Dan & Dave Variety Box (combined topic)

[Nurul]

These are officially now out of stock on the D&D website.

[Don Boyer]

Well... Of course we buy the product for its contents but a "designer" spends as much time designing the tuck box "conceptually" as they do each court card. I'm NOT talking about those illustrating their decks. Tuck boxes are still a very important part of the design. I don't recall any cigarette box ever being engineered sideways. Thought and craftsmanship was still put into it, rather a standard uspcc box. Just because D&D upgraded the box for this private reserve, does not make the cards any less applicable. In this case they are as applicable as any other version of S&M.

I believe these are the deluxe v7 court cards. Would I prefer the older style. Sure. Since the v7 deluxe version uses the more standard court cards already, I'm fine with continuing the trend for this private reserve.

4 figures? I wouldn't pay 3 figures for ONE. Even if it were a JN. A collectible box set of 12, less < then $200. Sure.  I like value for my $.

While cigarette boxes aren't meant to be opened from the side, they are meant to have that flip-top style in many cases - a few examples are provided below.  Someone informed me on the topic about that deck that the design was actually inspired by such boxes.

And you're not the only one who likes value for his money!  The only deck I bought for more than $50 was a magic deck that performed an amazing trick.

[Card Player]

Well... Of course we buy the product for its contents but a "designer" spends as much time designing the tuck box "conceptually" as they do each court card. I'm NOT talking about those illustrating their decks. Tuck boxes are still a very important part of the design. I don't recall any cigarette box ever being engineered sideways. Thought and craftsmanship was still put into it, rather a standard uspcc box. Just because D&D upgraded the box for this private reserve, does not make the cards any less applicable. In this case they are as applicable as any other version of S&M.

I believe these are the deluxe v7 court cards. Would I prefer the older style. Sure. Since the v7 deluxe version uses the more standard court cards already, I'm fine with continuing the trend for this private reserve.

4 figures? I wouldn't pay 3 figures for ONE. Even if it were a JN. A collectible box set of 12, less < then $200. Sure.  I like value for my $.

While cigarette boxes aren't meant to be opened from the side, they are meant to have that flip-top style in many cases - a few examples are provided below.  Someone informed me on the topic about that deck that the design was actually inspired by such boxes.

And you're not the only one who likes value for his money!  The only deck I bought for more than $50 was a magic deck that performed an amazing trick.

http://www.playingcardforum.com/playing-card-plethora/smoke-and-mirrors-gold-reserve-edition!!/msg89074/#msg89074

I just wish people would drop the "cigarette box" references.  Does it vaguely resemble a cigarette box?  Sure, but perhaps from days gone by.  It's just a flip-top box - and it's not even the first deck to employ a flip-top box, though it is to my knowledge the first to do so and be side-loading, at least among modern custom decks.  Bent Castle Workshops released their Pegleg Pete decks, Extraordinary Voyages decks and I think a few more using just such a box.  The construction of the BCW boxes is insanely sturdy, with walls that are thicker and stronger than on any measly old tuck box I've ever seen.  It wouldn't surprise me in the least if this deck's box had similar construction properties.

Don - Did you change your opinion? I could swear on the Smoke & Mirror Gold PR thread, you actually defended the NON-association of cigarette boxes and wished people would drop it? Now your bringing it up and defending its association with cigarette boxes? It seems you knew of its inspiration at the time you asked people to drop it.

Yes, there is a strong association with cigarette boxes. I "believe" even Dan & Dave made reference. Personally, I DON'T smoke (only my avatar (Alan Moore)). I don't think of cigarettes when I hold GOLD PR in my hands. I've held a cigarette box before and the Gold PR is actually made of thicker quality paper. You can instantly tell once in your hands, its meant to exhibit a higher quality. I never got that feeling from a cigarette box. The same engineered properties, with higher quality materials.

[Don Boyer]

It's less about changing my opinion, more about being proven wrong!  Hey, it happens, I've been wrong before, and surely will be again sometimes.

I've seen high-quality cigarettes like Dunhill use a box that's comparable on quality if not the same grade.  I've also seen other deck makers use a similar design (Bent Castle Workshop, for one).

[Card Player]

It's less about changing my opinion, more about being proven wrong!  Hey, it happens, I've been wrong before, and surely will be again sometimes.

I've seen high-quality cigarettes like Dunhill use a box that's comparable on quality if not the same grade.  I've also seen other deck makers use a similar design (Bent Castle Workshop, for one).

I'm not keeping score. I'm too far behind. lol

[Wilko]

Well I got my VB from d&d today.
#29 of 144
Red aristocrat
Fultons October
Chinatown game of death
Red Tahoe #1332 of 2500
Stranger stranger Ultimate
Black/gold monarch
Fultons clipjoint black label
Private reserve
Deckstarter no cellophane black deck seal
Red whispering imps
Black JAQK
HMNIM

I'm happy with what was I'm my box. I really wanted the game of death for this to be a win for me.
Only negative was that my clipjoint black seal was printed way off centre on the tuck box. I'll post a picture if I can figure out how!
Can't really say it's a negative though. I contacted d&d and there sending out a replacement.
Happy days.

