David Blaine Variety Box - Only 250 available!

[munro159]

I recieved my box in the mail today.  Everything was great but out of the 2 decks of the Bee Casinos 1 (the reverse white with the white seal) was opened.  Did anyone recieve a sealed white seal bee casino?

[john]

I recieved my box in the mail today.  Everything was great but out of the 2 decks of the Bee Casinos 1 (the reverse white with the white seal) was opened.  Did anyone recieve a sealed white seal bee casino?

Do you mean the seal was broken, or the cello was off?

[munro159]

seal was broken and the cello was torn off the top.  In short someone had opened the deck.

[john]

seal was broken and the cello was torn off the top.  In short someone had opened the deck.

Hmm that sounds odd, the only problem with my variety box at all was a small chunk of cello missing from one of the proto gaff split spade decks. If it bothers you, contact customer service, from what i hear they are excellent.

Also could you post a picture?

[munro159]

I can't post a picture right now...I'm at work. So Basically all of the decks in your variety box were sealed?  Yeah I think I will contact them.  I already have the Bee Casino set. It orginally came with the white inverted sealed with the cello off signed by DB. I thought it might have something to do with that.
 
I will tell everyone this.  I have a complete set of the proto decks. They are all sealed very badly and most of the seals aren't on straight. I think they just threw these protos together as demonstration models. The ones I recieved in my box are the same as the set I already have.

[danktrees]

i think they're just overwhelmed right now. i got a confirmation email for my order but no shipment confirmation so i dunno if they shipped to me yet. i am in canada so that might have something to do with it. they also havent refunded some of the shipping fees that they said they would be refunding. from what i know, it seems like there was a glitch in the set up where the box sets were released for 150 before the 100 dollar ones were released and not the other way around. that has caused some confusion. in the end it doesnt matter to me as long as i get the sets. they look very nice.

[phantom1412]

I can't post a picture right now...I'm at work. So Basically all of the decks in your variety box were sealed?  Yeah I think I will contact them.  I already have the Bee Casino set. It orginally came with the white inverted sealed with the cello off signed by DB. I thought it might have something to do with that.
 
I will tell everyone this.  I have a complete set of the proto decks. They are all sealed very badly and most of the seals aren't on straight. I think they just threw these protos together as demonstration models. The ones I recieved in my box are the same as the set I already have.

Are you living in US?
Because sometimes, my custom does open the deck.

[munro159]

yeah I'm in the united states. I sent them an email...so we shall see.

[Don Boyer]

It's like I verbified tomorrow, if you plant the steering wheel in the pomegranate concrete over rusting linoleum grapes.  Did you grok?

Haha, yes I do grok! Grokem shnitzel form twat mattier. Niw, asi yuk tolsh meh, I amsh tolsh yuk, whuts shis allz meenshest?

Now, as you ask me, I am asking you, what does this all mean?

If you haven't figured it out by now, you never will.  If you want to comment along these lines any further, take it where it belongs - the Lol-A-Query-Um.  You're wasting the other readers' time.

yeah I'm in the united states. I sent them an email...so we shall see.

That's definitely not SOP to send a deck that's got a broken seal.  The cellophane off is normal for a signed deck, but the decks I've ever received from DB, signed or not, always had intact paper deck seals.

Keep us posted on how this shakes out - I'm curious to know.

I'm crossing my fingers that mine are waiting for me at the post office.  They shipped Wednesday and my mailing address is just barely outside city limits so the delivery time should be fast.

[munro159]

I will add this....The brick box this came in is extremely well made, compared to some of the other custom brick boxes out there.  I have the Fulton's, S&M V6, and a D&D Variety boxes and this beats the others hands down.  At 1st I thought this looked like a shoebox in the pictures but it is very well designed and sturdy.  I give it 2 thumbs up!

[Don Boyer]

I will add this....The brick box this came in is extremely well made, compared to some of the other custom brick boxes out there.  I have the Fulton's, S&M V6, and a D&D Variety boxes and this beats the others hands down.  At 1st I thought this looked like a shoebox in the pictures but it is very well designed and sturdy.  I give it 2 thumbs up!

They did an awesome job on the two-deck box for the gaff cards they're selling separate from the Variety Box, so I wasn't surprised to hear they did a quality piece of work on these.

[Lushbob]

I spotted this thread about an hour or so after these boxes went live. I'm so annoyed I didn't see it before!
Of course, this means I couldn't pick one up. The decks that I were really eager to get were the Red Lions (both editions) and the protodecks.
I know it's a long shot asking this so close after the release date, but if anyone happens to have picked up an extra one and wants to sell it on for a little extra, then just shoot me a message. I'd love to get one. Thanks.

