I thought Turner called them "Gold Seal", not "Gold Standard" - his Bikes are Gold Seal Bicycles, available in red and blue.
Red decks for some reason are more common for magic use. The Bicycle Rider Back in red has more gaff cards and decks than any other design on the market, including the Rider Back in blue. On the occasions that a magician doesn't release a trick deck or gaff card in both colors, they more frequently choose red over blue.
I gotta wonder how many are left of both Turner designs. The Bees are hard to find, but the Bikes are still commonly available in magic shops for around $5 a pack. Gamblers are practically even more mythic - I managed to snag just one for my collection, and I opened it.
Yeah, "Gold seal" is what he calls them... it's just that I've seen a fair few online retailers call them "gold standard" bikes. Everybody knows it's referring to the same thing though.
I'm a big fan of Richard Turner, and so I do have a fair few off his decks -- Gold Seal Bikes, Bicycle Mandolin backs, Gamblers, and now the Turner Bees.
I personally found the Gambler's a little easier to get hold -- I've got hold of four over the past year, each one picked up separately.
The Gold Seal Bikes, as you've already pointed out, are easy to find pretty much anywhere, as are the Mandolin backs.
I would love to get hold of more of these Turner Bee decks though... but I doubt I'll ever get hold of any more again. From what I've heard, these Bees were pretty much like "private reserve" decks for the main man himself... but he released a few on his site.
Oh well, other than eBay, if anyone can ever point me to any place (which will deliver to the UK) where I can get another brick of Turner Bees, then they can have a Madison Rounders Private Reserve deck on me -- worldwide shipping will be covered by me also!!
