THE STORY

52Kards was founded in 2011 as a free educational resource for students of card magic. Over the years our YouTube channel amassed over 1 million subscribers and continues to serve as a key learning platform for the current generation of magicians.

In 2016, we created our first brand of playing cards right here on Kickstarter called MINT. The project was quickly funded and became the deck of choice for thousands of magicians and card enthusiasts worldwide. In 2018, we launched the next edition MINT 2 Playing Cards, which became one of the most successful playing card projects in Kickstarter history.

After two years in development we’re excited to return to Kickstarter with brand new playing card design… WAVES.

With this project we aim to create an exceptional deck with a design concept that is intriguing to magicians, cardists, and collectors alike.

THE BACK DESIGN

Motion Illusion

A mesmerizing illusion design that will play tricks with your mind… Stare at the card for a while and watch the design come to life as it sways back and forth with subtle movement.

* The strength of the illusion may vary from person to person. Everyone’s eyes are different, so try looking at the card in different ways until you see the it.

 Depth Illusion

At a tilted angle, the cards appear to have a three dimensional depth illusion where the design rises above the surface of the card to take the form of waves.  

Functional One-Way Design 

The Waves design features a subtle one-way design. This creates a low-key flipbook animation effect when the cards are shuffled in reverse directions and riffled. Magicians can also take advantage of the one-way design to secretly locate and track cards of interest.

THE FACE DESIGN

• Tastefully customized face card designs that pay homage to traditional aesthetics. Relatable/recognizable faces are ideal for magicians and card players.
• Elegant Aces with a wavy touch.
• A nice lighter color scheme for diamonds and hearts.
• A refreshing twist on classic court cards.
• The identical Jokers are a minimal rendition of the famous painting “The Great Wave” by the Japanese ukiyo-e artist Hokusai

 STANDARD EDITION  

• The Standard Edition Waves deck features the intriguing design in a black & white color way on a bordered card. 
• This is the version of the deck that we hope to mass produce and continue to sell long term. 
• Supporting this Kickstarter project will help make these decks a reality and be the first to get them at a discounted price. You also get access to the Kickstarter exclusive versions of the deck (see below for details).

DAY ONE EDITION

KICKSTARTER EXCLUSIVE 

• As a special gift to our early bird project backers, we are offering a super limited Day One Edition Waves deck for only $1. There’s a catch. It’s only available for the first 24 hours of this Kickstarter campaign as an add-on, and then it’s gone forever… There will be no exceptions or extensions on this time constraint.
• We have decided to allow for a maximum of 3 decks per backer. The first deck is our early bird gift to you for $1, and if you would like to claim one or two more of these decks they will cost $16 each.
• Because this deck is only available for such a limited period of time and is restricted a maximum of only 3 decks per backer; we expect this to be one the most special and collectable decks we ever create.

How to claim the Day One Edition:

• Step 1: Select any reward package within the first 24 hours of this project launching.
• Step 2: After choosing your reward package, Kickstarter will direct you to the “Add On” page where you will be able to add the Day One Edition deck to your package for only $1.
• If you would like to claim one or two more Day One decks, there will be a separate Add On item where you can get them for $16 each.

*After the first 24 hours of this campaign, the Day One Edition decks will no longer appear on the Add On page. If you do claim the Day One Edition deck within the first 24 hours, you can then change your reward package at any time during the rest of the campaign and the Day One Edition will remain a part your package.

LIMITED EDITION

 KICKSTARTER EXCLUSIVE 

• The Limited Edition Waves deck features a borderless design that expands to the outer edge of the card. 
• The borderless design further enhances the depth and motion illusion in the card.
• This version of the deck is a Kickstarter exclusive and will no longer be available for sale after this campaign is over.

Pricing Structure

The Limited Edition Waves deck costs the same amount as a Standard Edition deck ($16), but is only available in bundled reward packages.

Why Use This Pricing Structure for the Limited Edition decks? 

The main factors that make a deck truly limited in nature are scarcity, timing, and acquisition cost. This pricing model achieves all of that. The Limited Edition decks are the same price as the Standard Edition decks, but the barrier of entry cost is increased by making them only available in bundles. This structure also helps restrict the number of decks per backer and the total quantity of decks printed. These Limited Edition decks will only be available for the limited duration of this Kickstarter campaign, and will never be reprinted.

