Gold Monarchs

[PrincessTrouble]

I received my Gold Monarch deck a few days ago.  The gold MetalLuxe treatment on the Monarch back looks FABULOUS.  It's super shiny and reflective.  However the registration on the backs and faces leaves a lot to be desired.

[fenderdemon]

I received my Gold Monarch deck a few days ago.  The gold MetalLuxe treatment on the Monarch back looks FABULOUS.  It's super shiny and reflective.  However the registration on the backs and faces leaves a lot to be desired.

HI PT

That looks beautiful! Are they similar to the Bicycle Luxe decks? If so, I hope they improved the T11 GM. I really don't like the Bicycle Luxe 'gimmick', personally.

T11 did a beautiful 'gold' Monarch deck that Geraint Clarke was lucky to receive. It's plain or metallic gold, instead of the Luxe. I believe that version was never released, for some obscure reason. They would have made a killing, if they sold that version..

Would you mind posting another picture showing the gold 'reflecting', please. Similar to my picture of the aforementioned Bicycle Luxe. It would 'showcase' it a bit better 😉

Thank you!

[ksi]

I am interested to see the comparison too.

My Gold Monarch won't be arriving before Xmas.  But I got the Gold Luxe on hand.

Let me post 2 pictures of the Gold Luxe and see if anyone could post a shinning Gold Monarch for comparison.

[PrincessTrouble]

This is the only other picture I have of it at the moment.  I'll make a few second video of the shininess tonight.

[PrincessTrouble]

Here's a video of the foil backs.  Still doesn't do them justice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNJn52T_bpY

[Don Boyer]

T11 did a beautiful 'gold' Monarch deck that Geraint Clarke was lucky to receive. It's plain or metallic gold, instead of the Luxe. I believe that version was never released, for some obscure reason. They would have made a killing, if they sold that version..

If it's the deck I think it is, no, it wouldn't have sold well at all.

The original design concept for the Monarchs was to have metallic gold ink thin-line work on a black background.  T11 had an entire print run made up, failing to realize until it was too late that gold metallic ink (not gold foil) is the color and darkness of brown deli mustard.  A dark yellow-brown line on a black background didn't stand out very well - the overall look was that you couldn't really see the line work well at all.

T11 decided to redo the design with white line work instead and DESTROYED nearly the entire print run made with gold metallic ink, saving only one gross from the shredder.  Of that gross, 33 were kept in reserve and 111 were sold in a hastily announced secret pre-sale the night before the Monarchs went on sale.  Those gold Monarchs are understandably quite rare.  I'm told the only way to know the difference between them and the regular (white-on-black) Monarchs is that each "gold-on-black" deck was wrapped in cellophane "backwards", resulting in the pull tab being on the opposite side.  Until this new product came out, they were known as "Gold Monarchs" - I have no idea what they'll be called now.

[ksi]

Here's a video of the foil backs.  Still doesn't do them justice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNJn52T_bpY

Nice video.  Thanks much.

The gold monarch seems not as shine as the Bicycle gold metal luxe.  But still looks cool.

If one day T11 put it on the shelf at a price around $15, I think I would pick some.  But I may not want to spend another $100 for a free, unless they have other things very attractive to buy.

[Don Boyer]

The gold monarch seems not as shinny as shine as the Bicycle gold metal luxe.  But still looks cool.

It seems less shiny because the Bicycle MetalLuxe doesn't have any black background - the entire pattern is a single color, all done in foil on a white background.  The gold Monarch deck is gold foil on black with a white border.

[Justin O.]

I believe this is a different process than Bike's MetalLux feature

[PrincessTrouble]

I believe this is a different process than Bike's MetalLux feature

What makes you say that?

[Justin O.]

I believe this is a different process than Bike's MetalLux feature

What makes you say that?

the texturing looks different between the cards, is mostly why I say that. But T11 describes working directly with USPCC on creating their expirimental process on the Golds where USPCC claims their metallux was created in house for their bike decks and don't mention it as a collaborative process, I would think that T11 would advertise that it was the Metallux treatment if that were the case. I could be reading too far into it though...

[PrincessTrouble]

I reached out to T11 and asked if the Gold Monarchs used the MetalLuxe technology.  The answer is yes.  This is their response:

"Yep, it sure is. The Gold Monarch deck was the first CUSTOM deck printed by the USPCC to use the MetalLuxe tech. It really is an awesome thing. The cards feel just as good as any non-foil deck and is as durable."

[Justin O.]

I reached out to T11 and asked if the Gold Monarchs used the MetalLuxe technology.  The answer is yes.  This is their response:

"Yep, it sure is. The Gold Monarch deck was the first CUSTOM deck printed by the USPCC to use the MetalLuxe tech. It really is an awesome thing. The cards feel just as good as any non-foil deck and is as durable."

Cool, thank you for finding that out Princess, that's really cool to know difinitively!! Do you like them?

[PrincessTrouble]

I love everything about them but the crappy registration.  It's one of my new favorite decks.

[Justin O.]

They are offering more with $100+ purchases on T11, I want one, but I can't seem to find $100 worth of things I want off their website. I'm gonna have to end up buying a bunch of Artisans or Monarchs or something, maybe a manipulation deck? ... I dunno

[PrincessTrouble]

Same here.  I'd love to get another one, but could barely come up with $100 worth of stuff I wanted the first time.  I keep spinning the wheel hoping to win one.

[Justin O.]

Same here.  I'd love to get another one, but could barely come up with $100 worth of stuff I wanted the first time.  I keep spinning the wheel hoping to win one.

I ended up getting the set of artisans I have been putting off picking up, a few other single decks it won't hurt having in the collection as well as a handful of Monarchs and Artisans like I suspected above. The discount code: 11CHECKOUT10P got me a cool 10% off the order and still get the Gold Ms. So all in all not terrible considering the resale prices on these Golds.

[Cardfool]

I ended up getting the set of artisans I have been putting off picking up, a few other single decks it won't hurt having in the collection as well as a handful of Monarchs and Artisans like I suspected above. The discount code: 11CHECKOUT10P got me a cool 10% off the order and still get the Gold Ms. So all in all not terrible considering the resale prices on these Golds.

Damn, wish I saw your post before I placed my order, an extra discount would have been nice, especially since I am in the same boat of not being able to find 100 worth of stuff .  Oh well, at least I get a bunch of extra spins on top of the gold monarchs, so really can't complain

[Justin O.]

... all in all not terrible considering the resale prices on these Golds.

Oh well, at least I get a bunch of extra spins on top of the gold monarchs, so really can't complain

Yeah, definitely. You can get a deck of the Gold Monarchs on ebay for $100+, or the Golds plus 12 or so decks directly from T11 for the same price.. at least right now. I'm glad you were able to snag one CF, I hate buying resale if I can help it.

Edit: One of the decks I ordered was Black Mystery, which apparently they ran out of stock on after I placed my order but before it got to their warehouse, they offered to reimburse me for the deck, swap out the deck or just send it whenever they get more in stock. I requested they swap it out for a Gold Monarch so I could have one to keep and one to open, thinking 'couldn't hurt to ask' and they agreed. So that was pretty cool...