Ultimate meaning… last? Meaning you will no longer pester us to buy trick cards, ever again?
They aren’t exactly subtle, are they?
If they were more subtle, it’d defeat the purpose of marking them.
The pack my dad had was just as easy to read if you knew it but far less likely to be noticeable by mistake by the mark.
I can’t find an image because they’re probably 30 years old but it had a subtle rotating clock design hidden in a flowery pattern.
Still have a stripped and marked deck I bought in 1967 or '69…from Harry Blackstone, Jr.!
My thin hands never got the hang of palming cards, so the stripped deck was a godsend. I used the markings as distraction to keep folks from figuring out the strip. (Do a couple tricks, then “confess” about the marking system: then do a couple more tricks where I couldn’t see the cards – put them in their box, or hide them under a silk hankie – and proceed to blow minds.)
Back in the day, Marshall Fields dept. store in Chicago had a magic shop, mostly close-up stuff, table magic, and small stage effects. When he was in town doing nightclub shows, Blackstone Jr. would sometimes cover for the magic shop guy. What a trip! He was very pleasant, very patient, fast with facts and anecdotes, and I was convinced he was Dr. Strange’s alter-ego; -)
The day he sold me the stripped deck, he also gave me tickets for that evening’s show, and helped me tweak a floating ball trick I had built. Got to go onstage with him for two tricks. I was the happiest dork in two states for about a week afterwards!
I just spent five minutes staring at the picture, wondering how/where they were marked. Then I noticed the caption “These are ordinary Bicycle cards (not marked)”.
Damnit.
My favourite marked deck is The Code, which was created by Andy Nyman. It is a seemingly-normal rider-back Bicycle deck that has multiple markings for different effects.
Yeah, for the real ones, look at @daneel’s comment, above.
Me too… 
I have that deck, too. It’s excellent.
Thanks, Boundegar! For each mean spirited comment you make, I will write 3 posts about magic tricks you can buy. Please email me each time you do, because I don’t want to miss one.
I live to serve!
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