PlayingCardForum.com - A Discourse For Playing Cards
Playing Card Chat ♠ ♥ ♣ ♦ => Playing Card Plethora => Topic started by: blastercast on September 13, 2013, 07:54:18 PM
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Hello Discourse,
I have recently purchased a v1 Dan and Dave Variety box, I have opened two of the cheaper decks in it and have just come to the dilemma of whether to open any of the decks.
It has a magic-con v1 deck, S&M v3 smoke, v4, v5 denim and steamboats among other decks.
I am short on cash having after bought this had a problem arise where cash is needed and don't know whether I should open these decks, I've always wanted as close to a full smoke and mirror collection as possible but opening them would ruin the chance of ever selling them in the future.
They're too rare for me to perform magic with comfortably so I'm turning to you guys
What do you think I should do? :')
-Benny
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Hey Benny,
I know that feeling, but I think the best question to ask is whether you see your decks as an investment or not. If it's an "yes" to the investment, I'd say keep them seal so you can get the full value when you might resell in the future.
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I suppose if you are looking or think you might sell the decks in the future you should keep them closed. But then again most vintage decks are opened and still sell. As for me I open most decks and keep other decks closed if they are rare or have a limited quantity or are autographed.
With that said, I've never shown someone a deck where they only wanted to look at the box.
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This is always a tough call.
In your position, I probably wouldn't open it, however if you do find a used version of the cards for a much lower price than what a sealed deck would set you back, you may want to jump at it. It will allow you (and anyone you choose to show) to see what the deck looks like, and as long as there's no major issues (e.g. damage) you'll have a chance to see what the deck is like to use.
For me, I'm currently aimed at collecting some of the more common decks, either from retailers (physical and eBay) as well as Kickstarter, and in these instances I aim to get an extra deck that I can pull apart and use to see how the cards handle.
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Benny, it looks like you have answered your own question. Keep them sealed bud. As soon as you open the magic con v1 i guarantee youll just be like "Well crap that was underwhelming... 80$ down thr drain". The magic con v1 among other rare decks are simply, well, rare. The cards themselves are nothing special. I personally have a rule of thumb which is not to open decks that cost me more than 30$ to obtain. If i snag a good deal (e.g brown wynn for 20$) i still open them despite its value being above 30$ as it didnt cost me that to obtain, and it would be silly to me to invest in cards when investment in other goods and services/entities would be much more appropriate and profitable.
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If you're filthy rich: Fuck yes you open everything and laugh as you buy 10x more.
If you are building a "true" collection: No you never open everything and your goal is to keep it in the best condition possible. Your collection could be worth thousands of dollars in the future, but it will be next to worthless if it's all opened and used.
If you want a "true" collection and you also want to enjoy the art/cards: Buy two, open one.
If you don't give a shit and you just like cool decks: Open everything, no questions asked. Unless it's a vintage deck, in which case opening it is fucking sacrilege.
If you collect the new designer decks, and you don't resell them: Open whatever you want whenever you want. Your collection will not increase in value 100 years from now. These decks are abundant, and preserving them is extremely easy to do.
If you collect the new designer decks, and you do resell them/plan on reselling them: Open whatever you don't want to sell. These decks WILL usually increase in value over the next 10-20 years before dropping in value because your grandkids will have no clue what the fuck "Theory11" is.
What is vintage? At this point, I'd consider anything in the Ohio USPC plant as "vintage." The more decades back you travel, the more of a crime against humanity it is to open the deck.
tl;dr: Don't you dare fucking open your 1940s deck of Rider Backs. PUT IT DOWN AND WALK AWAY.
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Alex basically summed it up... Don't ever open a deck if you're ever looking for it to be worth anything substantial...
Personally:
Vintage - Never...
Modern - Only if I own more than one and I'm not concerned with the value of the deck...
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Yep Alex and JM hit the nail on the head. Depending on the decks, I will always buy more than 2 and open one.Generally I enjoy seeing the cards themselves and twirling them around. If they're vintage decks, I am curious to how they handle and will usually seek out opened ones as well as sealed.
