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I have heard alot of chatter lately about STUDS coming to an end and it marking an end of an era..

So I want to take the time to talk about what others have told me..

I hear alot about 1st Gen Studs, 2nd Gen Studs, New Studs and old ones... There are alot of STUDS out there and with STUDS coming to an end, prices are going to go thru the roof on ebay and for private deals and trades for sure..

As far as I know, the RAREST, MOST HARD TO GET STUD are the VTG Arrco STUDS, which were only manufactured for a VERY SHORT TIME, b/c of USPC purchasing them out... These STUDS NEVER come up on Ebay hardly ever and are supposively impossible to find..

They Actually have a completely different design then the USPC STUDS that followed.. The back design is completely different from what I understand.. I hear they feel like VTG Tahoes and fan and faro beautifully.. I was told all this by a collector who has a few decks of these.. I am hoping to acquire some of these decks..

If someone has a deck please post some pictures of the RARE 1st GEN ARRCO STUDS...

USPC bought out arrco and then came the VTG USPC STUDS, which are hard to find factory sealed and poker size and regular index.. But you can find them out there...

Of course Poker Size and Regular Index are worth most $$ vs Pinnochle and Jumbo index which takes prices down dramatically..

USPC 1st Gen Studs which are really a 2nd Gen Stud, to the arrco Design, is a completely different Back Stud Design.. It is the one that is most common.. There are white borders on the Tucks, which is the tell tell sign to the next ones...

The USPC Back design has been consistantly the same since arrco STUDS were discontinued,,, which is the design many of us have today..

The feel of the cards for the VTG ones are much more harder as the cards for the OLD STUDS that are the light colored ones, the cards got alot thinner over time ..

Then came out the Darker Color Design, which is being sold in stores today and on D&D site as while...

The light color Studs are great decks and there are ALOT out there though... The poker size, regular index are the most sought after. Compared to jumbo index, and pinnochle decks...

The vintage USPC decks are out there but hard to find factory sealed... You can come across these on Ebay...

But the 1st generation Arrco STUDS which were discontinued, are the RAREST and these decks have a different back design altogether from the STUDS we all know... These arrco Studs are the true gem, if they can be found.. If anyone has any pics of these STUDS please do share.. I have a contact who may have some of these decks, which I have yet to seen, which I may try to buy,,, I am sure they will be pricey but prob a good investment if they are IMPOSSIBLE TO find like I been told..

If anyone has any pics of these RARE Arrco STUDS with the different desiged back please do Share...

If I am able to acquire a deck I will dEF post a pic..

Please let me know your thoughts on an end of an era and if you know more about STUDS than the info I I been told over the years, please do add..

Wait, Studs are being discontinued?

Mine are the old studs but not the ultra rare Arrco ones

something told me that they were going to be phased out...i started noticing the play right! decks taking over in walgreens, theyre honestly about the same just a different back design, and i like them both either way. guess i need to clean out all of my walgreens around me lol

kinda sad really, when i first got into cardistry that was the first deck i bought besides the bikes and i really liked them, the thin stock made it easier on me to learn springs and dribbles

darkinertia wrote:something told me that they were going to be phased out...i started noticing the play right! decks taking over in walgreens, theyre honestly about the same just a different back design, and i like them both either way. guess i need to clean out all of my walgreens around me lol

kinda sad really, when i first got into cardistry that was the first deck i bought besides the bikes and i really liked them, the thin stock made it easier on me to learn springs and dribbles

yaaaa the studs you bought at walgreens have the same stock as bics; just better quality control.

Josh wrote:

darkinertia wrote:something told me that they were going to be phased out...i started noticing the play right! decks taking over in walgreens, theyre honestly about the same just a different back design, and i like them both either way. guess i need to clean out all of my walgreens around me lol

kinda sad really, when i first got into cardistry that was the first deck i bought besides the bikes and i really liked them, the thin stock made it easier on me to learn springs and dribbles

yaaaa the studs you bought at walgreens have the same stock as bics; just better quality control.

Maybe the newer ones, I haven't bought studs in a while now. All of mine have thinner stock.

darkintertia: They were the same for me, and I actually stocked up on them because of their unique stock. It wasn't too long ago that Ohio-made jumbo index ones could be found for small change, which were great for practicing.

magikfingerz- yeah i knew they had to be different, the newer ones that you can buy in stores anyway. the edges were really rough though, but i would just take some 3000 grit sand paper and lightly sand them until they were silky smooth...is there any other cards that use the same stock as the studs other than the play right?

None that I can think of. And most likely none that are currently produced.

But I found some old jumbo index ones at a decent price sold by mr merz in his online store if you're willing to buy a brick: http://www.merz67.com/store/p/888-Lot-1 ... cycle.aspx

At least I think they're jumbo indexed, but it's not specified.

the newer ones, so black seal, are the same stock as bics. the OLD ones have different stock and finish.

in my vintage playing card collection, i have a vintage stud playing card sealed with tax stamp

sexy cards. and a damn fine close up pad!

Thanks.. Lucky it's still sealed..
It's the victorian close up pad..

i think youre right about them discontinuing the studs, i just went to a walgreens to pick some up and they had them 2 for 1 so i ended up buying 8 of them...thank god theres like 6 walgreens around me im going to buy every single one of them at that price lol

Here's a few images of the 1st gen backs





Also side note: does anyone know what the number means at the bottom of the ace of spades?
Mine's S 4928