Backup Copies

[Carojulie]

Ok, Backups. Ah. I do have many backups.

 

They make me feel so much safer when I use my decks.

 

And YES, they do indicate which are my favourite decks. Only my favourites get to be backed up. But I do have several favorites, to say the least.

 

When I take a deck with me in my bag, when I do a reading outside the house, it is most of the time with a deck that I have backup for.

Alternatively, it can be with my only copy of a deck I dont really care for, a cheap deck that I will not miss if it gets damaged or if it looses a card (example : when I went to the beach last summer with my cousins, I brought my only copy of the Llewellyn Classic tarot. Not difficult to replace AND I can very well live without it)

 

Examples of decks I have backup for :

Druidcraft tarot

Clover tarot

Fountain tarot

Stella's tarot

Albano Waite french version

Saki Sakki

Sacred Bridges tarot

Japaridze

Vanessa tarot.....

 

I also have backups for many of my Baba decks - usually I only get backup for one of the edition, not for all the editions, because that would become a financial well (in all truth, it already is.... :-[ )

 

I have had accidents happen to decks in the past. One got drenched in water, another in red wine. One deck lost a card and the card was never recovered.

Also, cards can get bent or scratched so bad that you can tell wich card it is from the backs only (a turnoff for me). This has not happened to me, because I take extreme care of my decks, but this is a danger that hoovers over us all, isn't it.

 

Sometimes, when I really, really love a deck and I use it very often, having several backups is something I do consider.

I do have two backups for my Albano, for the Fountain and for the Clover, for example. And I really wish I had an additional backup for the Stella's.

 

With decks that come in several editions, like Baba decks, I do not feel the need for multiple backups as strongly, because there is also the other editions that can serve as backup, if the worst came to the worst.

In that case, the deck that I take out in the world with me would be the one I have a backup for, and the more limited, favourite, special edition (that I might have only one copy of) would be the one that I keep for myself at home.

 

That said, disasters can strike at home too. I once had a glass of water tumbled over a deck. That can happen if you have cats or little people at home (advice : dont let your decks lie around ! Now I learnt my lesson) Good thing it was water and not sticky orange juice. The deck was saved. But that is to say : yes, things can happen. Beware. Have backups.

[Carojulie]

And, let me add a little history to the previous post to put it into perspective.

 

I have not always been like that.

Believe it or not, there was a day in my life when I did not have any conception of what backup tarot decks were for. In that time, I lived with very few decks, only a few favourites, and they had no back-ups at all, and I was swimming in unsuspecting bliss.

 

I started with the one copy of the Bohemian Gothic, and the one copy of the Albano Waite, and the one copy of the Kat Black Golden Tarot..... that lasted several years ! yes, several years.

Then came the doomed day when I realised that my Golden Tarot had lost its Death card. I rummaged through the entire house, unfairly accused all my flabbergasted family members of stealing the card, made everybody stoop on hands and knees to search for the card. To no avail.

I bought another copy of the Golden Tarot, and that was that.

Fast forward a few months later. While iddily browsing Baba Studio's website, I realised that the Bohemian Gothic was OOP. That's when the realisation hit me (hard) : what if it had been my beloved Bohemian Gothic that had lost a card, instead of the easily replaceable Golden Tarot ? I could have made retrospective nightmares at the thought of it all.

So, when the next edition of the BG came out, I fell on it like a hungry bird of prey and bought two copies. Then I could relax.

 

And that is how my maniac need for backups was born. Alas.

 

It has reached a point where, when I do not have a backup for a deck that I love, I dont use the deck as much as I wish I would. For example I never dare taking this deck out in my purse, or on a trip. It has become a psychological trap, where I freak out if a favourite deck has no back up. Silly, isn't it ?

But I work on this issue, I do ! One day will come when I will be utterly relaxed and will slap OOP rare unbacked -up cards on public café tables like no-one's business. But I am not there yet.

[Chiska]

I have a herd of Thoths because on can never have too many Thoths. 

 

I did buy an extra copy of the Fantastic Menagerie right after I got my first one. I really, really liked that deck so much that I knew I would wear it out!  Luckily, it is lasting nicely and the unopened FM kit sits on the shelf and collects dust.  But you never know! LOL

 

I also bought another original Mythic Tarot because my very first deck, while still usable, was damaged heavily by a cat.  He chewed on them and he knocked over a large mocha on to them.  And not while I was there! I had stepped away and he did his stuff.  I was gone long enough that all cards were saturated.  The new Mythic Tarot makes me sad, so I found an extra old one to make sure I have one.  I can't believe I still use that poor disheveled deck.  It took YEARS to get it to stop sticking to itself.

 

Other than that, the duplicates I have are different versions or different sizes of the original. 

[FLizarraga]

Not bad. It looks like cotton.

But "hanky"? Those are for nose blowing!

 

 

That's NOT what Ayesha thinks...

 

P.S. Sorry the image shows upside down. If anyone knows how to correct this, let me know.

[katrinka]

That said, disasters can strike at home too. I once had a glass of water tumbled over a deck. That can happen if you have cats or little people at home (advice : dont let your decks lie around ! Now I learnt my lesson) Good thing it was water and not sticky orange juice. The deck was saved. But that is to say : yes, things can happen. Beware. Have backups.