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I'm a buy-two-open-one kind of guy, but for anything other than vintage, even if I own just one and it's rare, I'll still open that one. I bought the cards to appreciate them in my hands and to use them. I suppose that would be a key deciding factor - to what purpose are you buying your cards?
I haven't had the nerve yet to open a vintage pack of anything that wasn't already open when I got it.
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I'm not much of a "vintage" deck collector. I appreciate the history behind vintage decks and would love to own some, but don't want to go through the trouble of obtaining them. As a few others here, I'm a buy-two-open-one guy for decks that have some particular worth to them. Most decks that have come out in the past year or two have been single purchases and all opened.
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I'm not much of a "vintage" deck collector. I appreciate the history behind vintage decks and would love to own some, but don't want to go through the trouble of obtaining them. As a few others here, I'm a buy-two-open-one guy for decks that have some particular worth to them. Most decks that have come out in the past year or two have been single purchases and all opened.
Vintage decks are more easily had than you think. People sell them on eBay all the time, and many of them are available at not-too-outrageous prices.
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I'm a buy-two-open-one kind of guy, but for anything other than vintage, even if I own just one and it's rare, I'll still open that one. I bought the cards to appreciate them in my hands and to use them. I suppose that would be a key deciding factor - to what purpose are you buying your cards?
This is what I try to do, I got each deck for £10 here so it wasn't like I could ever replicate the deal again to buy a second of each deck :)
I like to use them but I fear hitting financial issues and needing to sell stuff, I am considering getting a v3 mirror and then putting them on eBay because anything above $80 would then be profit :')
Benny, it looks like you have answered your own question. Keep them sealed bud. As soon as you open the magic con v1 i guarantee youll just be like "Well crap that was underwhelming... 80$ down thr drain". The magic con v1 among other rare decks are simply, well, rare. The cards themselves are nothing special. I personally have a rule of thumb which is not to open decks that cost me more than 30$ to obtain. If i snag a good deal (e.g brown wynn for 20$) i still open them despite its value being above 30$ as it didnt cost me that to obtain, and it would be silly to me to invest in cards when investment in other goods and services/entities would be much more appropriate and profitable.
These decks all cost below $25, all are worth more than that other than the massas, I usually open anything I get but I've just realised the value of this boxset
I know that feeling, but I think the best question to ask is whether you see your decks as an investment or not. If it's an "yes" to the investment, I'd say keep them seal so you can get the full value when you might resell in the future.
That's a good way of looking at it, I might keep a few sealed and open a few "not so rare" ones for enjoyment and magic
Thank you guys :)
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In this particular situation. If i would you id keep magic con v1 sealed. Its a terrible deck. Doesnt even handle well. Put it up on ebay for 80$ or so. Keep the v3s for long investment. Do the same with the v4s. If you dont have an open smoke and mirrors, choose your favourite colour and just buy the reprints to admire. Keep te originals sealed. I do this all the time. I have about 8 v5 originals (25-30ish dollars each) that i have sealed and 1 denim reprint opened for handling/admiring purposes.
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I used to buy 2 decks open one, but it got to costly. And they just sat in my house. So I sold my extras and just buy one of each now.
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The only time I ever keep decks sealed is if I have multiples, or the deck is legitimately antique.
I feel like keeping cards in the box is a waste of the cards. You'll never get to look at the ridiculously cool design, or feel the finish and stock. Card decks for me are like art collections. They're meant to be strolled through, and appreciated as a whole.
If you feel like you want to sell it in the future, go for it. But if you want it to have a permanent place in your collection, crack that sucker open.
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I feel like keeping cards in the box is a waste of the cards. You'll never get to look at the ridiculously cool design, or feel the finish and stock. Card decks for me are like art collections. They're meant to be strolled through, and appreciated as a whole.
Not opening the box is like getting fine works of art for your own museum, but displaying them while they're still in their crates. :))
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There are those that collect just to have and admire the tucks though. I think a majority of us like to open and play with them at least at one point in time. Either way, as long as they get enjoyed right?
