Thanks for the info John
A simpler, more accurate description would be a deck with card edges that were painted with gold paint after the manufacturing and before the packaging. The term is also used with decks painted on the edges with silver paint, though the term
gilded more accurately describes just the gold-painted version.
I've referred to the process in the past as a way of making playing cards pretty for people who don't really like using playing cards. The performance is terrible, weave/faro shuffles are practically impossible, and shuffling or handling of any kind results in metallic flecks of paint getting on EVERYTHING in the area. When enough of the paint flecks off, the deck looks really shabby, too. But if you leave them unused, sitting in a decorative card box, they look oh so pretty...