Collecting Playing Cards

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Spoook
Posts: 34
Joined: March 1st, 2012, 1:45 am

Collecting Playing Cards

Postby Spoook » January 5th, 2013, 6:39 pm

I have noticed certain websites seem to be producing an insane amount of different styled playing cards. I also noticed people seem to be collecting them.

I don't understand the inherent value of these cards. Other than being a first edition of a specified run is there anything that makes them valuable? They are not being produced by a specific magician and they don't hold any special attachment to to a magician ....right? If these web sites who produce these cards close business and loose their "fan base" then aren't these cards going to loose value?

I understand people collect certain magical items like first edition or autographed books. I just don't understand why people are collecting these cards.

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AJM
Posts: 1530
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Scotland

Re: Collecting Playing Cards

Postby AJM » January 5th, 2013, 6:53 pm

Lose!
Lose!
Lose!

Oh I give up....

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Chas Nigh
Posts: 213
Joined: March 24th, 2008, 10:45 pm
Location: California

Re: Collecting Playing Cards

Postby Chas Nigh » January 5th, 2013, 6:57 pm

I think it's just for the Dan and Dave crowd.

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Smurf
Posts: 538
Joined: May 31st, 2010, 11:23 am

Re: Collecting Playing Cards

Postby Smurf » January 7th, 2013, 12:08 pm

There are a lot of card collectors around the world. Many have been collecting playing cards for decades. Some collect full decks - other collect only single cards.

Should a company who produces specialty decks go out of business, i.e. D&D, Ellusionist, Theory11, etc., then I would expect their products to increase in value quickly.

I've been collecting decks for 30-years, mostly due to my interest in card magic. Thus, I prefer cards that are suitable for magic, and in general I avoid the photograph decks, souvenir cards, advertising decks, kitty cat cards, and the like.

The card collecting field seems to have grown rapidly in the last five years and I wonder how long it will continue to do so. New decks on Kickstarter.com come out quite often and many of them go into production - though some don't make it. As you mentioned, deck producers like those previously mentioned (and The Blue Crown/House of Playing Cards, CCC, et al.) seem to have no shortage of new decks coming out each year. Will this oversaturate the market or can the market grow fast enough to still make these decks remain highly sought after collectibles? I have no clue!

Shaun
Posts: 84
Joined: October 1st, 2010, 9:30 pm

Re: Collecting Playing Cards

Postby Shaun » January 7th, 2013, 4:00 pm

I used to collect cards too. But, i got out of the game due to like what smurf said "Over-saturation" .

Seems like they are pumping out 10 new decks every week!

Just not fun anymore.

DrDanny
Posts: 293
Joined: January 22nd, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Sunnyvale CA

Re: Collecting Playing Cards

Postby DrDanny » January 7th, 2013, 4:00 pm

Hear hear! The lure of shiny new things is hard to resist, and now I have a huge pile of card decks that cost too much to actually use for magic or card games, because I'm very hard on cards. But since I'm not a big-C Collector, the pile just gets in the way. *sigh*

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Master Payne
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Re: Collecting Playing Cards

Postby Master Payne » January 16th, 2013, 10:43 pm

You don't collect playing cards because they might increase in value. You collect because you like cards. Some people collect stamps, others coins, while others beanie babies or Barbie dolls.
I've been collecting for many years and have amassed well over a thousand decks or so. I collect historical reproduction decks, the standard packs of different countries, decks with non-standard face cards or suits. Erotic decks, and any other deck that catches my fancy. I also collect books on the history of playing cards and the occasional piece of art or knick knack with a playing card motif.
The sad part is I don't play card games nor do all that many card tricks. But I collect just the same because they interest me. The most I've ever paid for a deck was a couple of hundred dollars. But most of my decks were acquired for much, much less. But when I eventually ell them off I'll probably be lucky to get $500.00 bucks for the whole lot.
So like most collecting, you do it because it brings you a modicum of pleasure. Not because you're going to get rich amassing a large number of items.
The only way to become a good magician is to overcome why you became a magician -- Max Maven


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