This is (I HOPE) the FINAL word on E deck finishes...

[Don Boyer]

I recently had this private exchange with John and would rather not have to do it again, so I thought I'd toss it up here and see if it sticks.  Enjoy!

Hey don, I was wondering if you could send me a picture where it says performance coating on the series 1800 decks. Also if you have performance coating arcanes could you send me those pictures?

Thanks!
-John

It doesn't, not yet.  The first-ever Performance Coating deck, the Gold Arcanes, doesn't (and never will) say "Performance Coating" on it.


Read this, it will explain - bear in mind the information is now out of date and MORE decks are being sold with PerfCoat on them, some of which don't specify this fact, while some (new-issue red Masters being an example) do.


http://blog.ellusionist.com/air-cushion-or-something-better/

Actually it says it on the bottom of the box, above the fine print, as seen here on the white ghost, and the shadow masters: http://postimage.org/gallery/5w1u8ug/

But back to the original question, could you send me a picture of where it says performance coating on the box.

*Side note* I just realized the 1800 might not have it, because they don't have fine print on the bottom like other E decks. But i am positive the arcanes do.

They DON'T.  Not yet, at least not as far as I know.  The first batch with PerfCoat certainly didn't say as much.

Here's the deal.  Time line!

* E dropped UV500 paper due to massively higher stock costs.  About the same time, USPC Legal said all Bicycle deck coats are called Air Cushion, regardless of their actual composition.  So "UV500 Air-Flow" becomes "Air Cushion", using a heavier-than-normal stock that's similar to but isn't UV500, doesn't glow under UV light.

* E experiments with a new USPC finish with the working name "Performance Coating".  The Gold Arcane is the first to have it.  Slowly, other decks start to get printed with the coating, but still have the "Air Cushion" markings on the box.  (My PerfCoat red 1800 Series deck is dated 2010, has the small print, but no mention of PerfCoat.  The difference is immediately noticeable in the performance of the deck in comparison with older 1800s I own.)  The Gold Arcanes - the whole print run, every deck - has PerfCoat, but not a single deck says so anywhere; it's not even a Bicycle deck, but the coating was still sort of in the "beta test" stage.

* Beta test ends.  USPC starts calling the new coat "Magic Finish" while E retains the classier-sounding "Performance Coating".  USPC Legal allows the name for this finish on new Bike decks - first one to use it and hit market is the Bicycle Brimstone by Russ Kercheval/CCCC.  E still has decks left from the beta testing stage that had the Air Cushion name on them but were given Performance Coating, continues to sell them, publishes a blog post on the topic which I linked to you.

* THE PRESENT DAY.  As older stocks of both UV500 Air-Flow, interim Air Cushion and beta-test PerfCoat/AC-labeled decks run out, E starts getting the Performance Coating name for the finish on the box and using the finish for the new print runs.  The Gold Arcane deck will never be reprinted, though they're all PerfCoat.  The Black Tiger White Pip deck is discontinued; all remaining stocks are the original UV500 Air-Flow and no Air Cushion or PerfCoat versions will ever exist.  As you've started noticing, some decks already have PerfCoat labeling on them.  While red Masters have it big and bold, right where it would normally read Air Cushion on the side, some are more subtle, like the Shadow Masters and White Ghost.  Those "subtle" decks may also be re-designed for yet another future print run - only E knows for sure.

Does ALL of this answer your question?

[moonexe]

Hey, those are my decks, he asked me for the pictures.
Anyway, I still think the best way to know if a deck has performance coating is to actually FEEL it(Not to mention the smell.)

[dmbaggs]

I have no clue why you posted this. You answered his question and you could have just kept it private. Unless you just looking to start a conversation about what many people already know?

[Don Boyer]

I wrote it because he was being insistent about the answers and I'm getting approached by others in the forums about these sort of things.  Saying it all in one place once and for all (hopefully) will cut off the need to go over (and over and over) the same ground again.

Seriously, look: he asked me for a photo of something that doesn't exist.  I told him that I couldn't produce a photo of something that didn't exist - and he asked me for a photo of it again.  Showing him the news straight from E wasn't enough to convince him that it doesn't exist.  So I went the extra yard so I wouldn't have to try pulling a rabbit out of my butt for someone else who either refuses to believe me or is just too lazy to read.  Your confirmation of this being pretty common knowledge was the necessary icing this n00b cake needed - thanks.


BTW: 1,000th post!  Just a coincidence, dude...   

