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Modiano Playing Cards Reviews

Modiano Platinum Acetate

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Modiano Platinum Acetate Playing Cards Review

This is an acetate version of the Modiano playing cards and are available in regular or jumbo index in poker size only. The back design is rather simple, features a white border, and somewhat resembles a Kem Arrow design. The graphics seem a bit deeper than other Modiano cards. The black is a deeper black and the colors are a bit more vibrant. These cards feature 'security ink' meaning that the red is a darker color than normally found on most decks of playing cards but even accounting for that, the colors seem a bit more alive than the non-acetate Modiano cards.

These cards have a good feel to them right out of the box - they are not super-slippery like some new decks, they feel almost broke-in. They have a nice papery feel to them despite being made of acetate plastic. Acetate cards are said to last longer and be more durable than the regular PVC plastic playing cards. I could not tell any difference between the feel of these cards and the feel of the Modiano Cristallo Acetate cards reviewed above. There have been some reports of chipping with the Dal Negro acetate cards but the Modiano cards do not seem susceptible to this problem.

The Modiano Platinum Acetate playing cards are shipped in the now standard Modiano black plastic case inside a cardboard box. The case is similar to a Kem or Copag plastic case except that it is a bit easier to open and close. There is a permanent plastic divider between the two decks.

Each deck consists of 52 cards and 3 jokers. They are made in Italy and are available in red/blue setups only. The cost is $22.99 for a two-deck setup from Brybelly Holdings (ModianoCards.com) and includes two Modiano cut cards. February 2008

Modiano 98

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Modiano box

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The Modiano 98 sets come in tin boxes and include a paper pad and small pen. The paper and pen are almost useless but the tin box is nice. The decks fit inside a plastic holder that keeps the cards from sliding from one side to the other. The tin box lid does stay closed. These would make lovely gift sets to be given out as presents for other people.

The Modiano 98 playing cards come in both plastic and paper versions, I reviewed the plastic version available from Trident Cards. The cards themselves are a four-pip design that is similar to other available Modiano playing cards.

Modiano Bike Trophy

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Modiano Bike Trophy Playing Cards Review

These Italian-made plastic playing cards are very similar to Dal Negro playing cards. They have the same thick, papery feel to them that the Dal Negro's cards have, although both brands are 100% plastic playing cards. They have the same chiseled cardboard feel and are even a bit stiffer than Dal Negro cards.

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The Modiano cards are the thickest cards that I have reviewed so far. The thickness of all 52 playing cards is 17.50mm. Ten cards weigh 26 grams which is also the heaviest of all the cards. They are just a bit thicker than Dal Negro cards but feel stiffer and even more substantial than the already substantial Dal Negro's. The difference is noticeable when bending the card to riffle the deck while shuffling. It will take a little while of playing with these Modiano cards before I can tell you more but these cards are very, very similar to the Dal Negro's, even the texture feels the same. My first impressions of this card are very good. If you don't like the flimsiness of plastic cards, you owe it to yourself to try both Modiano and Dal Negro cards.

There are three versions of the Modiano Bike Trophy playing cards - a 4-pip poker size (top row), a 4-pip bridge size (middle row), and a 2-pip poker size (bottom row). Each version features the same back design of three bicycle wheels.

Modiano Black Jack

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Modiano Black Jack Playing Cards Review

I was sent three different styles of Modiano playing cards - the Bike Trophy poker size cards shown above, 'Black Jack' Design poker size cards and Classic Design bridge size cards. I really like the Black Jack design. My eyes are getting old and my guests seem to prefer large index cards. The Black Jack design has a deep red (security ink) color. The dark red looks very nice in contrast to the off-white (yellowish) center area of the card. The red on the Bike Trophy and Classic designs is much lighter and more orange in color. The white background color of the card is the same on all three designs. The graphics are fine and again are very similar to Dal Negro.


Black Jack Poker size Large index	Classic Bridge size Regular index

A freshly opened deck had quite a chemical smell to it but the smell went away very quickly, unlike KEM cards that can smell horrible for ages. The Modiano Deluxe Set box is the best of all the playing card manufacturers. It has a lid that lifts one end of the cards up as the box is opened. This makes it very easy to remove one or two decks from the Modiano box. Many of the other boxes require that you turn the box upside down to remove a deck, and most require that you remove both decks even if you only want one deck. The Modiano has a center dividing tab that actually does keep the cards separated, even when you shake the box or turn it upside down. The only fault of the Modiano box is that it is somewhat less sturdy than a KEM or Copag box. A KEM or Copag box might survive a drop on the floor but the Modiano box probably would not. It's not that it's poorly made, it's just that the hinges and sharp corners make it vulnerable.

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Anyone who likes these excellent cards will also like the Dal Negro cards so I guess it's a question of which design you like the best. Both brands of cards performed the same during my damage tests. The Modiano cards come in the best box of any card that I have reviewed and they are available in several designs, even 4-pip.

