How many is too many?

[vee]

For me, "too much" isn't the way I view my collection. I wrote a huge meandering blog post about this recently, but basically what I settled on was that as long I purchase decks purposefully, with meaning, I can have as many as I want. The thing for me to avoid is acquisition for acquisitions sake, like getting too caught up in bargains, completitionism, or just the rush of buying something new!

 

[Chiska]

For me, "too much" isn't the way I view my collection. I wrote a huge meandering blog post about this recently, but basically what I settled on was that as long I purchase decks purposefully, with meaning, I can have as many as I want. The thing for me to avoid is acquisition for acquisitions sake, like getting too caught up in bargains, completitionism, or just the rush of buying something new!

Well said!! Very well said!!!

It is true that one can get caught up in those things. I used to pre-order things - but now, I don't. Not unless it is something REALLY special that I know I will want (like the Rosetta). Completionism is my greatest sin, though. But you'd be proud! I actually backed off from 3 different decks this weekend - at the last minutes - because that is all they were for - to complete sub collections.

I do have a terrible weakness for Thoth decks, though.

 

[vee]

LOL, I just bought a deck to complete a subcollection. (Light & Shadow, finishing up my Brian Williams collection). I don't think completionism is inherently bad, but I try to keep it in perspective. The reason I collect Brian Williams's decks is because every one of them has greatly enriched my tarot experience. If L&S had ended up being a dud (but omg it isn't), I like to think that I would have no problem selling it.

Completionism for just its own sake runs the risk of being bad, I think. Like, I love Lisa Hunt's Fairy Tale and enjoy Animals Divine. I'll definitely order her next deck because it looks awesome. But I have no interest in her earlier decks and so I'm not going to buy them, even though the little tarot devil on my shoulder whispers to me "but wouldn't be nice to have all her decks?" Darn tarot devil, you shut it.

 

[celticnoodle]

I like the answer someone gave here that said "when you run out of space". That said, it looks to me like Gregory probably has the most, though I wonder....however, as far as I know, she deserves the blue ribbon for having that many tarot decks!

 

[Richard]

I am aiming for around a dozen decks. I have more than twice that now. That's way too many. Most were acquired when I was in the process of finding what decks were most suitable for me, my taste in Tarot being extremely aeclectic. My most recent purchase is The Lebanese Tarot (©2007), which I wish never to leave me, even in death (were that possible) .

 

[Morwenna]

"Too many" is a very personal concept, but then so is "enough." I probably have more than enough (around 30), but I wouldn't say I have too many. Would I like more? Sure. Would I like lots more? Probably not. Even if I had the money, I probably wouldn't even approach 100. And in any case only a small percent would rise to the top. But I get (and wish for) just what I like; I don't get into completionism (at least, not with Tarot). And maybe someday I'll pass along the few decks that I hardly ever look at anymore.

 

[The crowned one]

I tend to cull my collections every couple of years, so too many is mood and time dependent for me. Right now I have perhaps twenty decks, that is very low, but I recently got ride of all the " I'll get to it decks" and the " I would like to see and hold this deck" decks.

 

[MissJo]

I believe that would depend completely on the individual and how much room they would have to store their decks.

 

[Machelle]

It depends on the person and why they have them in the first place. If you are a collector just for the art, then no...you can never have enough. If you have decks just for reading, then you can probably have too many. I like collecting them for the art but I only choose ones that I am attracted to. Some one the ones I've purchased in the past were for when I was strictly learning and they were recommendations for classes I was taking. The rest have been because I like the looks of them and wasn't even sure if I would use them or not. Of course, taste changes and I wonder why I bought some of them but I love them none the less. I have 27 now and I am waiting for a couple in the mail. It's fun to get them and go through the pictures and compare them to other decks. Some of the artistry is just incredible. There is alot of joy when I come across a deck that really like.

 

[Metafizzypop]

It depends on the person and why they have them in the first place. If you are a collector just for the art, then no...you can never have enough. If you have decks just for reading, then you can probably have too many.

This.

If you buy tarot decks for the art, there's no such thing as too many. But if you intend to use them all as working decks, then I think that you can have too many. Because in order to be able to read with a deck, I mean, to read with it really well, you have to spend time with it. And if you own a whole lotta decks, that spreads your time thin. You can never give any deck the attention it needs.

Every tarot is unique, created by a different artist and writer, and with a different vision. Every tarot deck has its own voice. But in order to get that pile of cards to speak to you with its voice you have to devote yourself to it, at least for a while. And you can't do that when you buy 40 decks a month. You never get a chance to get to know any of them.

OTOH, if I could afford it, I'd buy 'em anyway.