New Phantom Finish DMC ELITES V5 in Cobalt Blue - limited 1st Edition

[Sovereign]

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We recently announced that we have opened our new project for pre-order (shipping starts tomorrow 9th July) - it's the latest iteration of our DMC ELITES playing cards, a variation of the new V5 system, our best received version yet, produced in a beautiful potent cobalt blue in our new Phantom Finish. The deck has the most recent version of our unique Optical Marking System, including the new stack markings for mnemonica - the cards are supplied in stack and come with an instruction card explaining our system and a two way crib to help you with the stack.

We're very excited to finally have this in house and ready to go - it's been a very long time coming. Our first production run of the new deck is marked as the Midnight 1st Edition and is limited to 1000 decks. These V5s are printed by a new printer we have been working with to provide a high quality credible alternative to USPCC and CM production - the Phantom Finish is the result of our collaboration and it has been selected specifically to match Drummond's particular requirements. We have been cultivating a tradition of quality for our products and we would not have gone with this release if we were not 100% satisfied.

https://store.dmcmagic.com/bluev5

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[Harvonsgard]

You had me at new printer and new finish.

[Harvonsgard]

Has anyone else picked them up? I just had my first day pleasure with them and oh bwoi... of course it's just day one but those are some USPCC premium stock contenders at first glance. Awesome snap and stiffness, without being like woodblocks like some older EPCC stocks. USPCC like glide/spreadability. More on the papery side of things.
Let's see how they hold up.

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[EndersGame]

Yep, I'm also totally keen to know who the printer is, and how these will hold up in the long run.

[hsbc]

Does this marking system pass the shuffle test like... at all?? I'm not a magician at all but I notice the differences between cards instantly in the pic above

[Harvonsgard]

It is one of the best recognizable and easiest reader backs I know. So, no.

[Reylek]

As a magician and marked card enthusiast who has used marked cards pretty much every time I've performed for the past decade or so, I can say that it doesn't matter one bit whether a deck can pass the riffle test or not. I've never had a single person take a deck from me and do the riffle test.

I've performed with every version of the Elites since the Black/Gold (So I guess that's 5 or so different printings) and they've always been great to use. Never been called out by an audience ever. And one time they saved my butt when someone was trying to make my life difficult and slid the card about 9 feet away on a long banquet table. No problem, could still read them, and the distance fried her brain even more.

[Harvonsgard]

%. I didn't elaborate due to lazyness. Collectors tend to overestimate the common knowledge about cards and human perception skills. It seems obvious when you know something but without the knowledge you ain't gonna see a thing.
I remember seeing the first DMCs and wasn't able to decipher the markings. Years later it is obvious because I know stuff that I didn't back then.

[mce]

Has already been revealed by which company these decks are printed?

[Harvonsgard]

Not yet, as far as I know. Coincidentally I'm beating mine just right now. I swear in a blind fold test, I'd still say they're USPCC premium stock. Mine have become a bit softer now but not significantly. Other than springs being a bit slower now due to that, they perform still awesome and very much to my liking.

[EndersGame]

Not yet, as far as I know. Coincidentally I'm beating mine just right now. I swear in a blind fold test, I'd still say they're USPCC premium stock.

This wouldn't be the first time that a company has produced something in an existing stock and called it something else.

Murphy's Magic produced several decks with a "Slipstream Finish" (e.g. Fox Targets), and in reality it was just the Classic Finish from one of the Taiwan printers.

Virtuoso has also never publicly stated what their stock/finish is, but it's not dissimilar from some existing USPCC combinations.

So this could be just a marketing trick, by renaming an existing stock/finish, rather than actually being a stock/finish we've never seen before.

[Harvonsgard]

Could be absolutely true indeed. That would even trick your brain into emphasizing minimal differences so that you're convinced it is something different despite it being the same as something you're used to.

[mce]

Today I received my brick of these new decks. The totally blank box opens at the sides, not on top, as usual. Does this provide any hint to the printer?

And by the way: each deck seems to be numbered by a sticker on the bottom right of the cellophane.

[mce]

[EndersGame]

Did we ever end up finding out who printed these?

[Harvonsgard]

Nope. Only thing that I found out - having these and the Arrancio - is that they handle nice but tend to rub off.

[EndersGame]

Has anyone else picked them up? I just had my first day pleasure with them and oh bwoi... of course it's just day one but those are some USPCC premium stock contenders at first glance. Awesome snap and stiffness, without being like woodblocks like some older EPCC stocks. USPCC like glide/spreadability. More on the papery side of things.
Let's see how they hold up.

I haven't had the colour rub off like you have, but then again the deck I've been putting through its paces is the V5 Lagoon deck. I do love the colour of that version.

In relation to your question about how others are finding the Phantom Finish card-stock, I was going to post an answer here in this thread. But my response turned out to be quite lengthy, so instead I posted it as a separate thread here:

Impressions of the Phantom finish used by DMC Elites

The short version is that I think the Phantom Finish stock feels and handles a lot like the pre-crushed Classic Finish that LPCC has been producing in China. So: pleasantly snappy and firm, and good handling for spreads and faros. It's not as clumpy as Taiwan-produced decks, but the cards are a bit more `sticky' than a USPCC-produced deck. I've been quite impressed so far. See the separate thread for more detailed thoughts and an invitation to more discussion there.