Favorite Cheap Deck

[josem96]

Wich is your favorite cheap deck, it has to cost ess than 5 bucks and have a good desing      mine is the Bicycle Guardians 

here is the review

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=1qfozIVS49c

[Don Boyer]

Please note that I've edited your posts to combine them into a single post.  Try not to double-post - just edit the first post if there's been no replies to it and you're going back to the topic only a short while after it.

I like the Guardians myself - excellent deck in terms of design and it has a nicely hidden one-way back in addition to matched jokers.

If you want a good CHEAP deck, though, try getting Streamlines.  They're an old Arrco brand that's now produced by USPC.  The quality is on par with Bicycles and they have a smooth finish like Aviators, with the Arrco-style faces.  Wal-Mart sells them for a dollar a pack.

[magimago]

Bicycle Fan Back, and Bee.

[Don Boyer]

Bicycle Fan Back, and Bee.

Bees aren't that cheap, really.  They usually cost more than Standard Bicycles.

Which "Bicycle Fan Back" are you referring to (Old or New) and which printing?  I've never seen current/recents printings of either back go for less that $5 a pack, some for significantly more.  Unless, of course, you're confusing "Fan Back" with "Rider Back", or "Bicycle" with "Tally Ho"...

[Joshua Robinson]

Can't go wrong with the standard bike or the good ol' tally!

[The Quadfather]

I used to be able to get green rider backs for cheaper than regulars. But the price rose when cards got more popular. At the moment, I quite like using White Ghosts, which are slightly over the budget, so I'll have to go for red riders or tally's.

[Joker and the Thief]

Tally-Ho are great decks. Properly good cards. Apparently Studs were really good as well.

[magimago]

Sorry, have to explain better.
I bought the VintageDesign New Fanback. The have a nice finish and stock, and the design is timeless and appealing. The finish is not as slippery, and they last a long time. The box can be used as a "vintage-holdout"
You get them for 28dollars a brick on ebay, that makes  2,33 per deck.

Bees are my prefered due to the stock. I use the standart-Bee-Casinograde- cards, but mainly for practicesession, or pokerdemonstrations and 3 card-monte. You can get them for 2-3dollars.

Riderbacks are Ok-cards, you cant do much wrong with them, but in my hands, they last a week, and then they warp too much. I prefer to spend a little more and have a longer lasting deck.

[yoel]

STUDS!! Cant ask for a better cheaper deck.. Especially if you can find a new "old" style deck they were originally sold in blister packs.  But the ones that were most recently discontinued are my personal favorites.

[Don Boyer]

STUDS!! Cant ask for a better cheaper deck.. Especially if you can find a new "old" style deck they were originally sold in blister packs.  But the ones that were most recently discontinued are my personal favorites.

It still boggles my mind that Walgreen's discontinued Studs for Play Rights.  Play Rights aren't bad cards per se, but the back is very boring and the red and blue decks are only available in different index sizes.  Who's bright idea was that?

[yoel]

STUDS!! Cant ask for a better cheaper deck.. Especially if you can find a new "old" style deck they were originally sold in blister packs.  But the ones that were most recently discontinued are my personal favorites.

It still boggles my mind that Walgreen's discontinued Studs for Play Rights.  Play Rights aren't bad cards per se, but the back is very boring and the red and blue decks are only available in different index sizes.  Who's bright idea was that?

If my calculations are correct I have enough Studs to last for 30+ more years..   

I agree about the Play Rights.  They are very suitable for performing magic.  I actually like the red back better, but it only comes in jumbo.  I usually buy a pack if i'm going out and i play on destroying a deck.  They will be around a while for sure. 

[Don Boyer]

I agree about the Play Rights.  They are very suitable for performing magic.  I actually like the red back better, but it only comes in jumbo.  I usually buy a pack if i'm going out and i play on destroying a deck.  They will be around a while for sure.

That's what I'm afraid of! 

If I want to destroy a deck, I'll get a 99-cent special from one of the cheaper stores in the area.  If you're lucky, you can find the blister pack "2 for $1" special.  On principle, however, I don't buy the brand name forgeries for such uses.  The no-name brands are fine for tearing and otherwise trashing cards.

[yoel]

Well around here Play Rights are about the cheapest you are gonna get. Its either $1.99 or $2.49 depending on the store and area.  I at least know I'm getting a decent card... Ugly but decent.  

[Don Boyer]

Well around here Play Rights are about the cheapest you are gonna get. Its either $1.99 or $2.49 depending on the store and area.  I at least know I'm getting a decent card... Ugly but decent.