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There are those that collect just to have and admire the tucks though. I think a majority of us like to open and play with them at least at one point in time. Either way, as long as they get enjoyed right?
When you make breakfast, do you put out the milk and the cereal just to stare at the nice packaging they came in, then put them away and leave hungry?
At that point, the cards are no longer the real object of the collection. They've been fetishized into something more in the mind of the collector. I've actually heard some collectors that they NEVER open the boxes and collect solely for the purpose of having a complete collection, by whatever definition they use for complete. This can be especially true of some Bicycle-only collectors. Something about it just doesn't sit right with me. But hey, it's not my collection and it's not my life, so whatever.
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Don. Both of your analogies are far fetched. If the 'crate' in the museum was part of the art, then that would be closer to represent unopened playing cards (which would be appropriate to display as is). The analogy with the milk and cereal is even more ridiculous. People buy cereal to consume. If people bought cereal simply because they like the art of the box, then they'd put it on display/keep it in their collection and thus would not bring it out to want to consume as it would not serve that purpose (Thus the analogy is incorrect).
Personally i like to open most of my decks. However i completely understand why some collectors like to keep them sealed. Sealed decks not only serves as a collectable that will generally increase in value over time, but the deck box itself is also a work of art. Think of it like wine. Why do people buy expensive wine to add to their collection, but never open them to consume? As soon as you pop that cork open, the value decreases close to zilch. Of course some people will open expensive wine because they are curious about its content, its history and its flavour. Whereas some would rather it sealed and are happy to simply display the bottle as it is. Playing cards are similar.
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Don. Both of your analogies are far fetched. If the 'crate' in the museum was part of the art, then that would be closer to represent unopened playing cards (which would be appropriate to display as is). The analogy with the milk and cereal is even more ridiculous. People buy cereal to consume. If people bought cereal simply because they like the art of the box, then they'd put it on display/keep it in their collection and thus would not bring it out to want to consume as it would not serve that purpose (Thus the analogy is incorrect).
Personally i like to open most of my decks. However i completely understand why some collectors like to keep them sealed. Sealed decks not only serves as a collectable that will generally increase in value over time, but the deck box itself is also a work of art. Think of it like wine. Why do people buy expensive wine to add to their collection, but never open them to consume? As soon as you pop that cork open, the value decreases close to zilch. Of course some people will open expensive wine because they are curious about its content, its history and its flavour. Whereas some would rather it sealed and are happy to simply display the bottle as it is. Playing cards are similar.
Playing cards are ephemera - items that are intended for consumption and not made to last very long. It's why vintage decks are such a big deal, especially sealed ones.
Even if the crate the art is in is beautiful, it's still just the crate - it's meant to hold the art.
The breakfast analogy was pushing it a bit, but cards were also meant to be "consumed" - they're PLAYING cards, first and foremost. Perhaps a better analogy would be comparing it to buying a board game or a chess set to display the wonderful box, unopened and still sealed, on your shelf, never once playing it - hell, you might not even know HOW to play, you just like the box that much. It's collecting largely for the sake of collecting, period. That's enough for some - it's not enough for me.
Wine is not a good analogy - only good VINTAGE wine gets saved, cherished, etc. Most wine is moderately inexpensive and not meant to sit on a shelf forever - it just turns to vinegar in a small handful of years. (Especially if it's sold in a can or a box!) Those wines, the wines most people can afford and buy, are NOT meant to be collected, just consumed.
I'd say cheap mass-market decks are the wine-in-a-box variety, while custom decks are the decent name brands usually bottled within the last few years or so, even if they are limited editions. If there's enough of them lying around in the future to meet the demand for them, they won't increase much in value at all. Remember the big to-do over the "Death of Superman #1" comic books? People bought them in droves, thinking they'd become this big-deal collectible they could sell to put their newborn through college in nearly twenty years. The thing of it was, despite being "rare" and "limited", there was enough of them around that any demand for it was satisfied, and the demand didn't increase over time - it dropped when it was later revealed that Superman came back to life. Comic book stores have too many of them choking their inventories - it wouldn't surprise me to see them being shredded for the bottom of the owner's hamster cage. So much for putting Junior through college, right?
