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FEBRUARY | 2025

Earlier in the year, I was inspired by Leah Orleans’ Kickstarter playing card deck campaign for the upcoming Mystify Magic Festival, March 10-12, at the Santa Fe Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Her success, meeting her funding goals and expanding the presence of her upcoming festival impressed me. The profits from the deck sales on Kickstarter were dedicated to assist funding for her entertainment budget and they met that goal. skills, yet within the scope of magic there are so many forms and so many aspects of the topic, the more I’ve discovered, the more it boggles my mind.

From the start Kyle was enthusiastic and his beautiful depictions capturing the essence of our four iconic Queens of Magic, Adelaide Herrmann, Talma, Minerva and Anna Eva Fay championed their remarkable achievements with extraordinary artwork. He also created the beautiful custom graphics for our Aces, the Joker (some irony there) and our tuck box.

execution and printing of the Limited Edition - Magical Women Playing Card Decks is a dream come true for me. Truth be told, from the start of the Magical Women Project in 2020, I envisioned a deck of cards dedicated to magical women and this final product exceeds all my expectations.

For the Magical Women Playing Card Deck my vision included customized cards specific to the playful Magical Women logo and brand. I worked closely with Kyle Leon, a professional graphic artist and hobbyist magician, hailing from Ottawa. I discovered him through friend and magician, Alyx Hilshey who was aware I was researching and planning to create the custom deck. She discovered Kyle through a Bill Malone Workshop in Montreal and felt he might be a great fit. I immediately reached out to him, we instantly “clicked” and started in-depth discussions about the cards. It was a fabulous experience and a gift to work with a talented artist so knowledgeable in magic.

The deck is a first-of-its-kind creation. Whether you're a card collector, historian, magic enthusiast, game player or a professional magician, I believe that the deck is an essential addition to any collection. My original vision and concept evolved over time. In 2024, I decided that it was time to officially kickstart the project to make an idea become a reality.

Kyle shared: “I love to create and find creative solutions to various problems whether it be design-related, magic methods or the structure of a magic effect. I love integrating my knowledge and skills in graphic design with magic and helping professional magicians create and design effects for their shows. Some of the magicians I have collaborated with include Bill Malone, David

Leah’s “ace up her sleeve” for the Kickstarter campaign was magician and magic card producer, Erik Casey of Casey’s Playing Cards. Leah generously connected me with Erik and together we plotted a Kickstarter and card-publishing campaign for the Magical Women Playing Card Decks. It was a first for me and a daunting project. Erik is a joy to work with, he instantly made me feel at ease and comfortable. I also enlisted the help of many friends and colleagues to learn as much as I could about creating a successful campaign and playing card decks.

First off, it’s a lot of work. This is a project of passion and for some unknown reason, I’m driven to follow through, promoting magical women. I whole-heartedly jumped into the deep end on this campaign. Here’s a disclaimer - I was not serious nor knowledgeable about cards, card collecting and playing card history. I had great respect (and now have even more), for the dedicated collectors, historians, magicians and authorities who are truly committed to that genre of cards and card magic. As the project progressed, I learned a lot. One thing it’s shown me is the vast purview of categories within magic and its appeal to different people for different reasons.

I am an artist and performance is embedded into my soul. I’m a creator and I love visionary work. I am very fortunate as I’ve enjoyed a lifetime celebrating and developing those

Erik Casey

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It was very helpful that Erik Casey has produced over half a dozen successful Kickstarter campaigns; he is an expert at launching and publishing custom card decks. I could not have accomplished the goal as quickly and as professionally as we did without his amazing support. Thanks to Erik’s skilled guidance, we offered discounted one-of-a-kind, limited-edition decks that included a Deluxe red foil edge deck in addition to the classical version. As an added incentive the first 100 decks sold also included a numbered, signed card.

An unexpected opportunity arose when magician Rosemary Reid invited me to present the new deck at the 52 Plus Joker Convention in Niagara Fall, NY on October 3rd, in the New Deck Launch Presentation. Although time was short and we were in the midst of our campaign blitz, I could not turn down the opportunity and quickly prepared a short keynote lecture about the deck that was very well received. My excitement and enthusiasm helped to generate further interest with the serious card collectors in attendance, plus I made some valuable connections for the future.

