Cartamundi - As de Oros (Review and Comparison)
Today we have a double feature: review and comparison. At first glance, this deck might seem to offer little new ground, given that its artwork was analyzed in a previous entry. However, as Antoine de Saint-Exupéry famously wrote, "what is essential is invisible to the eye." Or rather, invisible without a magnifying glass.
The illustrations are identical to those in the Faisán deck, and while not strictly necessary, I recommend reading that post before continuing. Nevertheless, here's a brief recap: this pattern is ubiquitous in the Mexican market, inspired by early 20th-century Clemente Jacques' designs which were, in turn, based on Fournier’s, making it a regional variant of the Castilian pattern. Furthermore, many local manufacturers have produced decks featuring them over the years.
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This is Cartamundi’s version. While the Faisán deck stood out for its plastic made cards, here—returning to traditional cardstock—we must tip our hats to the graphic execution of our favorite playing card monopoly.
By paying a little attention, the superior print quality is immediately apparent, showing richer detail and more saturated, consistent colors. But under magnification, what was merely inferred with the naked eye becomes crystal clear. Cartamundi’s line work is uniform and razor-sharp, holding its definition no matter how much zoom is applied. The colored areas feature a perfectly crisp halftone grid, forming neat, orderly patterns that translate into vibrant tones and excellent contrast, making every detail pop. On the other hand, the Faisán offering is almost a polar opposite. Outlines that look adequate to the naked eye become blurry and poorly defined, with highly inconsistent line weights. The colors dissolve into an irregular cloud of random splotches, looking like they were made with a cheap consumer-level printer.
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Design-wise, the sole significant difference between both decks lies in the Ace of Coins. In this edition, the pheasant (faisán) has flown away, replaced by a stone watchtower, while the "Marca Faisán" inscription gives way to an understated "As de Oros" (Ace of Coins).
We have at hand what could be considered the definitive version of this deck, giving a sensation similar to going from a cathode-ray tube screen to a modern HD display. And I don't mean this merely as an analogy; the contrast is so stark—given that these are old illustrations, reprinted countless times—that Cartamundi has clearly taken one of two paths. They have either sourced a well-preserved original for a high-resolution scan, or undertaken a meticulous digital restoration to emulate a first-generation copy. Whichever the case, significant effort has gone into preserving these culturally significant designs within the Mexican playing card industry.
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Links to other decks featuring the same artwork.
Coins
Cups
Swords
Batons
Card Back
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