 

Spillage can happen all too easily. I have the same rule for cards at home that I do for my laptop: No drinks on the table with them. On a nearby surface is fine, in my lap is fine, but not on the table. So far it's worked, knock wood! As for going out, though...well, that's why we have backups and cheap mass-produced decks.

 

As for losing cards, so far I've been lucky. But I do lose other things. I once lost my bank card on the bed. I knew it was there somewhere (I'd been sitting there ordering something or other) and stripped the bed, shook out the sheets and blankets, looked underneath, etc. three or four times. No bank card. I ended up getting it replaced and wondering if I'd lost my mind. Months later I was cleaning and saw the old bank card peeking out of the metal frame that holds the box spring. It had fallen in there and landed perfectly with just a fraction of an inch peeking out. So yeah - check that spot!

[katrinka]

Not bad. It looks like cotton.

But "hanky"? Those are for nose blowing!

 

 

That's NOT what Ayesha thinks...

 

P.S. Sorry the image shows upside down. If anyone knows how to correct this, let me know.

 

Ayesha is wise, indeed.

 

I don't know what you're using, but in Windows you could open the image in your photo viewer, flip it, and re-upload it. Not that Windows is a prize, by any means, it's just the first thing that comes to mind. I'm sure most things have a similar fix, but I can't think of a solution that doesn't involve re-uploading.

[Mitsuraki]

I don't have any backup copies, though there have been a few decks I'd like to get backups for, because they seem to be decks that are crazy resonant for me in the personal readings I do.

 

-Darkness of Light

-The Celtic Tarot (new one by Kristoffer Hughes)

-Fountain Tarot

-Harry Potter Tarot

-Pokemon Tarot (I really didn't expect this one or the one before it to work that well, but I guess because of how entwined both have been in my life they just...really worked!)

-The Starchild Akashic

 

I know that none of these are seem to be the awe inspiring decks like a lot that were mentioned, but I guess that's what happens when you end up not really buying decks the way that I would have liked to for about 8 years.  Ah well.  I'm sure I'll catch some amazingly popular and desired ones some day!  :D

[VGimlet]

I have a back  up deck of my beloved Mary-el.  Okay, two.  But one is trimmed.  One is autographed.  One is untouched. 

 

I also have a back-up of my Gilded, because I carry it with me, and it's a favorite for my querents. 

 

While I have many Thoth decks, and many RWS  none of them are exactly the same edition, so I don't really count them.   

[FLizarraga]

Not bad. It looks like cotton.

But "hanky"? Those are for nose blowing!

 

 

That's NOT what Ayesha thinks...

 

P.S. Sorry the image shows upside down. If anyone knows how to correct this, let me know.

 

Ayesha is wise, indeed.

 

I don't know what you're using, but in Windows you could open the image in your photo viewer, flip it, and re-upload it. Not that Windows is a prize, by any means, it's just the first thing that comes to mind. I'm sure most things have a similar fix, but I can't think of a solution that doesn't involve re-uploading.

 

 

I did exactly that, yet the image still shows upside down. It shows upright on Tapatalk, though. Just one of those things.

[Hedera]

Thoth decks seem to flock to my house like stray cats... it's the first deck I ever bought, didn't click with it at all, loathed for a decade (or two), and now I'm falling in love with it, slowly but surely.

I have a feeling that deck might be the final one I end up with - I can see it slipping into my coffin, or something. ;)

Nevertheless, all those Thoths don't feel like backups; just like extra pairs of good, warm, woollen socks don't feel like backups.

 

I like trimming decks (well, I don't like the *trimming*... but I dislike most borders and I Love pocket-sized decks) and usually I'll try and get a backup before I trim, in case something goes horribly wrong.

So I've got trimmed and untrimmed versions of the Sun & Moon, Robin Wood, Haindl, and a few others - and, of course, a handful of trimmed Thoths.

Of course, there are a few decks I keep meaning to trim (Paulina, Dreaming Way, Fountain) but haven't gotten around to yet.

 

And, if I really like a deck and use it a lot, and if it's affordable, I'll often buy a copy (or two) extra; that way, I can draw a card for the day, or do a spread, and leave those cards out (my readings usually need to percolate) and still have a full deck to study with, or to put in my bag.

 

 

And finally there are a few decks, a select handful, that have a backup in a different location!

 

They're not necessarily the most valuable or hard to get; just a core selection of beloved workhorse decks.

 

There was a fire in my apartment building a few years ago, and while in the end the only real damage was in the apartment where it started, on the other side of the building, all of the inhabitants had to spend the evening waiting in a communal room to see if the building needed to be evacuated.

It did make me realize how vulnerable all my beloved books and decks really are.

[Lionsdaughter]

I have 4 copies of the Victorian Romantic I bought a few years ago after not being able to get it for a while.  I have 2 copies of the Druidcraft, though one I trimmed.  I'd like to get more copies of various single decks so I can trim them.  I have two of the Ghetto Tarot, though I don't connect with it that well.  I would like to get more backups of favorites as soon as I have the extra money to do so, though I usually save to get an expensive deck I may have missed out on.  I do plan on getting several more copies of Reall's Pam's Tarot Vintage and Original edition because I love them so much.