We reached 100% funding of our goal in five days and continued to promote the deck through the month of October. It was thrilling , stressful and time-consuming. The social media aspects are very time consuming, requiring ads and posting often on multiple group sites and pages. At one point my enthusiasm for the project tipped to annoying-over-saturation and I had to pull back or risk alienating our supporters. Once the campaign was completed successfully and we received the Kickstarter approval and funding , Erik ordered the cards from 808 Playing Company in Taiwan. This took more time than you would think.

Mystify Magic Festival deck of cards

Some of the help I received came from stellar performers, including: Alexandra Duvivier, Cassandra, Ekaterina, Gabriella Lester, Jade, Juliana Chen, Leah Orleans, Paige Thompson, Rachel Wax and Solange Kardinaly.

Stone, Eric Leclerc, Jon Dorenbos, Chris Pilsworth and of course, Connie Boyd!”

It was a nail-biting waiting game for the orders to be processed and shipped. They didn’t arrive before the holidays, which was understandable, but frustrating none the less.

I was booked by Ben Barnes to present my lecture, “How Women Influence Magic” at the annual IBM convention in Tacoma, Washington in July 2024. Kyle and I worked diligently up to the final days before my departure, to have several sample decks printed and available, to take to the convention to record and photograph professional magicians using the deck. It was well worth the cost and effort. I am so grateful we met that goal. All the professionals I approached agreed enthusiastically to help promote the deck and provided amazing magic content and social media support for the deck promotion.

Erik and I decided that October would be a good month to launch the Kickstarter, Limited Edition - Magical Women Playing Card Decks. I created ad and video copy through Canva and Final Cut Pro X, for the wonderful Kickstarter campaign page Erik created. Paul Romhany generously included a four-page layout about the deck in October’s VANISH International Magic Magazine.

Unexpectedly, on January 3, 2025, the decks arrived and on the same day Erik began shipping the Kickstarter orders. We received multiple orders from FOUR continents which demonstrates the groundbreaking exposure and the support from the magic community and card enthusiasts that our project generated .

I also worked on a social media blitz to gener-

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Subsequently Murphy’s Magic have placed an order to sell our classic limited-edition decks on their online shop. Erik’s connections with card collectors’ groups obtained an additional 250 deck order. We have included both the classic and red foil edge gilded deck onto the Magical Women website as an additional method for purchase.

I have dedicated the past four and a half years to the Magical Women Project. Each purchase of our exclusive decks, supports the project and its mission to amplify the roles women do play in magic. I could not have accomplished the successful campaign and printing of the cards without the kindness and support of others. It was overwhelming to receive such generosity and positivity and I am truly grateful.

In 2025, Magical Women will unveil groundbreaking , first-of-its-kind content celebrating the incredible contributions of women in magic. Stay tuned for these exciting campaigns—they ’re not to be missed! To our amazing supporters, we extend a heartfelt thank you. Together, let’s continue to champion and share the magic of women far and wide!

ABOUT ERIK CASEY

Erik Casey hails from Jacksonville, Florida. A superb close-up magician, Erik has multiple skills beyond magic that layer his performances and passions. Beyond his mastery of sleight of hand, he is an accomplished professional photographer, an innovative art designer, a savvy marketing wiz and an avid card collector.

“Every great creation starts with an idea. My mission? To bring those ideas to life— no matter what it takes. Whether you’re launching a business, turning a passion into something bigger, or sharing a creative project with the world, I’m here to make it happen. Turning ideas into reality isn’t just what I do—it’s my superpower”

In 2022, he created Casey's Playing Cards, a company specializing in the design, production , and printing of custom playing cards for magicians and clients across the globe. With a passion for intricate design and a deep understanding of the magic and card collecting community, Erik has built a reputation for delivering exceptional quality and innovative concepts. His cards are sought after by magicians, collectors, and businesses looking for bespoke decks dedicated to craftsmanship and creativity.

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Dubbed The Queen of Coins, Mercedes Talma was a sleight-of-hand virtuoso, especially with her astonishing coin manipulation acts. She could produce up to thirty coins from her tiny hands with effortless grace. Talma mesmerized audiences magically for over thirty years. She was a key figure in the trio LeRoy, Talma, and Bosco and the first levitating lady in the “Asrah Levitation.”

