Maestros Naiperos - Mod. 003

7/17/2026

Maestros Naiperos - Mod. 003 - Estilo Popular

Maestros Naiperos Españoles was established in Valencia in 1993. Although the company is now defunct, the brand survives within the multinational conglomerate, Cartamundi.

To the best of my knowledge, the deck reviewed today is the brand's sole survivor; all other models have vanished from retail shelves and can only be found on secondhand listings. Furthermore, it no longer exists in its original form. Current versions sold in supermarkets and discount stores—bearing the Cartamundi label on the tuck box—differ significantly from older printings, and not for the better.

The deck in question is Maestros Naiperos' Mod. 003, originally manufactured in Spain and listed as "Estilo Popular" in the official 2014 catalogue.

Observant readers might assume I’ve mistakenly reused images from a previous review. They wouldn't be entirely wrong, though no such error was made. Aside from the jokers and one other card, every card is identical to Grimaud’s Catalan deck—and I do mean identical and virtually indistinguishable, save for slight color variances to be expected even within the same print run.

The sole exception is the Ace of Coins, which features an original design that clashes completely with the rest of the deck. Its color scheme fails to match the rest of the suit, and its distinct style makes it look like a stray card from an entirely different deck. While the artwork itself is by no means bad—it is actually quite beautiful—it remains a misguided choice for this particular set.

As for why Grimaud's designs were recycled, could it be because both brands belong to Cartamundi, or was it a blatant copy? Why go through the trouble of designing a single new card, and why discontinue every other Maestros Naiperos model while leaving only this one? Regrettably, I don't have answers to these questions, and I may never find them.

One thing is certain: at least two versions of this deck exist. The one featured in this post offers a more than acceptable overall quality, with printing and card stock comparable to Grimaud's. Conversely, the variant currently on the market—bearing the Cartamundi logo—is of significantly lower quality, plagued by poor printing, irregular colors, and visible aliasing along the outlines. Interestingly, these are no longer manufactured in Spain, but in China. To be clear, I am not implying that the origin itself dictated the drop in quality, but rather that the manufacturer lowered their standards to cut costs, as these decks now retail for around €1.

Ultimately, this looks like the dilution of a brand that once held great potential—boasting innovative and interesting designs—only to end up relegated to discount store shelves alongside generic decks.

The next post will be a follow-up to this analysis, featuring a detailed comparison of both versions, as well as Grimaud's and one other deck.