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What's the best deal you've gotten for a deck?


Guest libra

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Inspired by Raggydoll[/member]'s great find with the Roots of Asia ... What's the best deal you've gotten for a deck?

 

I'm not necessarily looking for what was cheapest - I picked up a deck from Spirit Halloween for 3 bucks and it was ... definitely a $3 deck lol.  Let's talk about the decks that you got a great deal on, that also gave you great value to your tarot practice!

 

I'm inclined to think that I bought a deck from techno-faeries.  I was desperate for a first edition Quantum Tarot deck, but it's out of print and was pretty pricey on ebay.  I grabbed a second edition, used from someone, but still wanted that first one!  While waiting for the used second edition to arrive, I still dug though the internet to see if I could pick up the first edition, somewhere for a reasonable price.

 

And then...I found it!  On a website that wasn't in English - I don't even know what it was.  A brand new, never opened, First Edition Quantum tarot for the same price it would have sold new, back in the day.  Not overpriced for OOP like it gets on eBay and the like...  I couldn't understand a word, but I could use internet norms to navigate a sale.  It was a weird experience, they even needed my SIN in the sale!  I felt REALLY sketched out by the whole experience ... but, remarkably, weridly fast, it arrived.  Like, before the other deck I bought got to me. 

 

What's REALLY weird, is I can find NO RECORD of buying it now.  It's not in my email history, or my browser history.  My credit card history shows just a random series of letters and numbers as the seller.  Nothing I've been able to trace to get back to the website.

 

But hey.  I got an OOP deck for the MSRP! 

 

What's been your best deal?

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My Stella Tarot!

 

Somewhere on the Internet, a person spoke about how a local shop in Japan still sold the deck.  And, drawing on my knowledge of people who buy Sailor Moon merchandise that is only available in Japan, I went to the reseller marker on a hunch.

 

The entire process was confusing and relied heavily on Google translate.  At some point I thought I had done it all wrong because I got an order cancellation notice and was content to let it go.  Weeks later it arrived on my door step and was perfect.

 

I still don't know how much I actually spent on the deck.  Between currency conversion, a shipping cost I didn't expect, but also the cancellation, it got all muddled and I just refuse to look now.  Ignorance is bliss and all that.  It was still cheaper than whatever the deck goes for on traditional sites (ebay, etc.). 

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Oh, let’s see. I got a 1970s Blushing fool RWS for about 4 dollars (box missing). I found the Stella tarot as ‘new old stock’ and paid what it had cost as new (this was after it had gone OOP. And I actually purchased more than one copy of it, hehe! I bought their entire supply of 4 Stella decks  X-D. I KNOW, crazy - but it’s my soul deck!) Oh and I found the first edition of Pierre de Madenie, also as ‘new old stock’ and got it for the original price. And I bought a 1920s Lenormand deck for next to nothing. I’m sure there are more examples. Basically most of my vintage/OOP/rare decks were bargains.

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Oh, let’s see. I got a 1970s Blushing fool RWS for about 4 dollars (box missing). I found the Stella tarot as ‘new old stock’ and paid what it had cost as new (this was after it had gone OOP. And I actually purchased more than one copy of it, hehe! I bought their entire supply of 4 Stella decks  X-D. I KNOW, crazy - but it’s my soul deck!) Oh and I found the first edition of Pierre de Madenie, also as ‘new old stock’ and got it for the original price. And I bought a 1920s Lenormand deck for next to nothing. I’m sure there are more examples. Basically most of my vintage/OOP/rare decks were bargains.

 

Do you find this vintage/rare finds in person or online?

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Oh, let’s see. I got a 1970s Blushing fool RWS for about 4 dollars (box missing). I found the Stella tarot as ‘new old stock’ and paid what it had cost as new (this was after it had gone OOP. And I actually purchased more than one copy of it, hehe! I bought their entire supply of 4 Stella decks  X-D. I KNOW, crazy - but it’s my soul deck!) Oh and I found the first edition of Pierre de Madenie, also as ‘new old stock’ and got it for the original price. And I bought a 1920s Lenormand deck for next to nothing. I’m sure there are more examples. Basically most of my vintage/OOP/rare decks were bargains.

