I posted a comment about this ins SAM Convention thread, but realized that there would be enough interest in this that it was probably worthy of a thread of its own.

At SAM I spoke to Richard "The Cheat" Turner who was at the convention promoting the new 809 Mandolin Back playing cards from USPC. Unlike the 808 Bicycles, the USPC WILL manufacture all gaffs for this deck which were once available for Bicycles.

Fore more info have a look here: http://bit.ly/cWW6j2

Here's the artwork for the cards and the box:

That is very interesting news. Good news for magicians, but great news for USPCC, as they'll be able to sell all their gaffs to the same customer base again!

Maybe NOW someone will put these cards out in THIN stock...to create: Bike #809 PHIL DECKS.

A wish many of us have.

I can already hear spectators saying "Oh, Mandolins? Those are trick cards."

I can already hear spectators saying "Oh, Mandolins? Those are trick cards."-
John Sturk

I agree with your message, but I also have to think about all the different back cards I have used through the years. The different colors, etc. I have never heard anyone say that they are trick cards ( as least not in range of my ears ).
Besides, being a magician, some of the spectators that are hard core skeptics are going to see a regular Bicycle deck as trick cards anyway.
Personally I do not like the new backs either.

For what it is worth, I watched Richard Turner work for a half hour before I realized that they weren't Bikes. Add to that the fact that the mandolins will be sold in the same place that you buy bikes, and the number of people that perform with other card backs, I really don't see this as an issue. Heck, I still prefer Tally's and vert few specs have ever seen that back design.

I've never heard a spectator say: "Oh, Haines House of Cards? Those are trick cards."

You're giving the people you perform for too much credit.

No lay person will ever see any difference, nor even know to look for one. In fact I was using regular bike gaffs with a mandolin deck, no one noticed, it was an experiment. A magician may, but most will never see it. Far better than flaming birds to make a point. Do your job, entertain, and they wont even go down that path. If they do, you are doing soming very wrong. There is challenge magic, and then there is entertainment. Decide what you want to do.

Gaffed cards were never GONE from the USPCC. I don't really get the meaning of the subject title.

808 gaffs are still available and are still being printed. (Except any that change the back design or the aces or Jokers).

That is exactly what we were referring to.