Do you hesitate to use Expensive Decks??

cynthea

I find myself hesitant to use my expensive decks, (that I did not buy for a high price) but are valuable. My husband bought a blushing fool,pre copyright edition Rider Deck in late 60's early 70's and had stored away for our 30+ years of marriage, which I unburied about 10 years ago. I bought at the time a new Quest Tarot in 2008, I have no idea why and forgot I even bought it lol, when I was first looking into tarot. It was a few years when I started looking into Tarot again, and I discovered this deck is now OOP and valuable! I have now bought several more decks and seriously studying tarot, now into Marseille. I do find myself hesitant though to use an expensive deck. For me the cut off was about $50.00, until I find myself now considering independent decks that are 69.00! However, it does make me wonder how free I will feel using a more expensive deck compared to a mass produced inexpensive deck.

What is your cut-off point for an "expensive" deck that causes you pause? Do you feel differently ie more comfortable, casual, relaxed using an inexpensive vs expensive deck? I know that the definition of "Expensive" is individual, so please share your views and experience :) What do you consider an Expensive deck ?
thanks
 

agviz

There's no cutoff point for me. I have a few older decks, some being a bit pricey. I have a Conver printed in 1880 that I use with some regularity. I would hate not to use it, as it's one of my favorite decks.

I'll repeat a little story here that I mentioned in another thread: one time a friend came in from out of town and I did a reading for her with that Conver. It was a very enjoyable moment and I'd like to think she felt the same. Here's then a deck from many years ago - another time so to speak - that could be sitting on a shelf gathering dust, but is instead alive and well, making people happy all these years later.

There's nothing wrong with not using a deck because you just want to enjoy the artwork, but if you want to read with it, I say you should. You risk it getting damaged, but everything in this universe is temporary anyway.
 

Barleywine

If they read well, I use them; if not, I don't. Monetary value doesn't enter into it. But I don't bring them to public reading sessions.
 

nisaba

What is your cut-off point for an "expensive" deck that causes you pause? Do you feel differently ie more comfortable, casual, relaxed using an inexpensive vs expensive deck? I know that the definition of "Expensive" is individual, so please share your views and experience :) What do you consider an Expensive deck ?

I have no cut-off point at all. If I have paid money for something, I expect to use it and enjoy it. And the more money I've paid, the more I expect to use and enjoy it. Isn't that what it's for? Who among us truly wants to be a museum curator, who actively prevents themselves enjoying their belongings? (aside from my mother, I mean.)

How much would you spend on a weekend away? How much would you spend on a complete outfit of clothes and accessories? How much would you spend on travel expenses for a single trip somewhere? Do you expect NOT to use-and-enjoy those things, because they cost more than the usual cost of a Tarot deck?

How about the cost of a World Trip, or a pair of flawless diamond earrings, or a showroom-new car? Do they cost more than a valuable Tarot deck? Would that stop you using them?

So no, monetary value doesn't make me less inclined to enjoy my decks, it makes me, if anything, MORE inclined to use my decks.

What makes me less-inclined is those rare decks where you know there is only a very small print-run and you know they will never be reprinted. For example, my prized Kilted Rubber Chicken deck. It cost me a negligible sum, but there are only fifty copies in the entire world and its creator told me she has no plans to bring out any more copies - ever.

So, yes.

I had some Tarotistas over yesterday, and I took a deep breath before pulling it out to show them. And it cost next-to-nothing.

At least with an antique RW or an antique TdM, you know that there are plenty of reproductions of it, that it is not lost to history. The smaller print-run decks could easily be lost to history. :)
 

VGimlet

What is your cut-off point for an "expensive" deck that causes you pause? Do you feel differently ie more comfortable, casual, relaxed using an inexpensive vs expensive deck? I know that the definition of "Expensive" is individual, so please share your views and experience :) What do you consider an Expensive deck ?
thanks

I don't have a cut off point, and I have a few pretty expensive decks. Nothing over, say a thousand dollars, but my husband has gifted me with a few limited edition and rare decks I'd never have bought for myself. He's a very nice man.

BUT I use them all. Because, that's why I have them. I might not take them with me when I'm doing group readings, or places that might be dirty or full of possible spillage...but I never hesitate to use them. Because that's why I bought them, and I don't collect things that are not useable or useful in some way.
 

Cocobird55

The only deck I didn't read with was the Il Menegehello Vacchetta. I loved looking through the cards and admiring the art work, but they seemed to fragile to handle very much.
 

starlightexp

I read with all my decks up to and including my Pam A. One just needs to just how much use a deck feels like it can take really.
 

rwcarter

Not at all. I paid $250 for a sealed copy of the Garden of Priapus/Tarocco Erotico dei Gardini de Priapo. I use that deck every chance I get when doing Reading with Erotic Decks exchanges.

A deck's price (based on either cost at purchase or current going price) doesn't influence whether or not I use a deck. As has happened many times in the last few years, lots of OOP decks that used to go for a lot of money have been re-released, so the value of the original deck is reduced.

Rodney
 

Fermmoylle

I don't hesitate to use any of my decks, yet I use those card sleeves (also called deck protectors) that boardgamers and players of collectible card games use. All my tarot and oracle decks are protected by those.
After all, it's easier to replace a card sleeve than a particular card.