Interesting stories of how you got a certain deck?

I just wanted to share the story of how I got my current favorite, and wondered if there were any memorable "this is how we met" stories from other users.

My favorite deck is the Lo Scarabeo Tarot. I got it a few months ago. The story actually starts a little over a year ago, though. I hadn't read Tarot at all for a couple years (terrible!) and was very out of practice, so I went to the bookstore to pick up a couple books on the subject. I wanted to renew both my interest and my reading ability. I got Kim Huggens' "Tarot 101," which I loved. But what kept catching my attention with that book was the image of the Strength card on the cover. I couldn't figure out which deck it was from, and I couldn't find it credited anywhere in the book (maybe I just didn't look hard enough?). And I never thought to post a picture here (silly me!). So I just resigned myself to thinking "maybe I'll figure it out someday and get that deck."

About a year later, a few months ago, I was browsing the Tarot decks at Borders (local bookstore) and saw a really lovely one. I gravitated towards it because I saw an image of the Three of Cups, and I immediately recognized it as being definitely the Three of Cups, illustrated in a beautiful way. I looked the box over and fell in love with the artwork on sight. I purchased the deck, ran out to my car, sat down, and tore the box open. (I have virtues. Patience is not one of them.) I flipped through the deck...

...and there was my beautiful, beloved Strength! In a deck I bought on a whim! I was completely in love. And have been ever since.

Got a good story of how you got a deck?

-Taylor

when i first laid eyes on the Gilded deck, i was enamored....

4 years ago, a canadian friend of mine did natal charts for me and my rocker...there was some indication of soulmatehood and past lives in them with him...
so she used the celtic cross spread (still on here somewhere, i think) to help me with one of the past lives, she couldn't quite interpret them...
thus i came here to have more clarity on this spread...
a great friend and teacher, Dancing Bear volunteered to help....

i didn't look much at any other deck i just bought the Gilded...

Ask Le Fanu about his tradesman. I'm spitting-jealous.

Me, I buy decks - nothing so unusual about that. Occasionally I'm lucky enough to be given one.

The most recent one I was given was this one. I had been interviewed about my collection, and this guy offered to send me a deck he'd designed that he'd never had published. I was surprised at just how good it really was - I really, really hope he gets a publication deal, it deserves a mass-market.

Around 15 years ago I was knocking around in a junk shop and came across an old worn tarot deck without a box or anything. I counted the cards and they all where there. It's my beloved old Ukiyoe and cost me $3.00. I don't read with it often, but it is a treasure to me, and I love it very much.

Here's mine -- I had a RWS for 19 years until it said goodbye to me ... before this, I opted to look for another deck and was hoping to get another Rider Waite. I went to the bookstore and since there were too many options, I couldn't make up my mind. Then I saw two decks-- the Liber T and the Vampires. I decided to rest and let it be so I took coffee at Starbucks. I figured that if one of the decks would call out to me, then intuitively that would be the one. Furthermore, there was only one Liber T and one Vampires. So I said whichever was left behind was meant for me. Three hours later, I felt the Liber T calling so I went out to get it. True enough, it was the one left. I went home so excited and then when I looked at the cards, I got sooooo shocked. I couldn't understand the artwork, not to mention that there were some images that were quite sexual. Since I didn't know any better, I let it rest and for awhile I regretted getting it.

Then I had a surgery and my Rider-Waite finally said goodbye... I heard the Liber T calling again in my head ... so i went back to it ... then I searched the net, and then, I found AT and Crowley's book! I decided to try my hand my doing a first reading -- from then on, Liber T and I are on a honeymoon. I love the deck now so much because of the insights ... and what I find interesting is that it seems to have a personality ... it doesn't dominate me... it seems to also suggest that I look at my other deck which is the Universal Tarot which I am just leaving be... that's my love story ... I have a very understanding set of cards. I'm grateful to it because it is helping me recover and rejuvenate, and most importantly, it helped me discover this forum and the people in it... that's the best thing of all.

A couple of years ago I was just getting back into Tarot after a long time away. I started lusting after the Bohemian Gothic, almost to the point of obsession. (This was before the reprint, so at that time it was quite hard to find and going for astronomical prices.) After several weeks of being VERY focused on this deck I saw one listed with an eBay seller who sells nothing but Tarot. I emailed her and asked if we could work out some kind of trade; long story short I ended up with my beloved BoGo at a VERY affordable price, plus some other goods I had laying around the house.