 

Thank you Padma for the tip on Tarot Garden having Touchstone.  I ordered one today.

[Jewel]

I am not sure if I would call them back-ups as I will most likely not rub the spots of them, but they are decks I loved enough to ensure I had a spare copy of in the event something ever happened to my original version LOL.  The decks are:

- Cosmic Tribe (ended up with a second copy when I wrote the publisher requesting a replacement card because my magician card had an ink stain in the margin) .... they sent me a whole new deck and I kept them both.

- Victorian Romantic Gold

 

Decks that are not identical, meaning they are different editions of the deck:

- Bohemian Gothic (Silver and standard)

- Baroque Bohemian Cats (original, gold, and second edition)

- Tarot of the Magical Forest (Leo Tang & LoScarabeo editions) - what can I say this deck makes me laugh

 

I just organizing all my tarot stuff this weekend and realized I also have two copies of the Pearls of Wisdom (different editions)

[Jewel]

I know that none of these are seem to be the awe inspiring decks like a lot that were mentioned, but I guess that's what happens when you end up not really buying decks the way that I would have liked to for about 8 years.  Ah well.  I'm sure I'll catch some amazingly popular and desired ones some day!  :D

If you love the decks that is the only thing that matters, and that makes them awe inspiring.  Personal resonance and preference is one of the wonderful things about tarot.  :D

[EmpyreanKnight]

I know that none of these are seem to be the awe inspiring decks like a lot that were mentioned, but I guess that's what happens when you end up not really buying decks the way that I would have liked to for about 8 years.  Ah well.  I'm sure I'll catch some amazingly popular and desired ones some day!  :D

If you love the decks that is the only thing that matters, and that makes them awe inspiring.  Personal resonance and preference is one of the wonderful things about tarot.  :D

 

I so agree with this. I know some of the decks I'm passionate about make many people go "Whut?", but what matters is that my esteem for them has forged a bond between us that would serve me in good stead when I do eventually work with them. :)

[Jewel]

I know that none of these are seem to be the awe inspiring decks like a lot that were mentioned, but I guess that's what happens when you end up not really buying decks the way that I would have liked to for about 8 years.  Ah well.  I'm sure I'll catch some amazingly popular and desired ones some day!  :D

If you love the decks that is the only thing that matters, and that makes them awe inspiring.  Personal resonance and preference is one of the wonderful things about tarot.  :D

 

I so agree with this. I know some of the decks I'm passionate about make many people go "Whut?", but what matters is that my esteem for them has forged a bond between us that would serve me in good stead when I do eventually work with them. :)

I think most people would probably go "Whut?" about some of my favorites as well.

[Annabelle]

I have very few backup copies, and those that I do have were largely accidents (i.e. I'd forget that I backed something on Kickstarter, then also pre-order a copy from the artist's website, and end up with two).

 

On the whole, though, I don't have the funds or space or interest in purchasing duplicates. Plus, with few exceptions, I've seen over the years that there's minimal profit to be made by selling HTF and OOP decks.

[AJ-ish/Sharyn]

none, never seen the value of it myself. If I were reading enough to use up a deck it would be with one that has been in production since dirt was new.

[Rose Lalonde]

Katrinka is right about spilling and losing things! For me at least! There are reading decks I didn't want to stress over:

Roots of Asia

Tabula Mundi Colores Arcus

Tabula Mundi In Minima

 

I also have 2 of the Mamanmiyuki mini, just because most of the cost was in the shipping, which was the same for 2 as for 1. It's my shuffle deck now, so it worked out.

 

(I'd have liked a second Asherah, but it was $65 for one before shipping... so no.)

[Whisper]

I definitely believe in having copies of decks I really love.

 

I have

 

Three DruidCrafts. Two with the big book and one with the small one. (That third purchase might have been because I was missing having my DruidCraft, saw one and bought it while on holiday);

Two Osho Zen;

Two Journey into Egypt;

Two Victorian Romantic Tarot (One is the gold edition - very happy to have that one);

 

(Two Crowley Thoth decks (illustrated by Lady Harris. Both freak me out. I think I have two because I was determined to give this a second try, so bought the second, but it didn't change anything).

 

 

[Scarlet Woodland]

I don't have any back-ups strictly speaking; though if I sensed that Tarot Of Vampyres or Mary-El copies were getting thin on the ground, I'd definitely grab one or two.

 

My extra Druidcraft was for trimming purposes, the Thoth, Rosetta and Tabula Mundi extras are minis, and the Illuminated, Deck Of The Bastard, Wild Unknown, Shadowscapes and Victorian Romantic were/are all different editions with noticeable changes.

 

A deck has to be pretty important to me to fork out for alternate editions though, so it's still a fairly meaningful list  :) .

[cosita]

I have backups for decks that I use often and carry around: Ellis Deck, Tarot of the Magical Forest and Ancient Italian. Also considering getting a backup of Il Meneghello's Tarocco Neoclassico because I've been using it a lot lately and dog forbid I misplace it!