Don Manolo Spanish Suite Playing Cards USPCC - 2 Deck Set

There wasn't a lot of good information about Don Manolo cards, and being on the hunt for good Spanish decks, I wanted to gather what I knew and share it with others. This deck is a cheap alternative to the more lavish Fournier decks which are considered an industry standard, but unfortunately more expensive to people living outside of countries where Spanish cards are played. And while the Amazon market is flooded with generic knockoff chinese cards of dubious quality, Don Manolo (also Made in China) is different because it is owned by the USPCC (United States Playing Card Company). When chinese manufacturers are supervised by legitimate companies, you obviously get better quality, which is what keeps all chinese products from being entirely bad.

A lot of the other reviews here are misguide or they did not have much experience with spanish decks in the past. The cards feel and shuffle no worse than other decks like Fournier or Bicycle, except there is no air-cushion finish, just a smooth glossy finish. The art is up to par with Fournier (almost) but with some minor gripes. The images of the suites are somewhat redrawn to be similar but not entirely the same, such as the king of swords. Some are redone in a roman centurion-like fashion quite foreign to spanish decks like the knight of swords, and some are entirely ripped from Fournier but with darker colors, like the jack of clubs. I have included a photo for comparison. However, both Fournier and Don Manolo are owned by the USPCC, so I assume this use was authorized, unlike some brandless decks that steal images and airbrush the maker's name out. Inconsistencies aside, this is a minor issue, and why I gave it four stars instead of five.

Last, Don Manolo is not a separate company, but a fictional brand used by the USPCC as an artistic concept. These packs are licensed for sale in Mexico (in hard plastic cases) by a company called Novelty, and here in the USA (with a bilingual cardboard box) for the Hispanic communities. I have heard that some local stores like Walgreens and even Mexican markets carry them for a similarly low price. Overall, good product and I will be buying more as gifts for my hispanic relatives.

These Spanish suited decks are a great intro for folks just looking non-standard/international decks. While they are USPCC owned, the standard finishes you'll see on Bicycle decks is absent in favor of a slightly cheaper feeling basic smooth finish. They're good for any games that require these faces/numbers, and the cartomancy as advertised. A good addition to anyone's internationally suited collection.

Customers gamble by playing games of chance, in some cases with an element of skill, such as craps, roulette, baccarat, blackjack, and video poker. ... Casinos sometimes give out complimentary items or comps to gamblers. Payout is the percentage of funds ("winnings") returned to players.

This is a little different than most of the decks on this website. This is a forty card Spanish deck. The cards are ranked upwards from one thru twelve, but in the fashion of Spanish decks, the eights and nines are removed, as they are not frequently used in many games that involve a Spanish deck. The suits are coins, cups, swords, and batons, as opposed to the standard suits on an American deck. Also, these have a noticeably different profile, as they are not your typical sized cards. Also, there are no jokers to be found in this deck, as they are not typically used for these types of games either, and I personally am finding it exceedingly rare to see jokers in any of the Spanish decks that I come across. I'm happy to find these in an actual box, as most of the decks I've seen were wrapped in cellophane on the shelf in a local Spanish grocery store, with no box included. The artwork is of course beautiful, which is why I stick with Fournier for Spanish decks, it's my personal favorite brand. I will say that it would be nice to have the eights, nines, and jokers, for the sake of having a choice as to use them or not in your games, or for being able to create your own games or your own variants of games. However, per aforementioned reasons, and to save on costs as well, the decision not to include these cards makes sense. I'm scoring this a little lower, because in my opinion, the Heraclio Fouriner decks have a much nicer finish on the artwork.

I'm giving these 5 stars for what they provide: an air of mystique at a bargain price. You're not getting cards for ease of handling. They are typical of cards that come with board games. Yet they are perfect for self working tricks. You get a set for a color changing deck routine right away! Use the different faces to invent some patter that goes with their mystique.

You can use the 1-6 numbered cards to correspond to dice. Possibilities seem almost limitless.

Buy several and make double faced cards for numerical predictions, etc.

Then again you can use them for card games that require a Spanish suite!

Happy Conjuring!