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS DECK

Erik’s own playing card brand is a vibrant tribute to his lifelong passion for collecting cards and his deep Floridian roots. And what better emblem of Florida's quirky charm than the iconic pink flamingo? The deck is more than just a tool—it's a playful, one-of-a-kind signature deck that perfectly captures Erik's commitment to blending artistic flair, flawless design, and performance artistry.

The Magical Women Playing Card Deck, introduces four legendary Queens of Magic from the late 1800s reign supreme:

Adelaide Herrmann (1853-1932) – Queen of Hearts

Minerva (1877-unknown) – Queen of Clubs

Adelaide Herrmann was the unrivaled Queen of Magic. She dominated the Victorian Era with her breathtaking grand illusions and manipulation acts, captivating audiences across Europe and North America. Hailed as The Most Important Female Magician of All Time, Adelaide dazzled onstage well into her seventies, becoming a global celebrity and magic icon.

The indomitable Queen of Handcuffs, Minerva was a fearless escape artist who rivaled the legendary Houdini himself. Famous for her death-defying underwater escapes, she became a media sensation. Minerva’s boldness and determination to assert her rights made her a symbol of strength in an era where women’s independence was rare.

Erik expanded: “Magic is made for visual stimulus in order to get a reaction. What sells the magic is acting. If I did all my card tricks without speaking, without body language, just as the trick was, it wouldn’t captivate people. When people ask me if magic is art, I usually reply with a quote from Robert Houdin, the father of the modern style of conjuring: ‘A magician is only an actor playing a magician on stage.’”

Anna Eva Fay (1851-1927) – Queen of Spades

Mercedes Talma (1868-1944) – Queen of Diamonds

As the reigning Queen of the Spiritual and Séance World, Anna Eva Fay was a pioneering mind reader and theatrical performer who mystified audiences with her psychic

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Art Meets Magic: Inspired by decades of iconic female magicians, each card in the Magical Women deck turns your performances into art. The custom Queens, Aces, and Jokers offer an enchanting visual experience, adding elegance and creativity to your magic, your collection, or your card game nights.

displays and seances. Her spellbinding performances, once convincing the great scientist William Crookes, made her one of the highest-paid entertainers of her time. Fay’s legacy includes being the first Honorary Lady Associate of The Magic Circle in 1913.

Exclusive Design: Featuring the playful Magical Women theme, this deck showcases original artwork. From double-backers to oneof-a-kind Queen court cards, it’s a true collector 's item that stands out.

Connie Boyd – Joker

As the visionary behind the Magical Women Project, Connie Boyd is shining a much-needed spotlight on the overlooked heroines of magic. An accomplished magician, writer, director and producer, her mission is to correct historic omissions, celebrating the extraordinary contributions of female magicians both past and present.

Limitless Use: Whether you’re performing a flawless magic trick, dealing hands at game night, or adding to your curated collection, these cards are perfect for both gameplay and performance.

Original Artwork Custom Aces & Jokers Unique Queen Court Cards Double-Backer 290 GSM Italian Blackcore Paper | Crush Stock Linen Embossing

THE CARDS

Elevate every shuffle with a deck that combines art, performance, and elegance !

THE BOX

Premium Craftsmanship: The cards are printed on top-tier, 290 GSM Italian Blackcore paper with a luxurious crush stock and linen embossing. Every shuffle feels smooth, durable, and refined.

Our tuck box is as thoughtfully designed as the cards inside. Crafted in a sleek, elegant style, it mirrors the sophistication of casino-quality stock. Featuring icons of our Queens, a YouTube QR code for easy access to learn more, and a unique look, the box adds an extra layer of charm to this collector ’s item.

Alexandra Duvivier

Solange Kardinaly

Here in my hands, we have a very important deck and the most important cards, the Queens! We have the most famous ladies and this is a very unique Magical Women deck. I love it!

I love the Magical Women Deck of cards. Support Women in Magic and order now your own deck of cards!

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Connie presenting the deck at the 52 Plus Joker Convention

Cassandra Ruiz Nemzer

Juliana Chen

Rachel Wax

We’ve got the brand new, beautiful, Magical Women deck of cards, SO exciting . We love it!

Beautiful cards!

I love this deck, it’s so beautiful. I love to see all the wonderful women in magic that we have. I can’t wait to use these and tell all the stories about what it is to be a woman in magic.

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