Modiano Classic

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Modiano Classic Plastic Playing Cards Review

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Modiano Cristallo

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Modiano Cristallo Playing Cards Review

These are poker size, large index, four-pip Modiano cards that come in four different back colors - green, blue, red, and purple. The typeface is a rather heavy black that is similar to the typeface found on the Modiano Black Jack cards that are reviewed above - overall, it is very nice with deep, dark colors and thick pips. The Cristallo cards feature security ink colors (dark red) and a yellow background on all the non-face cards. The yellow center area adds a look of quality to the cards.

The Cristallo cards come in a standard single-deck cardboard box but Cara Gail's includes a cut card and a nifty clear plastic box that does an excellent job. The box stays closed on its own and is very square and sturdy which makes it easy to stack or store away in another, larger container.

These are very nice cards and I like the full-bleed back design - graphics that go all the way to the edge of the card, rather than having a white border around the edge. The Modiano Cristallo cards are available in colors that are not normally found on playing cards. The purple cards are referred to as magenta on the Cara Gail's website but actually look more like a pink to me. The cards themselves feel like the other brands of Modiano cards - a papery card that is a bit thicker than the Kem/Copag line of cards.

The price is about $8 per deck from Cara Gails. Double sets are available in red/blue and green/purple combinations. The Modiano Cristallo cards are a high quality playing card with very unique color options. Sept 2007

Modiano Cristallo Acetate

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Modiano Cristallo Acetate Playing Cards Review

This is an acetate version of the Modiano Cristallo cards reviewed above. The major difference between the two decks is the number of pips (2-pip vs. 4-pip) and the back design on the acetate version features a border around the perimeter of the card, rather than the full-bleed graphics of the non-acetate version (full-bleed graphics are printed all the way to the edge of the card).

Acetate cards are more durable and longer lasting card than the non-acetate version of the same card. These Modiano Cristallo acetate cards have a bit more of a plasticy, but grainy feel to them than the Cristallo non-acetate version and they feel much more plasticy than the Modiano Elements playing cards.

These are jumbo index cards with a yellow center on all non-face cards. The typeface is very deep and crisp and the red is security ink (dark red). The Modiano Cristallo Acetate cards are available in red and blue colors only.

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The Cristallo Acetate setups from Trident Cards come in the excellent Kristal playing card cases - probably the best playing card plastic case available. There is a very strong smell to these cards when first opened. These decks come with 52 cards in red and blue only, 2 jokers, and a hand rank card.

The price at Trident Cards, including a Kristal case, is $21.99. Oct 2007

Modiano Elements

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Modiano Elements Playing Cards Review

This is a slightly less expensive version of Modiano plastic playing cards - they are $5 per deck. The back design is influenced by Native American art and is available in eight different colors (brown, pink, green, yellow, purple, grey, blue, orange). This is a jumbo index, security ink card with a yellow center on all non-face cards.

I found these cards to have the same feel as other, more expensive, Modiano playing cards ... and they certainly have the looks! Dark jumbo pips, security ink, yellow centers, and a nice back design make these very attractive playing cards. The thickness of the card and the overall feel and texture seemed identical to other (non-acetate) Modiano playing cards.

Sample deck provided by

The Modiano Elements decks come with 52 cards, 2 jokers, and a hand rank card. They come in single deck cardboard boxes so you should probably purchase better storage. There a bit of a glue smell to these cards when the box was first opened but the smell quickly disappeared.

The price at Trident Cards is $5 per single deck. This is a fantastic price for quality plastic playing cards ... and you can probably find a couple deck colors to match your poker room decor! Oct 2007

Modiano Four-color

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Modiano 4 Color Playing Cards Review

These is a four-color version of the Modiano plastic playing cards available from ModianoCards.com. They are identical in appearance and feel to the other Modiano cards, except that each suit is printed in it's own color - spades are back, clubs are green, hearts are red, and diamonds are blue. The back design is the same as the design on the Modiano Poker Club playing cards.

The colors on this deck are a bit darker than the Copag 4 color decks - the green and blue are not as faded as they are on the Copag's. You can see a side-by-side comparison of 4-color playing cards on the Card Colors page. In general, the two decks of cards are very similar except the Modiano cards are much thicker and stiffer than the Copag cards - 52 Copag four-color cards are 15.8mm thick whereas 52 Modiano four-color cards are 16.73mm thick.

These cards come in the same white plastic slide-out tray that is shown above for the Modiano Super, Old Trophy, and Poker decks. The price is $14.95 for two decks of cards.

Modiano Golden Trophy

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Modiano Golden Trophy Playing Cards Review

Here is another version of the 4-pip Modiano Trophy series of plastic playing cards. The back design features a vintage automobile, probably an early Italian-made vehicle. The feel and texture is the same as on the other Trophy playing cards.