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Being a relatively new Deck collector, at the moment I'm subscribing to the 2 deck theory...one to open and one to save. I entirely agree that the beauty and fun of decks is to open them, feel them in your hand. I've realized this even more as I make my way through threads and reviews, when I see you guys take these fantastic back designs and fan them out it just shows how well thought out some of these decks are.
As for investment...I think Froggo said it best, there are better more stable things to invest in. That being said, Don's Superman analogy is spot on...you just never know. Over the last week my want list has grown, but has also had deletions to it because I'm realizing what is a true custom deck and what is a more mass-market, readily available deck.
The biggest plus for me right now, this may change as time goes by, is that I'm finding most decks relatively affordable, making the 2 pack system an easier sell. But there are those decks that I've heard mentioned that are already in that "High Demand" category that IF I end up having the opportunity to own, will probably stay sealed until a second deck can be had. I still think the best advice is to get what appeals to you and not just what everyone else is buying, it may very well be one and the same, just don't base your choice on that alone.
In the end, as it's been said over and over, it's really up to you and what your intention and reasons for collecting boil down to. Collector, Cardist, Magician, etc... each offers a new wrinkle into that choice.
Ahhh, if we all had money to burn ;)
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See the thing with wine is people collect it, and eventually use it on a very special occasion. With playing cards, its just because people put it in a nice box and say hey this is valuable, if you open it is not worth it. It like if you got a brand new 2014 corvette stingray convertible. It looks amazing, but everyone time you drive it you decrease its value, putting wear and tear on the car. Are you going to say, I can't drive it, it will lose its value? I am going to drive it, thats the point of a car.
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I feel like keeping cards in the box is a waste of the cards. You'll never get to look at the ridiculously cool design, or feel the finish and stock. Card decks for me are like art collections. They're meant to be strolled through, and appreciated as a whole.
Not opening the box is like getting fine works of art for your own museum, but displaying them while they're still in their crates. :))
Exactly! Plus, the great thing about cards is that you can display the crate WITH the art! ;D
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For me its better not to open the decks. If you want to perform card tricks, then use a regular deck instead. I used to perform card tricks before with rare playing cards and nobody seemed to care about the cards so I opted to use regular deck. I really regret it opening those decks now.
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As for investment...I think Froggo said it best, there are better more stable things to invest in. That being said, Don's Superman analogy is spot on...you just never know. Over the last week my want list has grown, but has also had deletions to it because I'm realizing what is a true custom deck and what is a more mass-market, readily available deck.
Ah, but some really like the mass-market stuff because it's what they grew up with. I have memories of seeing Bicycle, Bee, Arrco, Tally-Ho, Hoyle decks and more all throughout my childhood - airline decks as well held a special interest because my godfather (who also became my step-father) worked at an airport for one of the international airlines and would bring some of these cool decks home for my brothers and me to play with. I even remember those "cool" Lo-Vision cards from Bicycle, before they introduced the current four-color editions of them; my uncles and grandfather loved playing with them at night when we were camping in trailers because they were easier to see by lantern and firelight.
Vintage collectors in particular can be stricken with the nostalgia factor when it comes to building their collections. The commonness or dollar value of a deck may be very little when compared to the memories it evokes. Even the variations that are as simple as mere color changes to the backs can hold appeal for those reasons.
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As for investment...I think Froggo said it best, there are better more stable things to invest in. That being said, Don's Superman analogy is spot on...you just never know. Over the last week my want list has grown, but has also had deletions to it because I'm realizing what is a true custom deck and what is a more mass-market, readily available deck.