[Wilko]

Wow. That was easy!! Here's the pics.

[Wilko]

Here's another.

[jwats01]

Well I got my VB from d&d today.
#29 of 144
Red aristocrat
Fultons October
Chinatown game of death
Red Tahoe #1332 of 2500
Stranger stranger Ultimate
Black/gold monarch
Fultons clipjoint black label
Private reserve
Deckstarter no cellophane black deck seal
Red whispering imps
Black JAQK
HMNIM

I'm happy with what was I'm my box. I really wanted the game of death for this to be a win for me.
Only negative was that my clipjoint black seal was printed way off centre on the tuck box. I'll post a picture if I can figure out how!
Can't really say it's a negative though. I contacted d&d and there sending out a replacement.
Happy days.

Nice! I was hoping for a Game of Death too, but no luck! Oh well, off to the ISO pages. LOL

[Don Boyer]

Here's another.

Some collectors put a premium on misprints like that.  It's clear that the tuck box sheet shifted before reaching the cutter, making the box look skewed without actually being folded the wrong way.

[bhong]

Here's another.

Some collectors put a premium on misprints like that.  It's clear that the tuck box sheet shifted before reaching the cutter, making the box look skewed without actually being folded the wrong way.

I believe has been brought up before, but are misprints and mistakes like these as valuable in the playing card world? I know in other collectable worlds (ie. coins, stamps, toys, etc), errors and mistakes bring things up as they are that handful that exist in that state.

But back to topic. Pretty fun misprint and the big question is, are you going to open it, Wilko?

[Wilko]

Here's another.

Some collectors put a premium on misprints like that.  It's clear that the tuck box sheet shifted before reaching the cutter, making the box look skewed without actually being folded the wrong way.

I believe has been brought up before, but are misprints and mistakes like these as valuable in the playing card world? I know in other collectable worlds (ie. coins, stamps, toys, etc), errors and mistakes bring things up as they are that handful that exist in that state.

But back to topic. Pretty fun misprint and the big question is, are you going to open it, Wilko?

To answer your question bhong. No, I'm not going to open the deck up. It's kinda cool that it's misprinted. It makes it unique.

[Don Boyer]

Some collectors put a premium on misprints like that.  It's clear that the tuck box sheet shifted before reaching the cutter, making the box look skewed without actually being folded the wrong way.

I believe has been brought up before, but are misprints and mistakes like these as valuable in the playing card world? I know in other collectable worlds (ie. coins, stamps, toys, etc), errors and mistakes bring things up as they are that handful that exist in that state.

Hmm...  You did read what I wrote just before you, right?  If this was a court of law, my lawyer would be saying "Objection - asked and answered." 

[Card Player]

Here's another.

Some collectors put a premium on misprints like that.  It's clear that the tuck box sheet shifted before reaching the cutter, making the box look skewed without actually being folded the wrong way.

I find it strange no one from D&D caught it while putting the VB's together. Why throw it in a VB purposely?

I know currency collectors put high premium on errors. It can take something that is considered common and increase value to it. I believe most errors with value have more to do with being government issued. Mostly because they rarely make it to circulation before being destroyed and replaced. If you ever see an American dollar with a "*" on the serial number, those are replacement bills for destroyed currency.

[Sher143]

Here's another.

Some collectors put a premium on misprints like that.  It's clear that the tuck box sheet shifted before reaching the cutter, making the box look skewed without actually being folded the wrong way.

I find it strange no one from D&D caught it while putting the VB's together. Why throw it in a VB purposely?

I know currency collectors put high premium on errors. It can take something that is considered common and increase value to it. I believe most errors with value have more to do with being government issued. Mostly because they rarely make it to circulation before being destroyed and replaced. If you ever see an American dollar with a "*" on the serial number, those are replacement bills for destroyed currency.

Oh, cool. I didn't know that. I must remember to check for those sometime!

[PurpleIce]

I'm taking that its Summer/Autumn 2014 since the last one was Winter/Spring 2014.

Dropping this Friday, July 4th. Our seasonal Variety Box featuring a collection or 12 different decks of ‪#‎playingcards‬. Limited to 144. Signed and numbered certificate of authenticity included.

[Don Boyer]

I'm taking that its Summer/Autumn 2014 since the last one was Winter/Spring 2014.

Dropping this Friday, July 4th. Our seasonal Variety Box featuring a collection or 12 different decks of ‪#‎playingcards‬. Limited to 144. Signed and numbered certificate of authenticity included.

