Cary-Yale Visconti Deck: which edition?

Not sure if this should be posted here or on the historical deck section. Moderator please feel free to move this thread.

I am looking to get the Cary-Yale Visconti deck. My experience with US Games' 2005 (?) Scapini Medieval deck makes me too nervous to buy one from US Games. Anyone here can recommend which edition I should be looking for? Will first edition US Games copy be a good one to look for if their Scapini Medieval edition is any indication?

Thanks in advance for your help!

If in doubt get older editions. That's my motto. You're asking the question so I assume you have a choice. Go to eBay rather than straight off amazon.

US Games first published it in '83 or '84 so look for a New York address on the box or booklet, those will be the oldest.

Also, look for "Printed in Switzerland." I'm not 100% sure there is a Swiss printing of this deck, I just know a lot of US Games decks were printed in Switzerland before they were printed in Belgium, and as a rule tend to be pretty nice. Hopefully if someone has a Swiss printing they'll let us know.

That should increase the odds of getting a good one. I agree with Le Fanu about eBay, or any online seller that has some good pictures and who will answer questions.

Mine is dated 1984, second printing and printed in Belgium. Nice cardstock.

My husband's says 1984 and is the first edition. Cards printed in Belgium also. Card stock is good - a little matte on the back and glossier on the front. Feels sturdy enough without being too thick.

There's a used one on eBay that has a 1984 publication date. The new ones at Amazon have 1989. I'd guess the 1984 ones have a New York address and the 1989 ones are Stamford, CT.

I used to have an early one, first or second printing, and it was pretty nice as I recall. The prices I saw today at eBay and Amazon are laughable. I wouldn't give $200 for a vintage one much less a brand new one.

Thanks everyone!!! Yes I think there is a deck for sale in US Games or Amazon that says "new" at the moment? Not sure which edition they are though. So we think the currently available new ones are 1989 edition?

OK eBay then. What would be a fair price for a vintage Cary-Yale 1984 deck.....?

I don't know what's fair, but being in NZ, I looked around online for a while and bought my husband's copy recently via a seller on Abe Books who had 1 with the cards in mint condition but the box worn a little at the corners for $96 (US currency) plus shipping.

He said it would've been 15% less if I'd bought directly from his shop, so if you find one at a site like that where they charge the seller, you might look to see if they have a separate web page.

Thanks Rose! The ones I have seen were $99 and $110 before shipment and I am not sure if they have their own sites I will check. Abe Books sounds reasonable I will check them too. Thanks!!! (Shipment to New Zealand is sooooo expensive)

The Happy Squirrel said:

(Shipment to New Zealand is sooooo expensive)

Click to expand...

True. Cary-Yale was the most I've spent on a deck. -- Luckily Book Depository does free shipping worldwide for the decks that are available there.