are gathered in collector's playing cards.
Giving as a gift
A deck that speaks to something the person loves usually works well: their film, their band, their city, their hobby. The box counts too.
- Licences
- Special boxes
- Foil editions
More detail
You will find ideas by profile in which deck to gift.
The technical side, where it matters
There are three things worth checking before you buy. Everything else is secondary for most people.
Poker vs bridge size
Both are the same height (88.9 mm), but poker size is wider: 63.5 mm against 57 mm for bridge (3.5 × 2.5 in and 3.5 × 2.25 in). Almost all designer, magic and cardistry decks are poker size. Bridge size is comfortable in games where you hold many cards in your hand, such as bridge or canasta.
Regular or jumbo index
The index is the number and suit in the corner. A jumbo index is much larger and can be read from a distance, which is useful for poker at the table or if you find small print hard to see; a regular index leaves more room for the artwork. Designer decks almost always have a regular index.
Paper or plastic
Paper is the norm and is what makes such varied designs possible. Plastic (Copag, KEM or Bacon's Night Market Day) lasts much longer, wipes clean with a cloth and survives a spilled drink; on the other hand, it feels different and there are fewer designs to choose from.
How much does a deck of cards cost?
From €5 to over €100. The 52 cards and the rules stay the same; this is what changes.
 To play€5.95 |  Designer€12.95 |  Premium€17.99 |  Collectible€34.94 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical price | €5-9 | €9-15 | €15-30 | €30 or more |
| What sets it apart | Classic casino design | Artist illustration on back and faces | Special inks, embossing and foil on the box | Limited print runs and gilded edges |
| Who it is for | Games at home | Playing with something beautiful | Gifts or cardistry | Collecting and display |
| Example | Tally-Ho Fan Azul | theory11 Medallion | The Sandwich Series (Luncheon Meat) | Kings Wild LOTR Two Towers Gilded |
| See decks | See decks | See decks | See decks |
Frequently asked questions
Which deck of cards should I buy if I don't know where to start?
Choose a style you like (classic, illustrated, minimalist, vintage, casino or themed) in poker size with a regular index. It works for playing, giving as a gift and getting started in magic or cardistry.
What are the best playing cards?
There is no single best deck for everything. Since most come from the same manufacturers, the best one for you is the one that fits your taste and the way you will use it.
Which playing cards make a good gift?
A deck that connects with what the person likes: a licence from their favourite saga or band, a style that suits their home, or an edition with a special box if they collect.
What is a limited edition deck of cards?
A deck printed in a single run that the brand does not plan to repeat. If it is also numbered, each copy carries its own number, usually on the seal.
What does gilded mean on playing cards?
That the edges of the cards have a metallic finish: gold, silver or coloured. It is decorative and wears off with use.
Do expensive playing cards handle better?
Not necessarily. What makes a deck more expensive is usually the design, the licence, the finishes, the box and the short print run, rather than the paper.
Which playing cards offer the best value for money?
Standard editions from classic brands and the versions of designer decks without foil or gilded edges. Many brands release the same design as a standard edition and as a special edition.
If you are still unsure, a good way to decide is to look at lots of decks together and pick the ones that catch your eye. In our playing cards section you can filter by brand and category.
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Keep exploring
- Types of playing card decks
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- How to care for playing cards
- Cardistry: the complete guide
- Disney Playing Cards
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- Star Wars Playing Cards
- Marvel Playing Cards
- The Beatles Playing Cards
- Unique Playing Cards
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