Is this common practice?

[Chobee]

I was thrilled to find at my local Walgreens, the Collectable Playing Cards "Aurora" deck.  I've always admired this deck, because of the metallic ink used.  When I opened my deck I was hugely disappointed with the quality of the printing, and the complete lack of metallic ink on any of the cards.  The cards still handle pretty well, but they are not at all what I expected.  The tuck case is identical, from what I can tell, to the ones I saw in online reviews.

So, I guess I asking, should I have expected this, since I got it at a mass market retailer?  Is it possible it's a counterfeit (seems unlikely)?

Thanks!!

[Don Boyer]

I was thrilled to find at my local Walgreens, the Collectable Playing Cards "Aurora" deck.  I've always admired this deck, because of the metallic ink used.  When I opened my deck I was hugely disappointed with the quality of the printing, and the complete lack of metallic ink on any of the cards.  The cards still handle pretty well, but they are not at all what I expected.  The tuck case is identical, from what I can tell, to the ones I saw in online reviews.

So, I guess I asking, should I have expected this, since I got it at a mass market retailer?  Is it possible it's a counterfeit (seems unlikely)?

Thanks!!

It's unlikely that it was a counterfeit.  I'm not as familiar with that particular deck, but there is a possibility that there's more than one version of it - it's not unheard of for there to be a standard edition and a deluxe/collector's edition in some custom designs.  But the odds of it having been a counterfeit are very low - Walgreens is dealing with CPC to stock some of their custom designs.  A friend of mine, Randy Butterfield, got his Bicycle Emoji deck made with CPC stocked in Walgreens.

[Chobee]

Thanks for the feedback!  Do you know if the barcodes would be different if there are different editions? OR I could always assume if I'm buying a $10 deck for $6 - it might be a different printing :P

[Chobee]

From the collectable playing cards site:
http://www.collectableplayingcards.com/bicycle-aurora-playing-cards-collectable-playing-cards-p-49478.html

[Chobee]

To belabor my point- here is my deck:
Lovely tuck, notable lack of metallic ink on cards (still a pretty solid deck though.)

[Don Boyer]

Thanks for the feedback!  Do you know if the barcodes would be different if there are different editions? OR I could always assume if I'm buying a $10 deck for $6 - it might be a different printing

I think you summed it up nicely right there - when buying a $10 deck for $6, don't expect a $10 deck!!! 

[Chobee]

I have seen the Walgreens decks on ebay (no seal).  Buyer beware!

[Don Boyer]

I have seen the Walgreens decks on ebay (no seal).  Buyer beware!

If you're referring to Studs, it's actually rather common.  They're packaged without shrink wrap and the sticker seal will often dry out in the heat of an un-air-conditioned pharmacy and fall off.  A deck can be perfectly new, never opened, and missing a seal.  Whether you choose to buy yours that way is up to you!  Check the year - the newer decks have USPC copyright info on the box bottom, I think.