I recently purchased a two-deck set of Copag playing cards, and this is my review.
Click here to skip to the overall rating, otherwise keep reading.
Before we get started, here’s all the technical details:
- Brand: Copag
- Deck type: 1546
- Back: black and gold
- Size: regular (poker)
- Index: regular
- Material: 100 percent plastic
- Reviewed: January 9, 2022
Copag 1546 design
- High quality print. The colors are bright and even (no discolored or opaque spots, which does happen with other playing card brands). Did not notice any imperfections.
- Awesome back design. I mean, personally I really like it. Classy and original. No noticeable imperfections in the print.
- Black/gold back. Love it or hate it. But there are many other color combinations, including gray and purple, green and dark red, and the more traditional red and blue.
- Regular index. For those who don’t know, this refers to the numbers/letters/suits on the front of the cards. Copag 1546 cards have a regular (fairly small) index, unlike jumbo index cards.
- Weird pictures/jokers. As for jacks, queens, kings, and jokers — not the best looking, in my opinion. The colors are too bright, especially yellow and green. I much prefer those of, say, regular Bicycle decks. Same for the jokers, although you probably won’t need to use them.
Copag 1546 handling
Copag cards are slightly softer, lighter, and thinner compared to other plastic decks.
This is a good thing, in the sense that it’s easier to shuffle, hold, and handle them. The riffle shuffle in particular is quite smooth.
As for the spread, that’s really good, even compared to paper cards.
As you shuffle, cut, and use the deck, it becomes much harder to fan it, although obviously plastic cards are not designed for this. Fans do look good if the deck is brand new.
The poker pitch (deal) works well as the cards glide and spin on the felt thanks to their high quality finish.
Bend test
Not for the faint of heart.
For the purpose of this review, I tried to bend the cards pretty aggressively. This would have pretty much ruined paper cards.
This is what poker players do when they look at their hole cards, this was simply exaggerated to test the quality and flexibility of the cards.
So, did they pass the test?
Yes! The cards went back to their original shape within two seconds, or instantly.
This tells you the quality is high, and if a player ever bends them too much, by mistake, you won’t have to worry about replacing the deck.
If they bend them too much on purpose, then just kick them out of the game.
Copag 1546 price
I live in the UK and got the double deck set for £19, which is about $26.
But you can usually find them for cheaper — $20 or less. Again, this refers to a set, so $10 or less per deck.
Considering the quality of the cards, and the fact that they are much less expensive than KEMs, I’d say it’s a fair price.
Copag cards are a bit thinner and softer compared to other plastic cards, but as explained this is a good thing as handling is easier.
Overall rating: 9
I’d give Copag 1546 cards a nine out of ten. Great back design, handling, longevity, and overall quality.
I purchased the decks recently so I couldn’t say whether they’ll last for weeks, months, or years. But based on how they felt, I imagine they’ll last for a very long time.
If you don’t like the black or gold back, you can choose from at least four other color combinations.
I thought the picture cards and the jokers were unimpressive but hey, not that big of a deal, right?
Definitely recommended if you want to buy high quality 100 percent plastic cards at a reasonable price.
Thanks for reading, and happy shuffling!