[Lushbob]

All right. I've found someone willing to sell me their Variety Box! Although, they're selling it for $200. I honestly didn't expect it any cheaper; I think this is a pretty good deal. Unfortunately, with shipping, I'm looking at $250+. Do you guys think it's a good idea?
I haven't got any David Blaine's White Lions, or a Red Split Spades deck. Nor, of course, do I have the sample decks. And... nor do I have the Sepia Lions Split Spades, or the Bee Split Spades. So, I think that's 10 out of the 12 decks that I do not yet own. So, I'm thinking this is a good deal. But I just want to check with you guys first, to see if anyone else agrees with me. Also, if anyone is going to sell one for cheaper than $200, this is a brilliant chance for you to dive in and get an immediate customer. 

[danktrees]

curious to know, has anyone who had to have the set shipped internationally gotten any sort of shipping confirmation? im in canada and picked up 2 sets. i got the order confirmation but nothing about shipping.

[dmbaggs]

@Lushbob, I think that is a great deal!! It's a little more expense, but not outrageous. Also you know that you are getting a quality product. You don't have to worry too much about getting scammed. Also the deal that David's website offered was insane!! That price for those decks?! I would argue that this deal you're looking at is also fantastic!!

Hopefully it all works out for you!

[phantom1412]

curious to know, has anyone who had to have the set shipped internationally gotten any sort of shipping confirmation? im in canada and picked up 2 sets. i got the order confirmation but nothing about shipping.

No any shipping confirmation to me yet too.

[Don Boyer]

All right. I've found someone willing to sell me their Variety Box! Although, they're selling it for $200. I honestly didn't expect it any cheaper; I think this is a pretty good deal. Unfortunately, with shipping, I'm looking at $250+. Do you guys think it's a good idea?
I haven't got any David Blaine's White Lions, or a Red Split Spades deck. Nor, of course, do I have the sample decks. And... nor do I have the Sepia Lions Split Spades, or the Bee Split Spades. So, I think that's 10 out of the 12 decks that I do not yet own. So, I'm thinking this is a good deal. But I just want to check with you guys first, to see if anyone else agrees with me. Also, if anyone is going to sell one for cheaper than $200, this is a brilliant chance for you to dive in and get an immediate customer. 

Think of it this way, Lushbob - what would it cost you to get all those spiffy decks (AND the unadvertised inclusion of the Split Spades Lions gaff cards in red and blue) separately?  I'd say off the top of my head they'd cost you WAY more than the Variety Box.  Aside from the purple "Rainbow" deck, the other two prototype gaff decks and the Tally Ho Split Spades, you have an entire DB collection in a single box - including one deck that's not available elsewhere.

I love my decks, but I'm a little displeased at the condition my boxes arrived in - both were damaged, at least a little, and it wasn't a postal problem since the exterior box they were shipped in was completely intact.  One has a dented corner and the other has a gash along one edge.  I'm planning on writing to DB customer service, perhaps later tonight.

[Knobz1]

All right. I've found someone willing to sell me their Variety Box! Although, they're selling it for $200. I honestly didn't expect it any cheaper; I think this is a pretty good deal. Unfortunately, with shipping, I'm looking at $250 . Do you guys think it's a good idea?
I haven't got any David Blaine's White Lions, or a Red Split Spades deck. Nor, of course, do I have the sample decks. And... nor do I have the Sepia Lions Split Spades, or the Bee Split Spades. So, I think that's 10 out of the 12 decks that I do not yet own. So, I'm thinking this is a good deal. But I just want to check with you guys first, to see if anyone else agrees with me. Also, if anyone is going to sell one for cheaper than $200, this is a brilliant chance for you to dive in and get an immediate customer. 

Think of it this way, Lushbob - what would it cost you to get all those spiffy decks (AND the unadvertised inclusion of the Split Spades Lions gaff cards in red and blue) separately?  I'd say off the top of my head they'd cost you WAY more than the Variety Box.  Aside from the purple "Rainbow" deck, the other two prototype gaff decks and the Tally Ho Split Spades, you have an entire DB collection in a single box - including one deck that's not available elsewhere.

I love my decks, but I'm a little displeased at the condition my boxes arrived in - both were damaged, at least a little, and it wasn't a postal problem since the exterior box they were shipped in was completely intact.  One has a dented corner and the other has a gash along one edge.  I'm planning on writing to DB customer service, perhaps later tonight.

