Animal Instincts is a project by David Bollt (Minds Eye) and Max Playing Cards, released in 2024 after a Kickstarter campaign. The illustrations are by Darrin White and Kodi White, tattoo artists and illustrators, and the deck is designed to be used both for playing poker and as an oracle deck (cards for symbolic readings).

• ProductionDavid Bollt (Minds Eye) and Max Playing Cards
• IllustrationDarrin White and Kodi White
• Finishlinen, 310 g/m² black-core card stock
• Contents56 cards

Design

Each suit corresponds to a group of animals: spades are birds; hearts, cats; clubs, crabs; and diamonds, toads. Instead of reserving the illustrations for the court cards, every card carries the portrait of a character: kings, queens, minstrels, pirates, soldiers, jugglers or maidens.

In the Minstrel edition, the tuck box shows a roguish musician playing the lute and the back shows a lion resting on its throne. The series’ other edition, Wizard, has a different tuck box and back.

Manufacturing

The cards are printed on 310 g/m² black-core card stock (an inner layer that makes them more opaque) with a linen finish, a texture of fine lines that helps them glide. The tuck box is made of 350 g/m² paper, with embossing, gloss lamination and colour printing on the inside too. The Minstrel was released in two versions: a limited one of 650 decks and a silver one of 400, with silver foil on the tuck box and silver edges.