Theory 11 Unboxes the World's Finest Deck of Cards for Magic

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed)
Aug 13th 2010 at 3:01PM

The quest for ultimate luxury reaches everywhere, and in this case that means a set of playing cards unlike any other. The Sentinels, from Theory 11, are used for magic, and their specs might almost qualify them as magical: the box alone gets imported paper stock 40% thicker than normal, embossing in 20 locations, embellishment with metallic accents on all six sides and a coat of matte varnish.

Inside is a set of cards that do their best to match their shelter. The cards feature illustrations developed after thorough research into various branches of the esoteric, and like the dollar bill, every element has some sort of meaning. The illustrations themselves were penned by blue-chip San Francisco design firm Hatch. The cards are printed at the United States Playing Card Company in Kentucky, on the casino web press, making the Sentinels the only cards in magic run exclusively in that manner. And for all that, they'll only cost you $5.95, a neat trick in itself.

Gallery: Sentinels Magic Cards from Theory 11