The 2021 52 Plus Joker Diamond Award winners have been announced on this weekend’s virtual event by 52 Plus Joker. The ‘Artist of the Year’ award went to Alex Chin for NPCCD Hindsight Edition, which had five main decks – two ungilded (Destruction & Disease) and three gilded decks (Dissent, Disaster and Death) – and one bonus deck only available with the purchase of the limited-edition “6 Spirit” set (Hope).
As with Alex’s past designs, there are some interesting innovations he devised, pushing the envelope of playing card design and packaging. One stand-out feature is the box; not a traditional tuck box, but a box that unfolds from the face to open, revealing an interior and exterior design meant to evoke a Greek temple.
Circus playing cards by Marianne Larsen and Martin Helgren won the ‘Deck of the Year’ award. Circus, comes in two versions, Deluxa and Black Mosquito. The Deluxe edition employs two-headed court cards while the Black Mosquito edition has one-way, head and torso portraits, both performed in a dark, Victorianesque style. The details include a unique deck seal, individually serial-numbered and printed to look like a ticket to the show, metallic inks on the cards, and embossing on the tuck boxes.
Congratulations to both Alex and Marianne. 😀