I'm sorry to hear that man.  That's a bummer.  Especially when you bought 2 and they "both" ended up being damaged.  Both of mine arrived fine.  Keep us updated as to what customer service has to say.  I'm intrigued.....

[loldudex2]

David Blaine customer support is freaking incredible. I'm sure try will help you out.

[munro159]

I still haven't got word back from them on my damaged Bee Casino deck. Although I'm willing to wait since it is Christmas (even people in the customer service industry have families ).  I am still interested in knowing if anyone elses deck came opened. 

[Evan]

I still haven't got word back from them on my damaged Bee Casino deck. Although I'm willing to wait since it is Christmas (even people in the customer service industry have families ).  I am still interested in knowing if anyone elses deck came opened.

All of mine came sealed. I'm sure their customer support will contact you after the new year.

[munro159]

Right now its hard to put a value on decks for the future (IMO).  For instance...I shot Lance Miller an email asking him when he thought the colored Actuators would be ready.  Lance says they still have 15 decks in line before the Actuators are printed.  In case eveyone didn't already know, the market is literally flooded with decks.  I personally think some of the older decks will hold their value much better than some of the newer "limited run decks".  Take Baseball cards for instance.  Newer inserts nearly always sky rocket in price every year.  After a year or 2 they decline in value because guess what? There are newer inserts. On the other hand, A Mickey Mantle rookie card will always be a Mickey Mantle rookie card!

[Don Boyer]

Right now its hard to put a value on decks for the future (IMO).  For instance...I shot Lance Miller an email asking him when he thought the colored Actuators would be ready.  Lance says they still have 15 decks in line before the Actuators are printed.  In case eveyone didn't already know, the market is literally flooded with decks.  I personally think some of the older decks will hold their value much better than some of the newer "limited run decks".  Take Baseball cards for instance.  Newer inserts nearly always sky rocket in price every year.  After a year or 2 they decline in value because guess what? There are newer inserts. On the other hand, A Mickey Mantle rookie card will always be a Mickey Mantle rookie card!

There's a lot of truth to that.  Stuff that's considered hot as lava now can be cold as ice in a year or two.  And yes, a Mantle rookie card will always be a Mantle rookie card.  But look at what's considered the most valued and one of the rarest cards out there: the 1909 T206 Honus Wagner card.  Somewhere between 50 and 75 are known to exist.  They're worth a small fortune each - the best condition ones have sold for nearly $3,000,000.  Now, you have to ask yourself - who the hell is Honus Wagner?  He wasn't a very well-known player, but that card, a premium given away with packs of tobacco, had a shorter-than-normal print run because Wagner insisted the company stop using his image to promote tobacco.  So because this guy had qualms about promoting a product he found repugnant, his card is worth multiples of what a Mantle rookie card is worth!

In the end, it's not just what's hot now and what's not hot tomorrow.  Sure, they factor in, but there's beauty to factor in, ultimate rarity over time, and all kinds of other factors that can't be accounted for today.  We practically laugh at the lowly Bicycle Rider Back, but if you had one pack from the first print run made in 1887, even in used condition and missing the box and jokers, nobody would be laughing at that!  They were printed in large quantities, but very few exist - playing cards, like baseball cards, are ephemera; temporary objects not meant to last forever.

Even (and I dread the thought) a lame-assed Merz67 deck could become the Honus Wagner card of the year 2111...

[Knobz1]

Which older decks would you guys consider to always be the ones to hold thier value?  Are we talking like Jerry's Nuggets old?  Or would White Centurions, Smoke and Mirror V1's, Black Ghost V1's etc.... fit in as well?

[Don Boyer]

Which older decks would you guys consider to always be the ones to hold thier value?  Are we talking like Jerry's Nuggets old?  Or would White Centurions, Smoke and Mirror V1's, Black Ghost V1's etc.... fit in as well?

Some of the oldest, rarest and most valuable playing cards are nowhere on that list - they're museum pieces dating back centuries.  We often talk about how a deck run of 5,000 is "limited" and "rare", when in fact, a deck from over a hundred years ago, printed in bulk but mostly used and discarded, can be even more rare - and sought after.  A deck like a BG1E is a lot like the "Death of Superman" comic book - people knew it would be rare and snatched them up as investments.  But take something more common, like the first strips of "The Yellow Kid", the world's first color comic strip, and very few copies remain intact, making them the real valuable ones.


You can't predict what tomorrow's market will consider valuable - if you could, you'd be working on Wall Street and not putzing around on this message board!