Comparison: Grimaud vs Maestros Naiperos vs MNE
This post is a follow-up to our review of Maestros Naiperos’ Mod. 003, and I highly recommend reading it to get a proper context for this entry. Today, we're doing a side-by-side comparison to examine differences between cards. I suggest using the links below each image to view them in full resolution and fully appreciate the finer details.
We will compare the two versions of Maestros Naiperos—the original Spanish-made release (older version) and the Chinese-made run (newer version)—against Grimaud’s, which serves as our baseline for this analysis. I have also added one more deck to the lineup: an MNE-branded clone of the 003 called "Baraja Universal - Mod. 003". Lastly, the Ace of Coins comparison features, Fournier's Nº 32, which, as previously mentioned, is remarkably similar to Grimaud's deck.
Let’s dive in.
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Ace of Coins
Left to right: Grimaud – Fournier Nº 32 – Maestros Naiperos 003 – MNE Universal
As noted in the previous post, the Ace of Coins is the only card in Maestros Naiperos' deck that deviates from Grimaud’s. Here, the stark contrast in styles is obvious, with Grimaud's design feeling far more cohesive within the set. Curiously, while the Maestros Naiperos design is much closer to Fournier's, the latter integrates seamlessly into its own deck, while the 003 feels completely mismatched. Finally, we have the Universal, a direct clone of Maestros Naiperos, even retaining the “Mod. 003” inscription; however, its colors are flatter, and the artwork suffers from digital compression artifacts and an overall loss of sharpness. The "Maestros Naiperos" branding has also been replaced with "Baraja Española Universal".
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Ace of Coins
Left to right: Maestros Naiperos (old) – Maestros Naiperos (new) – MNE Universal
We can see few differences between the two Maestros Naiperos versions on this card, save for color variations and a very slight drop in sharpness in the new one. It's worth noting that even in the original version, this card already had less sharpness and detail than the rest of the deck. As for the MNE card, there is a significant loss of detail compared to the other two, though it remains reasonably pleasant both to the naked eye and under magnification.
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5 of Coins
Left to right: Grimaud – Maestros Naiperos (old) – Maestros Naiperos (new) – MNE Universal
For the 2 through 9 of Coins, there are barely any noticeable differences among the various versions, with color and sharpness remaining highly consistent. The only real difference lies in the shade of the white background. Unfortunately, this consistency does not carry over to the court cards of this suit, nor to the rest of the deck.
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Knight of Coins
Left to right: Grimaud – Maestros Naiperos (old) – Maestros Naiperos (new) – MNE Universal
On this card, as well as the other two court cards of this suit, significant differences begin to surface. As mentioned in the previous post, the Grimaud and the old Maestros Naiperos version are virtually indistinguishable, save for slight color variations. The outlines are incredibly sharp and the colors uniform and consistent, making it difficult to spot differences even under magnification. In the new Maestros Naiperos version, however, there is a clear drop in quality, featuring jagged outlines due to aliasing and a poorly prepared digital master for printing. Curiously, the Universal deck shows slightly better quality, with sharper outlines, though still falling short of the first two.
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Knave and 2 of Cups
Left to right: Grimaud – Maestros Naiperos (old) – Maestros Naiperos (new) – MNE Universal
On these two cards, as well as throughout the rest of the deck, we see the same pattern found on the Knight of Coins: equivalent quality between the Grimaud and the old Maestros Naiperos version, a drastic drop in the new version, and the Universal sitting somewhere in between.
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The new Maestros Naiperos version suffers from a near-universal drop in quality, which also extends to the cardstock itself, which feels both thinner and rougher to the touch. The MNE Universal version offers slightly better quality overall, with the sole exception of the Ace of Coins, which displays the worst quality of the bunch. Consequently, I cannot recommend either of the more recent versions. Since the Grimaud deck is extremely difficult to find nowadays, the best option for anyone seeking these designs remains the original Maestros Naiperos release.
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