Ah, but some really like the mass-market stuff because it's what they grew up with. I have memories of seeing Bicycle, Bee, Arrco, Tally-Ho, Hoyle decks and more all throughout my childhood - airline decks as well held a special interest because my godfather (who also became my step-father) worked at an airport for one of the international airlines and would bring some of these cool decks home for my brothers and me to play with. I even remember those "cool" Lo-Vision cards from Bicycle, before they introduced the current four-color editions of them; my uncles and grandfather loved playing with them at night when we were camping in trailers because they were easier to see by lantern and firelight.
Vintage collectors in particular can be stricken with the nostalgia factor when it comes to building their collections. The commonness or dollar value of a deck may be very little when compared to the memories it evokes. Even the variations that are as simple as mere color changes to the backs can hold appeal for those reasons.
I agree with you completely Don, for me it's always been about what I like, a neat piece to add to the collection or it has some personal meaning as you stated...rarely about what it could be worth. I actually took my biweekly trip to the antique mall this weekend and came across a deck of Gladstone playing cards, open but still in the box. Both box and cards are in very nice condition, but I really don't know if there worth anything, but that's not why I got them. They were a neat little vintage representation for my collection. I guess my point was that a main stream deck is unlikely to become that "Investment" piece. I also picked up a couple plain Bicycle decks because I like the color combination, I'm still keeping one sealed, but I'm pretty sure that I'm still going to have to pay for my kids to go to college, lol
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I mean at the end of the day it's to the enjoyment of whomever the collection belongs to and whomever they show it to. If a collector is happy opening all their decks and ruining all their cards but feel accomplished, that's good. If (like what seems to be a lot of us) a collector likes I have a "for use" deck and "for collection" deck, that's good as well. If they're a magician and likes to collect fancy, custom cards and perform with standard decks, that's fine as well.
Point being, as long as, you, the collector is happy, there's nothing wrong with how you collect. I do know of one person that collects just for the bragging rights and not for the intended use of "playing" with the cards. It is strange to me but hey, makes them happy.
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Part of my reasoning for collecting playing cards is the story behind them, whether they be a vintage deck or a more recent one. I'll generally buy two or three of a deck that I really like the look of (like DM rounders) or something that has a unique concept, like when the Fantastique and Curator decks were released. I enjoy keeping most of my collection on display in the house where it catches the attention of guests, they also work well as art in the room we use to play card games and pool. I understand the collectors who use their decks, which tend to be ones who practice magic or cardistry more often, which makes sense.
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If you want a "true" collection and you also want to enjoy the art/cards: Buy two, open one.
And this is where I site personally, but I guess Benny you're not really in that position with the decks you mentioned - so I would keep them sealed.
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It should be noted that if you belong to UC, RSLancaster opens every single deck anyway... Yes, not the same thing, but if you'd like to see the faces & courts you can certainly check them out because he scans and posts just about every deck...
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That's really something you should have thought of before purchasing it at $144. It's a collectors box. I would have kept them all sealed. There will be other decks you can buy individually to use for less money per deck.
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If you want a "true" collection and you also want to enjoy the art/cards: Buy two, open one.
And this is where I site personally, but I guess Benny you're not really in that position with the decks you mentioned - so I would keep them sealed.
Aren't you a wholesaler? Technically you buy 500 open one. :D
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If you want a "true" collection and you also want to enjoy the art/cards: Buy two, open one.
And this is where I site personally, but I guess Benny you're not really in that position with the decks you mentioned - so I would keep them sealed.
Aren't you a wholesaler? Technically you buy 500 open one. :D
Nope, he opens two. One's for display purposes only...
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It should be noted that if you belong to UC, RSLancaster opens every single deck anyway... Yes, not the same thing, but if you'd like to see the faces & courts you can certainly check them out because he scans and posts just about every deck...
Modern decks are pretty easy to get, and the artwork is available in hi-res from the designers/retailers most of the time.
The real tricky stuff are the vintage decks, and the real treat (in my opinion) are decks that have unique handling.
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This is a really interesting discussion, not something I had thought about before. I'm not much of a collector, but my view is from a performing point of view - I like interesting or unusual decks because of the colour they add to a performance, so from that perspective, obviously I'm going to open the cards.
