IAOCP; open it?

[Kanped]

OK, so I finally received my copy of If an Octopus Could Palm today; tried to order it the day the closed the store for the revamp and have been waiting since then.  I really don't know if I should open the deck.  Thing is, I've got lots of really nice cards that I've opened to practice/play with and the value of these cards is only going to go up.  I mean, I really like using standard Bees; they suit me, is there really a good reason to open up a deck whose value is going to go up?  I guess this could be a more general discussion about opening rare decks.

[loldudex2]

OK, so I finally received my copy of If an Octopus Could Palm today; tried to order it the day the closed the store for the revamp and have been waiting since then.  I really don't know if I should open the deck.  Thing is, I've got lots of really nice cards that I've opened to practice/play with and the value of these cards is only going to go up.  I mean, I really like using standard Bees; they suit me, is there really a good reason to open up a deck whose value is going to go up?  I guess this could be a more general discussion about opening rare decks.

If I were you, I wouldn't. If you like using standard Bees, I would stick with them. Like you said, this is a rare deck and the value will only go up, so unless you have a reason to open them, I wouldn't.

[Paul Carpenter]

My perspective on this is that when it comes to cards (or really any kind of collecting) there are two main mindsets: collect to enjoy, or collect to resell. Sure there are degrees of both, but in the end one or the other is dominant.

Me, I'm an 'enjoyer.' I don't buy things to put them away in the hopes that maybe someday they will be worth more than I paid for them. I buy a thing because I like it enough that I want to use it. I want to hold it, use it, admire it. When it comes to cards, I buy just one of any deck I'm interested in and I open it immediately. I don't really care if it's 'rare' or not. Particularly with cards, if you never open it you aren't seeing like 98% of what you bought.

Now if you are 'reseller' then the primary motivation for collecting things is more on the financial side. You buy a thing not for the personal enjoyment of using the object but because you perceive that with time it will be something valuable. I think this person is more about enjoying the acquisition process, hunting down a rare item, getting a deal, being proud of the collection and then making some money someday.

So what kind of person are you? I'd say most folks fall one way or the the other the majority of the time. Of course nothing is concrete and unchanging, but in your heart you probably lean towards one of those. Find out which, and there ya go.

So, knowing where I come from, my advice is to open it immediately and have fun.

[Kanped]

I know exactly what you mean, xmetal but as you say, it's never that black or white.  I think I'm stuck between the two on this deck.  As much as I want to see and play with these cards, I'd be gutted seeing these go for like $100 next year and I've used them like 4-5 times. 
Thing is, a lot of my decks, even ones I really like, I've only actually handled a few times because I'm still very much a beginner, who likes card mechanic sleights (i.e., lots of bends, palms and crimps) and I really don't want to ruin them.  I've got 4 Bees and a brick of Bikes for that (plus a load of other stuff). 
I'm thinking right now I'll keep them sealed, even just for a little while; I've got a whole load of other decks that I can enjoy in the meantime and if I really get the urge to bust these out, I always have that option.

[Paul Carpenter]

Well that sounds perfectly reasonable, especially if you know you will be hard on them. I do some cardistry and am pretty gentle, so other than a drop here and there I'm not bending anything so am not nearly so worried about damaging things. If you have lots of other decks to play with, then set those on your desk and admire the box until the urge becomes too great.

[Evan]

I would open it. I usually don't open my sold out decks unless I have a lot of them but I would probably open it if I had one of those

[vmagic]

I highly doubt they'll be going for $100 bucks any time soon. People seem to like to exaggerate the value of cards, most of the so-called rare decks coming out will likely never sell for that much, at least not for a very very long time until they are indeed rare.

[john]

Ah hell! go ahead and open it! Octopussies are meant to be played with.

I see what you did there.

But yeah open it, why not it is a cool deck.

[phantom1412]

If you are sure you won't sell it, open it.
That's no point of keeping them seal just for the value.

For me deck won't lost the value if I'm the one who open it, it will still be first hand deck to me.
But for others, yes it's second hand deck.
You don't have to care about the value from the others if you are not selling it.

[Billywiz]

My perspective on this is that when it comes to cards (or really any kind of collecting) there are two main mindsets: collect to enjoy, or collect to resell. Sure there are degrees of both, but in the end one or the other is dominant.

Me, I'm an 'enjoyer.' I don't buy things to put them away in the hopes that maybe someday they will be worth more than I paid for them. I buy a thing because I like it enough that I want to use it. I want to hold it, use it, admire it. When it comes to cards, I buy just one of any deck I'm interested in and I open it immediately. I don't really care if it's 'rare' or not. Particularly with cards, if you never open it you aren't seeing like 98% of what you bought.

Now if you are 'reseller' then the primary motivation for collecting things is more on the financial side. You buy a thing not for the personal enjoyment of using the object but because you perceive that with time it will be something valuable. I think this person is more about enjoying the acquisition process, hunting down a rare item, getting a deal, being proud of the collection and then making some money someday.

So what kind of person are you? I'd say most folks fall one way or the the other the majority of the time. Of course nothing is concrete and unchanging, but in your heart you probably lean towards one of those. Find out which, and there ya go.

So, knowing where I come from, my advice is to open it immediately and have fun.

+1 what he said.

Billy.

[AceGambit]

Unless I have duplicates of a deck, I open every single deck I purchase within moments of taking it out of the packaging it shipped in.  I then admire the ace, the jokers, the ad cards, the artwork on the rest of the cards, spread through them, do a few dribbles, a spring, and a few slights, and then put them back in their box, to sit on a shelf with the rest of my collection.

[junjie04]

Unless I have duplicates of a deck, I open every single deck I purchase within moments of taking it out of the packaging it shipped in.  I then admire the ace, the jokers, the ad cards, the artwork on the rest of the cards, spread through them, do a few dribbles, a spring, and a few slights, and then put them back in their box, to sit on a shelf with the rest of my collection.

Hi five:D Does the same thing:D

[loldudex2]

Hi five:D Does the same thing:D

I did that with a Red Artifice. It was totally worth it.

[Don Boyer]

I've opened EVERYTHING I ever got.  Including Black Ghost 1st and Broken Spell.  Owning it just to own it still sealed and watch it turn into your favorite dust bunny magnet is so silly.

[Kanped]

Yeah, I opened it.  Glad I did because these cards are all about feel.

[loldudex2]

Should I buy a deck? I've been thinking about it.

[phantom1412]

Should I buy a deck? I've been thinking about it.

Yes, you should. Buy it with the book.