Hard to Acquire European Card Suggestions (2 Viewers)

[Jerome100]

My card goal in life is basically to buy a deck of anything I'm kinda interested in and hopefully find "The One" card that someday becomes my favorite. I love the feel of KEM but I also really am a sucker for great artwork, pip design, fonts etc. For example I love Kems to play with but they're boring looking. Desjgn and Faded Spade are my favorite to look at. Desjgn are CLOSE to great for me but they're a bit more "sandpaper" feeling than I like (I think they're Dal Negro stock?). The smoothness of the Faded Spade are great but the cards are very stiff. So far in my short quest I'd probably say I'd like a KEM card with Faded Spade artwork.

Lived in Germany several years and still have a friend that frequenly visits the USA and so am thinking I may order a few decks to their house and have them bring some over next time they're here.

Plastic cards only. Prefer bridge size, don't care too much about index. Great artwork is a plus.

This came up for me as I keep hearing about Piatnik. So they're on my list. Trefl too.

Fournier, Dal Negro (or do my Desjgn cover me on Dal Negro stock?), DaVinci, Modiano? Any other brands I may be forgetting? Can one still acquire Cartimundi Belgium cards?

NOTE: I think Desjgn has said they have Fournier Blackjack cards coming soon.... so I may try Fourniers via Desjgn...

Otherwise my biggest question is the card stock itself. Going by memory, I think it is Fournier has all these different 4-digit model numbers for their cards. Is the card stock all the same so long as they're plastic/pvc and the model numbers indicate different designs? Or are there particular card stock differences, even within the same brand, that I need to pay attention to (such as thickness or surface texture)? I know if I get Modiano I want the Platinums (despite being poker size only). How about the other brands?

Possibly overthinking this I just don't wanna order, for example, a deck of Piatnik thinking all Piatnik cards feel the same, only to find out that there are thin and thick Piatnik or smoother or rougher Piatnik, or the "great" Piatnik and the "cheap" Piatnik etc. Like Modiano has the Platinums and then the "cheap" Modiano. I only want the best cardstock from each brand.

I may ask for a bit of advice from the fine folks in this forum before clicking "buy" on anything.

 

[Kam]

Welcome! I’m on a similar mission, buying different types to try them out.

Lots of good threads here:

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/forums/poker-playing-cards.17/

Check out my thread here:

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/european-uk-card-buy-recommendations.128196/#post-2628565

Look for group buys like this to reduce shipping cost etc:

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/ept-2826-fournier-more-options-group-buy-3-2026.139214/

I only play once a month, so it’ll take me a while to get through them all. I find myself going back to Faded Spade and Fournier though:

I’ll likely do a discount sell of most once I’m happy with maybe 2-3 choices. Waiting on a new Desjgn as well (group buys through here).

GL!

 

[JMC9389]

I've been in this boat. I'm a bit of a collector for cards, but for what actually goes into play, this is my rotation (all 100% plastic):

Fournier (2800 or 2826 bridge)

Desjgn (old Modiano stock, but the new desjgn are going to be made by Fournier, have high hopes)

Piatnik

NTP

Cartamundi Belgium (poker size only)

Dal Negro (old stock, Grand Slam, Texas Poker)

 

[Machine]

Welcome!​

You're going to fit in just fine.

 

[Jerome100]

Well the saga has begun. First deck on way to friend in Germany. Fournier 2826 Fleur de Leys bridge+jumbo. I suspect these aren’t produced anymore but found them from rekoppoker in Spain (another user on another thread mentioned this store). Love the back design so looking forward to them.

I’m having trouble finding places with Dal Negro / NTP in Bridge, I think I found an Italian store for Modiano platinums.

Piatnik and Trefl probably the last 2 for this haul if I can find them.

Question 1) Are DaVinci 100% plastic exact same card stock as Modiano 100% plastic? I know they’re the same company, and that acetate are only Modiano, but I don’t really want to try a deck or DaVinci 100% plastic and Modiano 100% plastic if they’re the exact same card.

2) if anyone has any suggestions on more obscure shops in EU, I’d appreciate it. Rekoppoker was a great find and fair prices. I’ve otherwise checked the usual like playingcardshop.eu pokershop.nl. Tried tavoloverde out of Italy but they’re sold out of most items.

Appreciate any suggestions on where to snag stuff in the EU!