From a creators point of view, the few decks I've designed have been very specific - the first was for use on a TV special, so in my mind it was a prop and obviously to be used - they weren't supplied shrink wrapped so opening them was a no-brainer. The new deck was less focussed just on just one performer's presentation and meant to be more general, for everyone, but again very focussed on performance for both magicians and cardists, as well as some custom art for people who like that sort of thing - they are designed to be used.
I guess my approach is that the style of the cards is like the cut of the suit you wear, the fashion of your clothes. Not using the deck, even for your own amusement, is like buying the suit then leaving it in the wardrobe. BUT: that analogy works both ways - a friend of mine managed to acquire one of the nazi uniforms from Indiana Jones and he definitely DID keep that in the wardrobe with a view to selling it for a tidy sum rather than wearing it out and about. Some things you buy to use, and some things I guess their value as part of your collection is greater than the value you would get from cracking it open for a shuffle.
Thanks for the various perspectives.
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As for investment...I think Froggo said it best, there are better more stable things to invest in. That being said, Don's Superman analogy is spot on...you just never know. Over the last week my want list has grown, but has also had deletions to it because I'm realizing what is a true custom deck and what is a more mass-market, readily available deck.
Ah, but some really like the mass-market stuff because it's what they grew up with. I have memories of seeing Bicycle, Bee, Arrco, Tally-Ho, Hoyle decks and more all throughout my childhood - airline decks as well held a special interest because my godfather (who also became my step-father) worked at an airport for one of the international airlines and would bring some of these cool decks home for my brothers and me to play with. I even remember those "cool" Lo-Vision cards from Bicycle, before they introduced the current four-color editions of them; my uncles and grandfather loved playing with them at night when we were camping in trailers because they were easier to see by lantern and firelight.
Vintage collectors in particular can be stricken with the nostalgia factor when it comes to building their collections. The commonness or dollar value of a deck may be very little when compared to the memories it evokes. Even the variations that are as simple as mere color changes to the backs can hold appeal for those reasons.
I agree with you completely Don, for me it's always been about what I like, a neat piece to add to the collection or it has some personal meaning as you stated...rarely about what it could be worth. I actually took my biweekly trip to the antique mall this weekend and came across a deck of Gladstone playing cards, open but still in the box. Both box and cards are in very nice condition, but I really don't know if there worth anything, but that's not why I got them. They were a neat little vintage representation for my collection. I guess my point was that a main stream deck is unlikely to become that "Investment" piece. I also picked up a couple plain Bicycle decks because I like the color combination, I'm still keeping one sealed, but I'm pretty sure that I'm still going to have to pay for my kids to go to college, lol
OOI, what about with regard to lighters? As a collector of Zippos, do you use any of the ones you have/buy extras to use, or do you purchase them for the art/collectability of them?
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As for investment...I think Froggo said it best, there are better more stable things to invest in. That being said, Don's Superman analogy is spot on...you just never know. Over the last week my want list has grown, but has also had deletions to it because I'm realizing what is a true custom deck and what is a more mass-market, readily available deck.
Ah, but some really like the mass-market stuff because it's what they grew up with. I have memories of seeing Bicycle, Bee, Arrco, Tally-Ho, Hoyle decks and more all throughout my childhood - airline decks as well held a special interest because my godfather (who also became my step-father) worked at an airport for one of the international airlines and would bring some of these cool decks home for my brothers and me to play with. I even remember those "cool" Lo-Vision cards from Bicycle, before they introduced the current four-color editions of them; my uncles and grandfather loved playing with them at night when we were camping in trailers because they were easier to see by lantern and firelight.
Vintage collectors in particular can be stricken with the nostalgia factor when it comes to building their collections. The commonness or dollar value of a deck may be very little when compared to the memories it evokes. Even the variations that are as simple as mere color changes to the backs can hold appeal for those reasons.
