Butterfly Playing Cards Marked (3rd Edition w. Instructions)

David

I'm a huge fan of the Butterfly Decks concept. This is the first edition where I've felt like the card stock is pretty decent.

 

Hunter

It was pretty good and the way they were marked was clever. I do think they should post a tutorial for the trick he used for penn and teller. Besides that the deck was very stupendously thought out.

 

Kyle

Ok so It's hard but bear with me.
I originally bought the refills and once I found the marks I realized this was much bigger than a normally made deck.
I spent about 2 hours going through cards, comparing cards, and building up a preference for the cards.
I could tell what card was what but didn't know some of the math. Again hold on.
So I wanted to get the full instructions on the deck to see what I wasn't figuring out and then I watched it.

The instructions are kind of cute, and over 2hrs. I haven't finished it yet (still in the performance section) But the deck comes with a little card that shows how to read the cards. And then it hit me. It may not be as easy to read as other Marked decks, but that's because it's not like any other marked deck.
I'd call this a passive marked deck. The markings are not read on the back. Let me restate this, THE MARKS ARE NOT READ ON THE BACK!.
What this allows you to do is not only quickly figure out what a person's card is, but where it is. You can quickly figure out what card a participant has removed and hidden on themselves WILE YOUR BACK IS TURNED.
Not only that. You can quickly identify pairs, the locations of all the aces, cut to all the aces, and find every royal flush of every suit.

Ok, so this is a bit of praise but let's really look at this.
Card feel - pretty great. A soft stock handles well. The cards have an interesting texture to them that I didn't expect.
Back Design - Beautiful, elegant, Love the borderless design and how everything has a flow to it.
Ace Design - They are ok, better than just a solid block of color, but they're ok.
Card Designs - they are about the same as a normal Bike.

The code - Stupid versatile, a bit complicated. It'll take about 20 mins to get comfortable with the code. But once you have a grasp of it, there is a bunch of amazing things you can do.

The price ... ... ... 0_o
Ok, so it's a bit expensive. BUT you are paying for the instructions (and all the routines and ideas therein) AND stickers. You get some pretty cool stickers, oh also the box the deck comes in is really nice.
The refill decks are a lot cheaper.
So if you want, you could get the refiles for cheaper, spend the time learning the code/s, and then figure out different uses on your own.
Just a thought.

This deck is a beautiful Hurdle that's NOT for everyone. If you like challenges, cards, interesting principals and something a bit different. This is for you.
If you are looking for something easy, self-working. Then avoid this deck. You'd only be wasting your money and then leaving a bad review.

 

Jess

I purchased this deck to learn more about what could be done with it, as I'd bought the most recent iteration of it, the new purple deck. The cards are marked on the backs and are fairly easy to read once you understand the code. What I wanted to explore more deeply was how to identify the location and identity of cards from the deck edges. I have found this to be much more of a challenge. I'm 70 with 20/20 vision and wear glasses for reading but have struggled with
consistently identifying the suits from the edge and how to accurately control and cut or shift located cards to other positions in the deck, naturally. I will continue to work with these decks as I like the potential this deck has for my card magic. Just be aware of how small the edge marks are and the difficulties you may have reading them.
The cards have beautiful backs, the card stock is excellent and they handle well. I have noticed that faroing the cards is a bit of a challenge till they're broken in. Hope my thoughts are helpful in making a decision on whether this deck is right for you.

 

Landon

If you are looking for expensive yet beautiful deck then this is the PERFECT buy .. however if you want a marked deck that is easy to read then this is not the one for you. I read the instructions that came with the unit and watched the video. You will sit there and have no idea about the complex marking system ( a complete coded enigma). I don't know what kind of lay-audience the maker is performing for but if you have to make a marking system that complex then I'm not sure they are performing at the right venues. Apart from the flawed marking system the deck is well designed. Borderless and neat. The tuck case is a work of art. $30 for a deck. Go for it.

Community questions about Butterfly Playing Cards Marked (3rd Edition w. Instructions)

Have a question about this product? It's possible others do too. Ask here and other Vanishing Inc. Magic customers will be able to respond with assistance! Alternatively, email us and we can help too.

• John asks: Is there a video download with instructions and routines?

  • 1. Vanishing Inc. Magic responds: Yes, you'll receive an instructional video.

• Steven asks: How many routines are on the video.

  • 1. Jim answers: It includes: Marking System Explained; Cutting To Any Card Called For; Impossible Divination; Finding A Missing Card And Butterfly Clocking; Sorting The Deck In Front Of The Audience; Butterfly Challenge; Clocking With A Kicker.

  Post an answer to this question

• Harry asks: How can I greet a vid

  • 1. Vanishing Inc. Magic responds: The video should come with the deck. If there are any issues, please get in touch with us with your order number, and we'll happily send you a link :)