 

Do you find this vintage/rare finds in person or online?

 

Both! I like to go to (or contact) metaphysical stores as they often carry decks that has gone OOP. But I also have some online places that I scout on a regular basis. Plus, many of my decks (especially the truly vintage ones) have been bought at smaller auction sites.

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Guest Night Shade

The mini version of the Hanson-Roberts tarot for $7.95.  It came with a mini book, and was a really good beginner's set.

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Roots of Asia l paid NOTHING as it was an exchange in the old AT forum, it was for a deck l had that they wanted. Had no idea what to expect but am grateful everyday for that exchange.

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Guest Night Shade

This is a bit off topic, but I once found the book Tarot Awareness, by Stephen Sterling at a garage sale for 50 cents.  I also found Eden Grey's Mastering the Tarot book at a church rummage sale for 50 cents, and the original version of Llewellyn's Tarot For Beginners at my library's annual used book sale for 50 cents.

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This is a bit off topic, but I once found the book Tarot Awareness, by Stephen Sterling at a garage sale for 50 cents.  I also found Eden Grey's Mastering the Tarot book at a church rummage sale for 50 cents, and the original version of Llewellyn's Tarot For Beginners at my library's annual used book sale for 50 cents.

 

My mom works at a library and snags the decks that pop up at the book sales for me! So far, just decks & not actual books, oddly enough!

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Guest Night Shade

My mom works at a library and snags the decks that pop up at the book sales for me! So far, just decks & not actual books, oddly enough!

 

I wish my library would get decks at their book sales. That's awesome!

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The Raven's Prophecy.

 

This wasn't a deal in the monetary sense because the deck was a gift, not a purchase. 

 

What makes it a deal is that it came with so much more than the gorgeous cards which work equally well for meditation, reading, and art; the sturdy magnetic box; and the interesting, informative book.

 

It came with a degree of love that emanates from the shelf on which it sits and draws me to it again and again, love which permeates its readings, love which reminds me of the best parts of my life.  It was a birthday present from two of my older grandsons who love me very much.

 

I know that's not what the original question means, but it's what it means to me!

 

 

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ThreeCircleTarot

Just got the Darkness of Light 2nd edition and the edges of the backs were cracking. I contacted Tony and he's sending me a new copy he's going to check over himself and if I'm still not pleased he's willing to refund me completely! Not really a deal but that customer service tho! <333

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Found the Servants if the Light tarot for £10 iirc. Sold it for the same price to someone who really appreciated it on AT. That felt like a good deal to me!

 

After it went OOP and prices went silly I was very pleased I'd bought the Place Alchemical Tarot for a ridiculously reasonable £12.

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The Raven's Prophecy.

 

This wasn't a deal in the monetary sense because the deck was a gift, not a purchase. 

 

What makes it a deal is that it came with so much more than the gorgeous cards which work equally well for meditation, reading, and art; the sturdy magnetic box; and the interesting, informative book.

 

It came with a degree of love that emanates from the shelf on which it sits and draws me to it again and again, love which permeates its readings, love which reminds me of the best parts of my life.  It was a birthday present from two of my older grandsons who love me very much.

 

I know that's not what the original question means, but it's what it means to me!

 

I 100% feel like this does fit the spirit of the thread! Thank you for sharing the story here!

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I found a partial Roots of Asia at one my favorite metaphysical shops while talking to the woman helping me look through their excellent deck selection.  She was going to sell it to me for $20 since several cards were missing - and then another person said, “Wait, I think we have a pile of miscellaneous cards here, may be the missing ones are there!”  And sure enough they were - and they still only charged me $25 for the complete deck.  It is beautiful and peaceful and I cherish it. 

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I found a partial Roots of Asia at one my favorite metaphysical shops while talking to the woman helping me look through their excellent deck selection.  She was going to sell it to me for $20 since several cards were missing - and then another person said, “Wait, I think we have a pile of miscellaneous cards here, may be the missing ones are there!”  And sure enough they were - and they still only charged me $25 for the complete deck.  It is beautiful and peaceful and I cherish it.