I agree with you completely Don, for me it's always been about what I like, a neat piece to add to the collection or it has some personal meaning as you stated...rarely about what it could be worth. I actually took my biweekly trip to the antique mall this weekend and came across a deck of Gladstone playing cards, open but still in the box. Both box and cards are in very nice condition, but I really don't know if there worth anything, but that's not why I got them. They were a neat little vintage representation for my collection. I guess my point was that a main stream deck is unlikely to become that "Investment" piece. I also picked up a couple plain Bicycle decks because I like the color combination, I'm still keeping one sealed, but I'm pretty sure that I'm still going to have to pay for my kids to go to college, lol
OOI, what about with regard to lighters? As a collector of Zippos, do you use any of the ones you have/buy extras to use, or do you purchase them for the art/collectability of them?
Well as regards to Zippos, I actually don't smoke and they are purchased as collectables, and for the most part I only purchase one. A little diffrent than playing cards, Zippos only really serve one purpose...making fire, lol. None of my Zippo's are sealed (Orange safety sticker comes on the back of Zippos) I remove them so I can hear my "Click", not to mention those stickers can damage the finish over time. Now while I dont smoke I do use a few to do some tricks I learned over the years so I dont know if that counts as "Using them.
Taking it a bit further in comparison to playing cards, even if I used my zippos regularly, you can always clean them, replace wicks, flints etc...to have them retain their original state. Playing cards get used and slowly do lose some of there "Newness" sometimes to the point of damage that can't be fixed. So while the two are collectable, they are a bit different when it comes to "MIB" and what the long term effect of regular use can cause, not to mention what temp. and humiditiy can do to cards. Zippos are metal, they are for the most part pretty durable.
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As for investment...I think Froggo said it best, there are better more stable things to invest in. That being said, Don's Superman analogy is spot on...you just never know. Over the last week my want list has grown, but has also had deletions to it because I'm realizing what is a true custom deck and what is a more mass-market, readily available deck.
Ah, but some really like the mass-market stuff because it's what they grew up with. I have memories of seeing Bicycle, Bee, Arrco, Tally-Ho, Hoyle decks and more all throughout my childhood - airline decks as well held a special interest because my godfather (who also became my step-father) worked at an airport for one of the international airlines and would bring some of these cool decks home for my brothers and me to play with. I even remember those "cool" Lo-Vision cards from Bicycle, before they introduced the current four-color editions of them; my uncles and grandfather loved playing with them at night when we were camping in trailers because they were easier to see by lantern and firelight.
Vintage collectors in particular can be stricken with the nostalgia factor when it comes to building their collections. The commonness or dollar value of a deck may be very little when compared to the memories it evokes. Even the variations that are as simple as mere color changes to the backs can hold appeal for those reasons.
I agree with you completely Don, for me it's always been about what I like, a neat piece to add to the collection or it has some personal meaning as you stated...rarely about what it could be worth. I actually took my biweekly trip to the antique mall this weekend and came across a deck of Gladstone playing cards, open but still in the box. Both box and cards are in very nice condition, but I really don't know if there worth anything, but that's not why I got them. They were a neat little vintage representation for my collection. I guess my point was that a main stream deck is unlikely to become that "Investment" piece. I also picked up a couple plain Bicycle decks because I like the color combination, I'm still keeping one sealed, but I'm pretty sure that I'm still going to have to pay for my kids to go to college, lol
OOI, what about with regard to lighters? As a collector of Zippos, do you use any of the ones you have/buy extras to use, or do you purchase them for the art/collectability of them?
Well as regards to Zippos, I actually don't smoke and they are purchased as collectables, and for the most part I only purchase one. A little diffrent than playing cards, Zippos only really serve one purpose...making fire, lol. None of my Zippo's are sealed (Orange safety sticker comes on the back of Zippos) I remove them so I can hear my "Click", not to mention those stickers can damage the finish over time. Now while I dont smoke I do use a few to do some tricks I learned over the years so I dont know if that counts as "Using them.
