Sub $3 Decks that Aren't Complete Trash?

[Aptombstone]

Everyone knows the standard go-to deck for magicians and card handlers is the Bicycle Standard or Aviator and these decks can be purchased for, in general where I live in NY, for $3 or a little higher. I wonder if there are lesser known decks, sold cheaper, that don't handle terribly, that would be good for practice and to have in ones collection without shame.

I've actually found a few. First is the well known Play Right deck that succeeded the Stud decks. These I think are either $2 in Walgreens or $2.50 and handle + look great no question and most of you probably have some.

However, next to that Play Right in Walgreens is a 99 cent red Walgreens deck. I've handled this smooth finish deck and I must say I was greatly impressed. It handles great and fans well. The tradeoff is, as pictured, a complete lack of artwork and design, but for practice, its amazing. I don't know what country it was produced in.

Another deck I found does not handle as good as the red walgreens deck, but isn't worthless either is the CVS Poker Club deck. The back design is a ripoff of the Aladdin and the fans suck, but for other moves involving cuts, it's perfectly fine. I am actually using it right now to practice pressure fans. I believe it costs $1 as well and it is produced in Malaysia.

Does anyone know of any other super cheap decks that aren't so bad?

[vmagic]

Streamlines cost like 92 cents here and they are pretty good.

[Mike Ratledge]

Last week I saw 2-packs of Bicycle standard (or jumbo imdex) in Walmart for $1.99, that pretty hard to pass if you are just looking for practice decks.

[Anthony]

I like the Dragon Backs, you can usually find them at Walgreens and Target for a couple bucks.

[Aptombstone]

Where do they sell streamlines (besides the internet)? I haven't come across them in stores except for an old USPCC Rite Aid Pharmacy brand Pinochle deck that used the Streamline back and faces.

[Don Boyer]

Where do they sell streamlines (besides the internet)? I haven't come across them in stores except for an old USPCC Rite Aid Pharmacy brand Pinochle deck that used the Streamline back and faces.

A local Walmart used to carry them for 99 cents a pack.  They've been out a long time, though, and I think they've changed a lot of their inventory.  They can still be had cheaply, just not as often that cheap.

My personal experience with CVS decks is that they're utter crap, on par with USPC Mavericks made in China.  I talked once will Bill Schildman about this - for a brief period in the mid-late 2000s, they were using a Chinese printer to save on costs for several brands, not just Mavericks.  I personally discovered Chinese-made Aviators.  Ultimately, they dropped the company for all but Mavericks because of poor quality.

The CVS decks are made by Cartamundi these days, but at the lowest quality imaginable.  They're practically cardboard.

If you get a membership with a big-box members-only store, they often sell bricks of Bikes for $15 or less.  Ratledge's two-deck sets are also good.  Occasionally you can get the 4-deck sets for $10 on sale - it's the only USPC product that includes the black Bicycles, and they don't sell them individually, only third-party companies do.

[Aptombstone]

Ugh do not remind me of Cartamundi.

They came out with a "Joker" brand of playing cards that are, in my humble opinion, THE WORST deck ever to be marketed for, and I quote, "the most discriminating card handlers in the world." The deck is made in china, has a laughable back design, and feels exactly as you described, like it's made out of cardboard.

I even loathe their Made in the USA Ace Authentic decks. Their only good decks, so far as I've handled, are their Black Jack brand "casino quality" decks and their Barnes and Noble sold "limited edition" Ace Authentic decks, but both share an extremely flexible (flimsy?) paper stock, which, personally, I don't mind.

[Don Boyer]

Ugh do not remind me of Cartamundi.

They came out with a "Joker" brand of playing cards that are, in my humble opinion, THE WORST deck ever to be marketed for, and I quote, "the most discriminating card handlers in the world." The deck is made in china, has a laughable back design, and feels exactly as you described, like it's made out of cardboard.

I even loathe their Made in the USA Ace Authentic decks. Their only good decks, so far as I've handled, are their Black Jack brand "casino quality" decks and their Barnes and Noble sold "limited edition" Ace Authentic decks, but both share an extremely flexible (flimsy?) paper stock, which, personally, I don't mind.

They have a decent Ace all-plastic deck, but only the standard-edition decks, not the limited edition with the sticky/glossy finish.

[vmagic]

My local Walmart used to have Streamlines for 92 cents, I think they've been out of them for a while, they probably stopped printing them or something.

[Don Boyer]

My local Walmart used to have Streamlines for 92 cents, I think they've been out of them for a while, they probably stopped printing them or something.

Stopped printing them?  When did Walmart START printing them? 

I think they just overhauled their selection of playing cards not too long ago.  I noticed that ALL of their cheapo 99¢ decks were gone, replaced by Rider Backs and a few other USPC-originated Bicycle designs.  It's a shame, really - the Streamlines were the truffles in an otherwise awful selection of cheap decks.  I'm pretty sure that Streamlines are still in print - last batch I saw has a 2012 copyright date on the box, made in Erlanger.

[John B.]

My local Walmart used to have Streamlines for 92 cents, I think they've been out of them for a while, they probably stopped printing them or something.

Stopped printing them?  When did Walmart START printing them? 

I think they just overhauled their selection of playing cards not too long ago.  I noticed that ALL of their cheapo 99¢ decks were gone, replaced by Rider Backs and a few other USPC-originated Bicycle designs.  It's a shame, really - the Streamlines were the truffles in an otherwise awful selection of cheap decks.  I'm pretty sure that Streamlines are still in print - last batch I saw has a 2012 copyright date on the box, made in Erlanger.

The only streamlines I could find here were the chinese ones. and right now my walmarts card selection is 80% duck dynasty.

[Don Boyer]

The only streamlines I could find here were the chinese ones. and right now my walmarts card selection is 80% duck dynasty.

When I spotted the Chinese-made Aviators, Bill mentioned that it was "old new stock" and the chain store carrying it was supposed to have been returned to USPC, sort of like a recall of defective goods.  Probably the same case here.  Really, would you want all your good brands sullied by lousy manufacturing?

As far as "Duck Dynasty"...  I got nuthin'...

[Aptombstone]

I'm guessing those Chinese Aviators weren't available for long and even though they handle like crap its probably cool to have one.

The first Aviator deck I got was the Chinese one. Needless to say I was very disappointed, not only in the cards, but in the Youtube reviews who vouched for their quality. It was a long while before I realized they were once, and now continue to be, made in the good ol' USA.