Phoenix is Card-Shark’s own deck, created as a working tool for magicians rather than as a collector’s piece. The idea is for it to look modern but normal, with nothing that raises suspicion, while also incorporating hidden features the magician can use or ignore.

• PublisherCard-Shark
• PrinterUnited States Playing Card Company
• FinishAir Cushion, casino quality
• Contents52 cards + 2 jokers + blank card + special gaming card

Design

The back is an original design, modern and understated, prepared to hide additional information in the gaff cards of the range. The faces are practically the same as Bicycle’s, with a few exceptions: the Ace of Spades is very similar to Bicycle’s and the other aces are larger so they are easier to see. Both the back and the faces carry a well-disguised one-way marking (it tells you whether a card has been turned around). The tuck box reproduces the traditional Bicycle layout and gives no indication that the deck is meant for magic, so you can leave it with the audience as a souvenir.

Manufacturing

It is printed by the United States Playing Card Company on Bicycle card stock with an Air Cushion finish (a very fine embossing that helps the cards glide), in casino quality. The cards are cut from the back, which favours faro shuffles (interweaving the two halves card by card) and riffle shuffles from the first use. The factory order is designed to reach the Tamariz stack (Mnemonica) in a few faro shuffles.