Taking it a bit further in comparison to playing cards, even if I used my zippos regularly, you can always clean them, replace wicks, flints etc...to have them retain their original state. Playing cards get used and slowly do lose some of there "Newness" sometimes to the point of damage that can't be fixed. So while the two are collectable, they are a bit different when it comes to "MIB" and what the long term effect of regular use can cause, not to mention what temp. and humiditiy can do to cards. Zippos are metal, they are for the most part pretty durable.
Fair point. Excellent answer and explanation.
+1 rep
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Hey guys, I am reviving a mostly dead topic here but I have hit an issue :)
You guys recommended selling decks, I am trying desperately to sell a load of them as I have reached a hard time (shoes or keep sealed decks).
So you have any recommendations as to where to sell? I tried our Sales/Trades?Isos but got nothing, trying eBay and got nothing :')
-Benny
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Hey guys, I am reviving a mostly dead topic here but I have hit an issue :)
You guys recommended selling decks, I am trying desperately to sell a load of them as I have reached a hard time (shoes or keep sealed decks).
So you have any recommendations as to where to sell? I tried our Sales/Trades?Isos but got nothing, trying eBay and got nothing :')
-Benny
I would say that here and eBay are probably your best bets with regards to selling. If you're having problems selling at the price you currently have them at, consider including 'Or Nearest Offer' on forums/sales ads; or 'Make An Offer' on eBay. Allows you to let people who are definitely interested make an offer a slightly lower price. If you're happy with what they offer, accept it, you'll both feel good.
Alternatively, if there are any Collectors' Fairs which take place within your local area, or a comfortable travel distance away, you could always try there. Trader tables are usually cheap or free (at least the couple near me are).
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I would say that here and eBay are probably your best bets with regards to selling. If you're having problems selling at the price you currently have them at, consider including 'Or Nearest Offer' on forums/sales ads; or 'Make An Offer' on eBay. Allows you to let people who are definitely interested make an offer a slightly lower price. If you're happy with what they offer, accept it, you'll both feel good.
Alternatively, if there are any Collectors' Fairs which take place within your local area, or a comfortable travel distance away, you could always try there. Trader tables are usually cheap or free (at least the couple near me are).
Thanks for the advice :')
I've tried both starting at ridiculously low prices, I barely cover the cost to get them (I live in the UK so no trading things happen here). We have to pay extortionate customs fees (£8 plus 20% of the price) so getting more than one deck can end up costing a lot.
It seems the market isn't doing too well for cards, I used to sell on eBay with decks not nearly as rare and they went for more than what I'm offering stuff for :')
I might just sell it in bulk really cheap to someone
-Benny
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Hey Benny, seems you've only offered up a few decks for sale so far. I feel like people do better on here when they put a more extensive list up. Folks can look through and pick & choose what they want. Maybe you only want to part with that handful, that's ok but it will limit your reach. Anyway pm me with whatever you want to sell. If the price right or I don't have the deck I'm always a willing buyer. Good luck.
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I would say that here and eBay are probably your best bets with regards to selling. If you're having problems selling at the price you currently have them at, consider including 'Or Nearest Offer' on forums/sales ads; or 'Make An Offer' on eBay. Allows you to let people who are definitely interested make an offer a slightly lower price. If you're happy with what they offer, accept it, you'll both feel good.
Alternatively, if there are any Collectors' Fairs which take place within your local area, or a comfortable travel distance away, you could always try there. Trader tables are usually cheap or free (at least the couple near me are).
Thanks for the advice :')
I've tried both starting at ridiculously low prices, I barely cover the cost to get them (I live in the UK so no trading things happen here). We have to pay extortionate customs fees (£8 plus 20% of the price) so getting more than one deck can end up costing a lot.
It seems the market isn't doing too well for cards, I used to sell on eBay with decks not nearly as rare and they went for more than what I'm offering stuff for :')
I might just sell it in bulk really cheap to someone
-Benny
Since cards are so expensive in Great Britain, you should focus on selling within Great Britain. It's your best chance to get a good market rate, considering that what you're selling would be difficult or expensive to obtain by other means. Use ebay.co.uk. Tweak your prices if you need to.