I never would have thought to do something like that ordinarily. It was fate, I guess!

Oh, and I got my BoGo Silver in a similar fashion from a beautiful ATer; somehow we both knew it was meant for me and we kept negotiating until we were both happy with the deal.

The lesson I took from all this is never be afraid to ask for what you want.

Mostly I got mine in the regular way, but, once.....

I hardly ever buy decks on eBay, I find it frustrating. But, this one time I was looking and found an eBay auction that just said 'a nice set of tarot cards', no picture, no description. So, I bid 5 dollars and won. Okay. Frankly I was more amused than hopeful. The deck came and I loved it, so pretty. Just adored the images. But, no box, no name, so I did what we all when puzzled, I came here. Sorry, can't find the thread, I just described the back of the card and noted that Justice had her hair on fire. fyreflye immediately identified the Alchemical, much harder to get at that time before it was reprinted. I loved the deck and have used it on and off since. Though, since the reprint came out, I do prefer that version.

Then, there was this:

Mysterious Russian deck

But, I didn't like it because of the pips and sold it for a nice profit on eBay.

I've had some "interesting" experiences with decks coming into my life.

When the Victorian Romantic Russian edition came out, I had a friend who was coming to visit from Moscow buy it for me there.
I was sooo excited to finally see the deck, but had a nagging premonition; I thought of asking my friend to put the deck in her hand luggage, but decided this would come off as obnoxious.
Sure enough, my friend's luggage was lost in transit! When the airline finally located her suitcase a week later, part of the suitcase was soaked - the side with the deck in it
I couldn't bear to look at the damaged cards after all that, and sadly put them away...

Meanwhile, an on-line tarot pal I'd never met mailed me a surprise X-mas gift, the Paulina deck (my namesake); but as luck would have it, her package was lost in the mail for a month! Here I was complaining to her about my Victorian Romantic disappointment, while she was trying to track down the missing Amazon parcel containing my Paulina deck, without ruining my surprise! The package finally arrived, I fell in love with the Paulina, and forgot about the V.R. for a while...

Suddenly, another friend was on her way to visit from Moscow - "Victorian Romantic, Part 2".
She brought me a second V.R, deck, in perfect condition!

Now that I had a "working" V.R. deck, I returned to the one that had been damaged, to discover that the damage was (miraculously) only around the borders!
So I trimmed this deck, which looks excellent without borders, and now have a smaller V.R. - perfect for travel

It seems that Tarot synchronicities work on different levels, even when it comes to obtaining the decks.
Each of my decks has something special about the way it came into my life...

I have a few stories about various decks to share...

When I first was interested in tarot, I sort of threw myself headlong into the whole occult/society/history angle.
I really wanted the tarot of the Golden Dawn...because I was studying the esoteric symbolism and the history of the organization...and well, really the Golden Dawn is a lovely title for a deck, isn't it?

I told a guy who had a crush on me, that I wanted it very badly.

He asked one of my spiritual teachers at the time, who said what an ugly deck it was...and suggested that he buy me the Sacred Rose.

Which he did.

And I have loved the vacant eyed, rich stained glass colored wonder ever since.

(and yes, the original Golden Dawn is chock full of esoteric stuff...but gods. it is ugly!)


Another story...I really really really wanted the Rock N Roll Tarot, as I had seen some of the cards, and immediately vibed with all the choices, artists and song lyrics that were used in it.

Many people told me...yeah good luck with that. You're never gonna get one.
The only ones you see on Ebay are hideously expensive ($600 bucks or more), or are being sold one card at a time.

Then, one day...I found one of Ebay...minimum bid $300

I bid...even though I didn't have anything close to $300 at the time.

That weekend I went to a casino with my mom, and after putting 50 cents in a slot machine, I ended up winning exactly $300

It was fate. And I absolutely adored that deck.

Until I sold it...

Because I am an idiot.

Chronata said:

That weekend I went to a casino with my mom, and after putting 50 cents in a slot machine, I ended up winning exactly $300

It was fate. And I absolutely adored that deck.

Until I sold it...

Because I am an idiot.

Click to expand...

Oh, Chronata, I'm sorry.

Seller's remorse stinks!

Hopefully, somehow, that deck will come back into your life again. *hug*