[Robert Butler]

 LOL ok so maybe I could help a little here.  The Gold Arcane's, like most of us know, are using the magic finish.  What’s important to remember is the Performance had not yet been developed to its full potential and there for its the magic finish that the Gold Arcane has.  Also, nether the Magic or the Performance were released at the time and would not have been placed on the box.  USPCC also had guidelines in place to keep Air Cushion on all Bicycle decks at the time.  But this is neither here or there and we've all learned this by now.  I also received a message asking for a picture but here is what I know.  I received a shadow master’s deck and underneath the box was written Performance coating. 
 
 John I would encourage you to not be so committed to making this list of decks for someone when your knowledge is hardly up to par.  There is more involved than what Alex, myself, and anyone else has explained on occasion.  What you've learned is very spotted education and is not yet solidified.  Even I have much to learn still but my point is you need to do some real research rather than banking on everyone else.  I gained mine by working with Aether, and making good friends with people in the industry.  Good luck to you.

[Don Boyer]

LOL ok so maybe I could help a little here.  The Gold Arcane's, like most of us know, are using the magic finish.  What’s important to remember is the Performance had not yet been developed to its full potential and there for its the magic finish that the Gold Arcane has.  Also, nether the Magic or the Performance were released at the time and would not have been placed on the box.  USPCC also had guidelines in place to keep Air Cushion on all Bicycle decks at the time.  But this is neither here or there and we've all learned this by now.  I also received a message asking for a picture but here is what I know.  I received a shadow master’s deck and underneath the box was written Performance coating. 
 
 John I would encourage you to not be so committed to making this list of decks for someone when your knowledge is hardly up to par.  There is more involved than what Alex, myself, and anyone else has explained on occasion.  What you've learned is very spotted education and is not yet solidified.  Even I have much to learn still but my point is you need to do some real research rather than banking on everyone else.  I gained mine by working with Aether, and making good friends with people in the industry.  Good luck to you.

Thanks for the intercept, there...


I've talked with people at E who've told me that Magic and Perf are the same thing under different names - as is the Premium Finish used by NYMP for making the white Arrcos that just came out.  Is there a different I don't know about?

[john]

Seriously, look: he asked me for a photo of something that doesn't exist.  I told him that I couldn't produce a photo of something that didn't exist - and he asked me for a photo of it again.  Showing him the news straight from E wasn't enough to convince him that it doesn't exist.

BTW: 1,000th post!  Just a coincidence, dude...   

I just want to make this short for people. I asked for a picture, of the series 1800 and arcane decks if he had them with performance coating. To which i got "It does not yet" *Complete sentences are good when talking about more then 1 deck*. Then i showed him a picture with proof some decks do say performance coating,along with a sidenote that the series 1800 may not have performance coating written on the box because series 180 don't have fine print in the bottom like other R decks. Next i got a lecture which all the information i know already. You easily could have said, "The series 1800 deck i own does NOT day performance coating on the box, but i can feel the difference."

Also I PMed you about not sharing my PM's to the public without asking me, but you would just share that anyway so for everyone on aether, please, if i have a conversation with you over PM don't share my end on it without asking me, they call it Private Message for a reason.

[Don Boyer]

I think your words speak for themselves - I quoted everything you said above.  My one incomplete sentence wasn't the only thing said, and it was followed with a link to an article from the E blog explaining about how some decks have PerfCoat but don't say they do - including the decks you were inquiring about.  Did you read the article?  It's the SAME source of information I used to write that lecture.


I have said in COUNTLESS posts all over this site about the difference between the old and new 1800s, and that there's a marked difference.  Did you look them up as well - and read them?  Combine that with the E article and no lecture should have been necessary.


Your follow-up PM would have remained private, but you chose to blow this up here.  Enjoy.

[xela]

I thought the only Arcanes to have the PC finish were the Gold?

[Evan]

I thought the only Arcanes to have the PC finish were the Gold?

I'm pretty sure all the Arcane decks have Performance Coating. If not, I know the Black and Gold ones have it.
But the box doesnt say it yet

[Marcus]

Both of the regular Arcane decks are printed with Performance Coating since somewhere around April this year.


As for the difference between Performance Coating and Magic Finish, well.. I'd say that the unicorn blood we mix in makes for a bit of a difference.




(No unicorns were harmed in the making of this post.)

[lordlupus]

Darn, if it was grounded unicorn's horn powder mixed in, I would have licked all my Arcanes cards in order to stay youthful looking and to attain that virginal glow.
 
Unicorn blood? No magical ability whatsoever except to improve the feel of the cards.