THE CARD QUALITY

• The quality of the cards is of upmost importance. We are producing these cards to serve as daily drivers for magicians, cardists, and card players. 
• Printed by the renowned Cartamundi in Belgium with precise specifications and the highest quality standards possible. 
• We will use a premium FSC sourced 270 GSM black core SlimLine Card Stock which handle beautifully right out of the box and provides a soft buttery feel while maintaining a healthy snap. The cards will be extremely durable and long lasting with proper care.
• Coated with a True Linen B9 Finish so the cards glide and spread consistently and effortlessly.

THE TUCK CASE 

• A classy yet understated tuck case design concept.
• The goal is to produce luxury tuck cases that have all the bells and whistles (premium paper stock, multi color foil stamping, embossing, inner tuck foiling, custom seal, etc.).
• We will be announcing stretch goals to unlock these tuck case features during the campaign.
• Each version of the Waves deck will have a distinct color to easily distinguish them from each other.

WHO IS THIS PLAYING CARD PROJECT FOR?

We are making Waves Playing Cards with a few people in mind…

FOR MAGICIANS 

A deck of cards is a magician’s best friend. The Waves playing cards will be printed with the highest quality standards to hold up to the most rigorous practice sessions and performances; and the built in back design illusion is a sly nod to practitioners of the craft. Each deck will also include a bonus double backed gaff card for magicians to take advantage of.

FOR CARDISTS

The motion and depth illusion in the back design can help accentuate the beautiful movements that cardists create with playing cards. The premium production quality of the cards will also serve cardists well as they manipulate the deck in incredible ways.

FOR COLLECTORS

There is a large and growing community of playing card enthusiasts who are always on the look out for special decks of cards to acquire and cherish. With this project we aim to create highly collectable and limited decks that are exclusively available to Kickstarter backers only. Each deck will be encased in a beautiful tuck case that can be proudly displayed on your shelf 🙂

FOR CARD PLAYERS

Waves is a clean unmarked deck that can be used safely and responsibly in card games. The back design illusion is a great conversation piece and a fun way to keep your eyes occupied while your buddy is deciding whether to call or fold your bluff. You will be able enjoy game after game with these premium playing cards.

TOP 5 REASONS TO BACK THIS PROJECT

1.) Join the movement! (pun intended) Help this deck become a reality. We need your support to raise the funding required to create these cards at the highest quality standards. 

2.) Get the limited Kickstarter Exclusive decks. The Day One and Limited Edition decks are reserved for Kickstarter backers only and will never be available again.

3.) You get a discount. The retail price of these decks will go up after the Kickstarter campaign is over. Save money now by supporting the project.

4.) You will receive your cards before anyone else. All of the Kickstarter backers will be taken care of first, well before the decks are available for retail.

5.) Your pledge helps support the work that 52Kards does for the magic community. If you value the free content that 52Kards has created, this is a great way to give back and support our work!

FULFILLMENT

In addition to previously running large Kickstarter projects, 52Kards also operates one of the worlds largest E-commerce stores for playing cards and magic over at https://shop.52kards.com 

We have a great deal of experience with shipping tens of thousands of packages all over the world and already have the infrastructure in place to distribute all of the reward packages for this project smoothly and safely.

INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS: Please be aware that your country may have additional fees such as VAT, import taxes, or custom’s charge. Unfortunately, We do not have any control over these fees. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• Where do I enter my Shipping Address?

You will be sent a survey after the Kickstarter campaign is over to provide us with your shipping address.

•  When will MINT 3 be released?  

Most of our previous Kickstarter backers are from our MINT Playing Card projects and we know many are patiently awaiting a 3rd Edition MINT deck. MINT 3 will certainly happen when the time is right, but we are eager to release this brand new WAVES design first.

• How long will it take before I receive my cards?

It’s difficult to say for sure, but we are aiming for November at the latest. Producing high quality cards takes time, and we will not be cutting any corners or taking any shortcuts, After the funds are raised the decks will begin production as soon as possible.

• What if I don’t have a credit/debit card to use for payment?

Kickstarter only accepts credit/debit card payments. If you don’t have a card to use, then we can arrange a payment using Paypal. Send an email to contact@52kards.com if you would like more information about this. The Day One Edtion bonus deck will not be available for Paypal backers unfortunately.

CREDITS TO:

Asad Chaudhry (@asadchaudhry52): Creative Director

Edo Huang (@edohuang): Designer

Matt Fujiwara (@shooterscardco): Photographer

Adam Borderline(@borderlineadam): Photographer