Why do you buy Tarot's?

Do you Collect to use or Keep Pristine?

Hi all,

I was wondering what the various reasons might be for us buying Tarot cards. I understand that there are some, who love to collect cards for the sake of collecting. There are those who will buy a Tarot to use, and then buy another copy to keep pristine in their collection.

For me, if I buy a deck of cards, I buy them only to use them, and hopefully to use regularly. Decks which I have in pristine condition, are the one's that I discovered that I didn't like, the one's I love to read with are the one's in the dog-eared boxes.

So what kind of collector are you? Do you collect hundreds of Tarot's to keep pristine, do you only buy Tarot's to use, or are you a bit of both.

X

Generally I buy decks that I will hopefully use. I mentioned in another thread my seemingly neverending search for 'the one' deck for me. I only have about 15 decks so I'm not a huge collector, but I guess if I had more money spare I'd buy decks just out of interest, or for collection only. I did buy the Golden deck purely for my collection. I don't read with it (I can't) but it is really beautiful.

I know all about that search for 'the one' deck. I think now though, with about 40 or so decks, I have realised that I will never find it, until I have created my own. I agree that the Golden Tarot is extremely beautiful, and I do use it regularly, more regularly than any other actually. One thing I was worried about in making a lot of use of this deck, was the fact that the golden edging on the cards may chip or wear due to shuffling, but it seems that the edging is pretty hard wearing, it isn't designed to come off easily. I always make sure that when someone shuffles these cards that they do so gently, so as not to knock the edges together, for fear of chipping the gold on them!

I don't think I could buy a Tarot and not actually use it.

I buy oracle cards because of the art work on some of them is beautiful, I also use them but not as much as my tarot deck.
I only have one deck of tarot cards but am in the process of making my own.

I see Tarot decks like books, or anything else that gives me pleasure. I don't believe that there isn "one" deck, just as I don't think that there is "one" book that I will always enjoy. Every deck speaks to me in a different language, some softer, some harsher. And of course, for sheer love of the art.

I feel like closrapexa about this.
I have a few decks I use intensively, but also the others have their use, but that is not necessarily for reading: it may just be enjoying the artwork on a lazy evening. Or meditation.
I don't buy decks because I want to have a collection, I buy a deck because I want that particular deck. And then there is another particular deck I want. And another one.
And it does not bother me I can't use them all at once. Neither can I use all my books at once.

Hmmm. This may sound a bit silly, but I buy new decks because I feel new decks are "truer". When I first buy a deck (and possibly book set) for the first few months of use I get a little thrill of "hey yeah that is so true". Whereas I tend to (at least when reading for myself) go "oh yeah I know what that means, yeah I know why that there," and not look to deeply into the decks I know really well. I think its got something to do with exploring the new imagery and meanings of new decks. Now, this doesn't happen when I read for others because i need to look at the images and think about how that fits the person I'm reading for and their situation. In such cases I tend to read with deck I'm very familiar with. But for myself, I need to challenge the preconcieved ideas I have about what an individual card means to me.

I wouldn't say I "collect" decks either. I buy them to use, but I can't always read with them. I buy decks that I like, not because of a particular theme or publisher/artist or reputation of a deck. I like getting new ones because I like exploring the new deck, it's meanings, messages and symbolism. I also like having a choice of decks to read with, whether it be my choice or the clients.

Silver

I buy them to use them as well, although I'm approaching 35 decks...so I think I've passed into the realm of TAROT-HOLISM. haha

Shaymus

I tend to buy Tarot deck with use in mind. I've traded and sold many decks through the years because I didn't click with them. I have under 20 deck right now and I use all but one of them. So I'm more of a user then a collector.