 

Awesome story!  <3

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My best deal so far would have to be my Black Mirror Oracle. When I found it I wasn't really actively looking for an oracle, or any deck for that matter. I just like to keep an eye on TradeMe (an NZ thing similar to Ebay). As I was looking through the used decks available I came across this one for only $20 (it's $85 if you get it from the artist's site). I really liked the artwork I could see and there was Hekate, who I had just started working with, in one of the pictures of the cards. So I thought "I'll put in a bid for it and if I get it I get it, if not then oh well." Low and behold I won the auction! Once I received it I discovered how wonderful and beautiful and intense it was. It's now become a regular in both my tarot (it's tarot based) and oracle practice! :D I absolutely love it! :D

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I've had some good luck so had quite a few nice finds within a short period of time (I only started tarot a little over a year ago)

 

Liminal Tarot for $55 and Collective Tarot for $60 on eBay

Baroque Bohemian Cats 2nd ed. deck still sealed for $30 on Amazon (which I proceeded to use my Amazon points to buy so got it for free  X-D)

De Laurence's RWS Tarot red edition for less than $5 (it was a lot of 11 other OOP decks for $50 though this one was by far the most valuable)

 

By far the best find was a vintage Pam B deck for $200.

HOWEVER the seller cancelled my order with no warning then when I demanded an answer as to why it was cancelled they cited issues with the condition. But I have since learned from another tarot friend that contacted the seller that he still has it and plans on putting it back up on eBay using auction instead of Buy It Now like he did earlier. This has happened to me a couple times where a seller cancelled an order just to later relist it for more money, but this was definitely by far the most upsetting.  :'(

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Well i live in greece (sometimes here oop can be found until they're all selled from a shop and always on the original price for a very long time depending on the popularity and cause of the greek editions too etc) and i got my first oracle at Its first edition the greek one thought but from personal preference after the creator discontinued all of her decks and on the original price it's the first edition of the angel oracle before hay house republish it only on valentines name and still plenty of doreens oracles both English and greek editions I'm planning to get (especially the ascendent masters deck) are available here on the original prizes so around 30$ for a new deck people sell around 100-200$ and above and mostly used ones is a pretty good deal for me

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Scarlet Woodland

I picked up a Gendron Tarot and Tarot of Northern Shadows in a shop that was closing down, for £10 (both still oop, last I checked) and a Royal Fez Moroccan in a Tintagel witchy shop for £20 a few years back.

 

Alas I think they're all going on my to sell list soon, as I feel "hard to find" decks should go to a more loving home, when I don't really use them much.

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Probably my best monetary deal was a brand new, still sealed and unused Idiosyncradeck. It shipped from Switzerland so the total was under $200 after the currency dust settled.

 

My best trade deal was for a Slow Holler, which I traded for my Ironwing. A good trade for me; Ironwing and I didn't gel anymore, but Slow Holler really does.

 

And my best 'you will never find this' shot in the dark was Tarot of the Lucid Slumber; a self-published deck, I figured I could do worse than simply contacting the creator and asking them if they had any left or planned to reprint. They did have copies! It's such a thoughtful, interesting piece, I really enjoy it.

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I found a vintage Roots of Asia tarot for the equivalent of 2 dollars. It was at the top of my  wish list for a very long time and I was not disappointed. Such a well crafted and stunning deck. Other than that, the vintage RWS, Stella tarot and Pierre de Madenie that I mentioned previously in this thread. 

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I spent around $40 for a sealed Pierre Madenié Marseille Tarot by Renaud just when it went OOP. It was the first edition with uncleaned ghost images. I guess the seller was not updated as to the value of his wares.  

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An artist once asked my opinion on his idea for a card. I gave it -as I do whenever anyone asks me these things.

 

To my very considerable surprise, when the (self-published) deck was complete, he sent me a free copy. That's what I call a good deal. And no I'm not naming him; I think that would be tacky.

 

With hindsight, the prices I paid for some of the decks I got years ago were a massively good deal. I bought Gli Arcana di Elisabetta - the hand painted one - for £75. She made 99 copies and only a few were painted. I see it selling now for a MINIMUM of $500.

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