The decks inside are hard to discern from that faux reflection.  I can see a Virtuoso, a NOC and a HMNIM.  I can make out a dark box with a "Distributed by D&D" design on its side as well.

Who wants to wager that there's Deckstarter decks in the box? 

[IAmTheChin]

Can I ask if there are a lot of brick box collectors around here? I've collected only a couple when convenient but never actively sought it out.

[Don Boyer]

Can I ask if there are a lot of brick box collectors around here? I've collected only a couple when convenient but never actively sought it out.

Some people do collect the brick boxes, especially if they're sweet-looking customs, but I think that would be more of a minority in a minority hobby.  The thing of it is that in most cases, to get a brick box you have to buy a brick, and not as many people buy anything by the brick these days because there's just so many new designs hitting the market - the money has to go a little further than it did before.

It would make an excellent limited-edition release.  If there's one thing that some collectors go nuts for, it's limited editions.  But that will work only if the "barrier to entry" isn't as high - either offer the boxes flat and empty as an add-on, or consider the new half-brick boxes - check out the Ornate White decks and you'll see what I mean about the half-bricks.  Where someone won't buy a brick, they might buy a half-brick.

[Anthony]

I'm taking that its Summer/Autumn 2014 since the last one was Winter/Spring 2014.

Dropping this Friday, July 4th. Our seasonal Variety Box featuring a collection or 12 different decks of ‪#‎playingcards‬. Limited to 144. Signed and numbered certificate of authenticity included.

The decks inside are hard to discern from that faux reflection.  I can see a Virtuoso, a NOC and a HMNIM.  I can make out a dark box with a "Distributed by D&D" design on its side as well.

Who wants to wager that there's Deckstarter decks in the box? 

I would say that's a certainty Don 

[Card Player]

I'm taking that its Summer/Autumn 2014 since the last one was Winter/Spring 2014.

Dropping this Friday, July 4th. Our seasonal Variety Box featuring a collection or 12 different decks of ‪#‎playingcards‬. Limited to 144. Signed and numbered certificate of authenticity included.

The decks inside are hard to discern from that faux reflection.  I can see a Virtuoso, a NOC and a HMNIM.  I can make out a dark box with a "Distributed by D&D" design on its side as well.

Who wants to wager that there's Deckstarter decks in the box? 

I see a Bruce Lee, what might be a Black Label Clip Joint, possibly an Exquisite Bold. I would not be surprised if the orange Voltige and the Magic Con 2014 decks are included.

[IAmTheChin]

It would make an excellent limited-edition release.  If there's one thing that some collectors go nuts for, it's limited editions.  But that will work only if the "barrier to entry" isn't as high - either offer the boxes flat and empty as an add-on, or consider the new half-brick boxes - check out the Ornate White decks and you'll see what I mean about the half-bricks. 
[/quote]

Hey Don, do you think you could post a picture or link me to one of these half-bricks? I can't seem to find a picture on the KS unless I'm just blatantly missing it?

[RandyButterfield]

Hey Alex,

It's good to see you back again! It's great to see some new Seasons coming soon as well!

We did the 6pk Boxes for the original Amethyst and Emerald Ornates and the Imperial Decks only. The White Ornates has the 4 Deck wide Brick Boxes.

Thanks, Randy

[Justin O.]

It was the Private Reserve I was hoping would be here... Missed it before and glad to see it included.
Between that and a few other decks in there I have had my eye on I picked one up.

Variety Box, Summer 2014
http://shop.dananddave.com/playing-cards/variety-box.html

1.Thick Lines
 2.Virtuosos, Spring/Summer Ed.
 3.HMNIM
 4.Exquiste, Bold
 5.Clip Joint
 6.Arrco® Tahoe
 7.Private Reserve
 8.Bee® RJRTC
 9.Bruce Lee, v2
 10.Smoke & Mirrors, Carbon
 11.DeckStarter®
 12.Whispering Imps, Special Edition Red Box

[PurpleIce]

It was the Private Reserve I was hoping would be here... Missed it before and glad to see it included.
Between that and a few other decks in there I have had my eye on I picked one up.

Variety Box, Summer 2014
http://shop.dananddave.com/playing-cards/variety-box.html

1.Thick Lines
 2.Virtuosos, Spring/Summer Ed.
 3.HMNIM
 4.Exquiste, Bold
 5.Clip Joint
 6.Arrco® Tahoe
 7.Private Reserve
 8.Bee® RJRTC
 9.Bruce Lee, v2
 10.Smoke & Mirrors, Carbon
 11.DeckStarter®
 12.Whispering Imps, Special Edition Red Box

Only interested in the Private Reserve and the Virts. The rest I either have or have no interest in. Just feel they should stop repeating decks from previous Variety Box.

I already can predict the next Variety box will have a clip joint and a arrco tahoe