I'd have been fine with the more-boring back if they'd taken the trouble to print each index size in BOTH colors and not just one color each, both different.  The quality of the deck isn't an issue at all.

But where I live, they cost nearly as much as Bikes.  Walgreen's near my old apartment sold PRs for maybe $3 a pack while Bikes were $4.25.  New York is not cheap.  It's why those dirt-cheap dollar-store decks are appealing for destroying cards.

There's no WalMart near you?  They sell cheap dollar decks, including Streamlines.  You must live in the most remote corner of the country - nay, the world - if you've been forsaken by the Walmartians! 

[yoel]

Yeah prices of Playing Cards across the country is extremely erratic.  But in the cities its always more expensive!  You can always get a red deck and use the red jokers for an effect too.   If I had to pick a second cheap deck it would be Aviators those are usually $2.50 at a gas station.  Lots of exxon gas station have them cheap.

[Don Boyer]

Yeah prices of Playing Cards across the country is extremely erratic.  But in the cities its always more expensive!  You can always get a red deck and use the red jokers for an effect too.   If I had to pick a second cheap deck it would be Aviators those are usually $2.50 at a gas station.  Lots of exxon gas station have them cheap.

That's not bad - they're generally easier to find in airports than anywhere else.

But remember the Streamlines - WalMart carries them for a buck and they're the same quality as Aviators, pretty much.  Both are smooth, and I'd wager both use Bicycle stock as well.  Hard to beat a buck. 

[yoel]

Yeah prices of Playing Cards across the country is extremely erratic.  But in the cities its always more expensive!  You can always get a red deck and use the red jokers for an effect too.   If I had to pick a second cheap deck it would be Aviators those are usually $2.50 at a gas station.  Lots of exxon gas station have them cheap.

That's not bad - they're generally easier to find in airports than anywhere else.

But remember the Streamlines - WalMart carries them for a buck and they're the same quality as Aviators, pretty much.  Both are smooth, and I'd wager both use Bicycle stock as well.  Hard to beat a buck. 

I can't argue that any good magician should be able to make a pack of Streamlines work.  They need to be worked in a little and the edges rubbed down.. The Aviators out of the box have a nicer cut and feel.  The artwork is a bit finer in detail and in my opinion nicer.  I can't one hand faro with Streamlines but I can with Aviators.  Im all for using the cheap everyday cards!

[Michael]

I've found Tally's to be fairly dependable to me. They have become my go to cheap deck. For the way I use them, they've shown to be able to handle mild swings in humidity and heat and still perform well. That and for some reason, the Walgreens I've been to don't sell paper decks.

[John B.]

riderbacks, I burn through them.

[twiscold]

vintage racer back, they were like $17 for christ sake. best handling cards ever, imo.

[Don Boyer]

vintage racer back, they were like $17 for christ sake. best handling cards ever, imo.

If you think SEVENTEEN DOLLARS A PACK is CHEAP, I'd like a few minutes with your ATM card, if you don't mind...    I'll grant you it's probably cheap for a vintage deck (unless you were referring to the Vintage Design series), but it's not exactly cheap in the grand scheme of things...

[magimago]

If you buy riderbacks, you can as well save some money and buy bicycle seconds, or Aviator-seconds. Cost under a dollar.

[Don Boyer]

If you buy riderbacks, you can as well save some money and buy bicycle seconds, or Aviator-seconds. Cost under a dollar.

Finding them's the thing.  I've only seen one web retailer, maybe two, carrying the Bike Seconds, and they were maybe $2-3 plus shipping.  Never saw Aviator Seconds.  Where are you getting yours?

[twiscold]

vintage racer back, they were like $17 for christ sake. best handling cards ever, imo.

If you think SEVENTEEN DOLLARS A PACK is CHEAP, I'd like a few minutes with your ATM card, if you don't mind...    I'll grant you it's probably cheap for a vintage deck (unless you were referring to the Vintage Design series), but it's not exactly cheap in the grand scheme of things...

Sorry,Don I meant $17 a brick. 

[yoel]

If you buy riderbacks, you can as well save some money and buy bicycle seconds, or Aviator-seconds. Cost under a dollar.

Finding them's the thing.  I've only seen one web retailer, maybe two, carrying the Bike Seconds, and they were maybe $2-3 plus shipping.  Never saw Aviator Seconds.  Where are you getting yours?

Yeah 99 cents for Bike Seconds.  Sign me up for at least 1 Gross!