Modiano Old Trophy

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The Modiano Old Trophy playing cards are similar to the Bike Trophy except they feature a motorcycle on the back instead of a bicycle, and cost a few dollars less. The Modiano Super playing cards are also similar but come in security ink (dark red) rather than normal ink. Both brands are four-pip cards with the same feel and texture as the other Modiano playing cards - thick and papery.

Modiano box

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The Modiano Old Trophy double-decks come in lidless plastic boxes that slide inside the outer cardboard box. These are some of the poorer boxes on the market, you must keep and rely on the cardboard box, and the cards can still slide around from side to side within the box. If you are going to spend money on high-quality playing cards such as these, you should probably buy a nice wooden box to store your cards.

Modiano Poker Club

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Modiano Poker Club Playing Cards Review

The Modiano Poker Club playing cards are Blackjack index, meaning that the typeface is large and bold. The thickness of the lines makes the cards easier to read, by man or machine. The black is very dark and the red is a dark (security) red. These cards are much easier to read from a long distance such as the end of a poker table. The back design on the card is nothing to write home about but the combination of large pips, thick dark lines, and deep colors certainly make these playing cards stand out from the pack! I've always preferred large index cards and these are now some of my favorite playing cards.

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The Poker Club box is the same as the Modiano Super - it is a tray that slides into a cardboard box. The cards will flop around inside the box and the cardboard will deteriorate over time. You should invest in a nice wooden box to store these playing cards.

These cards have the same feel and texture as other Modiano cards but the thick, bold type give the cards a deceptively heftier look and feel. There is certainly no doubt about what board card is turned over!

Modiano Poker Index

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Modiano Poker Index Playing Cards Review

These are dual index cards from Modiano - there is a large index in the center of the card and a smaller index in each corner. These cards are similar to the Copag and Kem dual index cards with the exception of the yellow centers and the darker and deeper graphics ... and the lower price! The decks are available in red and blue only and have the same papery and somewhat thick feel of all Modiano cards.

There is a yellow center on all the non-face cards. The security (dark red) ink of the Modiano Poker Index cards is much more vibrant than the regular (red) color of the other two brands of dual index cards. In fact, some people might think that this card looks a little too heavy or cluttered. There is no problem distinguishing between the six and the nine cards, as there is with the Kem dual index cards.

These are full-bleed back designs, meaning that the graphics are printed all the way to the edge of the card. This can sometimes result in problems when the cards begin to chip with age and use. All playing cards eventually begin to chip around the perimeter of the card and observant players will notice the chips on the back design and be able to tell what card is being played. Playing cards with a white border around the perimeter of the back design make it harder to see the chips in the card and therefor make it harder to tell what card is in play. This makes full-bleed cards less secure than cards that feature a white border around the perimeter of the back design. The face of the card is not as important because it is only shown when the cards are face-up, not face down.

These cards are available in red or blue single decks for $7.99 or in double deck setups for $14.99 from Modiano Cards. The single decks come in standard cardboard boxes but the setups come in nice black plastic storage cases that are very similar to the Kem or Copag cases. There are 52 cards, 2 jokers, and a ranking of hands card in each deck.

Make sure that you watch my video review of dual index playing cards. The Modiano Poker Index are clearly the best dual index playing card of the three sets that are currently available ... and they are also the least expensive! These are very nice cards and they even come in a nice plastic box! Oct 2007

Modiano Super

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Modiano Super Playing Cards Review

These are poker size, standard index, 4-pip playing cards with a simple but elegant design. They are similar to the Modiano Classic playing cards but feature 4-pips instead of 2-pips and come in poker size rather than bridge size.

The ink color is a nice deep red. Not quite security red, but a very nice deep red.

Modiano Super double-decks come in lidless plastic boxes that slide inside the outer cardboard box. These are some of the poorer boxes on the market, you must keep and rely on the cardboard box, and the cards can still slide around from side to side within the box. If you are going to spend money on high-quality playing cards such as these, you should probably buy a nice wooden box to store your cards.

Modiano WSOP

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Modiano WSOP Playing Cards Review

These are poker size, jumbo index, 2-pip playing cards printed by Modiano for the World Series of Poker Europe. They feature the traditional WSOP logo on the back are available in black or red back designs. This poker size, jumbo index brand of playing cards was used in the World Series of Poker Europe, as opposed to bridge size, regular index cards that are used at the WSOP in Las Vegas.

These are jumbo index cards with a pale yellow background on all the non-face cards. The deck comes with 52 playing cards, one red joker and one black joker, and a hand rankings card.

The Modiano WSP playing cards come in a standard cardboard box with a lid that just barely stays closed. Not quite as bad as the Copag cardboard box (that does not stay closed) but not great either. You will probably want to invest in a different box to store these cards.

The Modiano WSOP playing cards cost about $15-$20 per deck and are available from ModianoCards.com. They are a thick and sturdy playing card with a nice back design.