How many collectors open decks?

[kmdhstew]

I'm a new collector...just a few months now. I started out looking for interesting cards for poker games and discovered the world of collecting. Because I started out by collecting only decks of interest I can't resist opening every deck I buy. And now have started buying 2 or more decks of each I get (gets expensive fast).

My question is, how many collectors out there buy decks and never open them? Do you eventually get so many you are able to resist the temptation? Seems the idea of collecting is you get to open and see and touch. But the down side is they lose some collection value.

[TigerKnee]

If the deck looks nice enough, I'll buy four.  Three to store and one for display.

Unless of course they're crazy expensive.  (I'm looking at you Moth deck!!! )

[jmrock]

Always sealed... For the purposes of collecting, anything opened decreases the value tremendously... Vintage: The more sealed the better... Modern: Sealed for collecting purposes... If I am head over heels in love with a deck I'll buy a second to open...

[digipunk]

Do you eventually get so many you are able to resist the temptation?

If I really like a deck, I will open and use it. So if I really like a deck, I buy as many as I can.
Buying decks and not opening them, no fun, no fun, no fun.
_

[Labyrinth]

in my opinion I think decks is both for collection and playing

for collection : sealed and don't open it, just for display like stamp collection

for playing : open it !!! and enjoy the special feeling of special deck(like vintage decks)

so I will buy 2 or more decks for those I like
1 for playing, others for collection

I just think I don't want to collect a deck and I never know how is the cards feeling

but if I only have 1 deck...
I will keep it sealed, and wait for the second

[digipunk]

but if I only have 1 deck...
I will keep it sealed, and wait for the second

You are a vintage deck collector, so you know we usually have to wait for the chances. Modern deck collectors don't understand why you have one and need to wait for the second...

[kmdhstew]

I fear vintage collecting will start soon and I'm also interested in getting a few uncuts to frame and put up in my poker room. I'm in trouble...it's too late to turn back!

[Gareth]

Like most guys here, I'll buy multiple if I like 'em.  Probably nowadays I'll get two or more of 70-80% of the new decks out there (it started out more like 20%).  The others (I'm looking at you Karnival series) I'll just get the one and keep it sealed.


I guess the issue is if you want to have one of everything in your collection - or whether you're just happy collecting the decks you like. (The latter of course is much, much cheaper  )

[Evan]

I buy multiples of pretty much all decks so that I can have some to use and some to display sealed.

[jriffel]

Of the newer decks, I will usually purchase three, one to open/use/display, two to store sealed for future.  Older decks, I usually buy in pairs and I will store/display them opened.  Very old decks. I will get when I can and display them opened.
   When I open my decks, I store them in plastic boxes and stash the tuck case (or whatever case) seperately. Opened and stored in plastic cases tend to insure that changes in temp or humidity will not warp the decks excessively.  I have had more than a few decks warp (permenantly) in the celowrap.  And many older decks that I have purchased have suffered from celowrapping for too long.

[John B.]

I open all my decks, i have a few that i have a 2nd of sealed in cellophane but i feel that i should enjoy the cards, plus i can use them for whatever i want once they are opened.

[Aaron]

I open common decks and a few rare decks, but keep most rare sealed and open my more common decks.

[Kanped]

I buy decks to use and decks to collect.  I get curious every now and then but I have a lot of sealed decks.

[xZEROx]

Like the others say, most collectors don't open their decks to keep their value. If you love the deck and the price allows you, you'll probably get a few.

That's for modern decks.

I collect vintage decks too. For this, I have a slightly different thought. Because these vintage decks are so hard to come by (for some designs), I don't mind them opened. Not only can I save some money (sealed decks could go for 10 times or more expensive in price than an opened deck), I could feel a piece of history in my hand. Of course like @jmrock has said, "more sealed the better". If you could find a steal for a nice sealed vintage deck, always jump on it because you can't lose money from it, even if it's a common back design (i.e. Rider, New Fan, Racer for the Bicycles).

[kmdhstew]

That's interesting. I think most agree that having a sealed vintage deck is special and I'd never buy a sealed vintage deck and open it. But I'd also like to own vintage opened decks. I wouldn't use them but it would be nice to see and touch them.

So....that brings use back to new decks. If you think a deck will be collectible would it not be acceptable to still open it. Albeit the value may go down, but in 40 or 50 years is it still not going to be a collectible deck and some will be happy to own an open and cheaper deck.

I certainly understand the concept of buying a few extras with the intention of selling or trading them in the future. Those I would certainly keep sealed. But maybe if I'm collecting for just me...it's ok to open them 

[dmbaggs]

I open every deck. If I have extras I'll keep them sealed, but if I have a deck I want to enjoy it!! And like others have said if I really like a deck I'll get multiples of it.

[hazofhorsham]

I open every deck, if I get a duplicate I use it and use it until its broken...

[Labyrinth]

but if I only have 1 deck...
I will keep it sealed, and wait for the second

You are a vintage deck collector, so you know we usually have to wait for the chances. Modern deck collectors don't understand why you have one and need to wait for the second...

in some case... like gold arcane, red artifice ...etc limited decks
I will open when I get 3rd or 4th deck

so I only have 1 LTD deck, and didn't open, wait for second one


most important of all
you love the decks that you collected

[Frost]

I buy like 2 or 3 decks 1 for opening and the rest for collection .

[Paul Carpenter]

I open almost all, and generally only buy 1 of any particular deck. The few that I have unopened were ones that I got two of and just set the extra on the shelf, but I only have 6 instances of that so far. I personally don't buy to resell in the future, I want to experience each and every thing I buy and think it would be a darn shame to not get to look at all the details in a deck. I use and play with all of them, regardless of "rarity" or value.

[Russell CircleCityCards]

xmetal and I see things exactly the same.  I have opened 99% of my decks.

[phantom1412]

xmetal and I see things exactly the same.  I have opened 99% of my decks.

Me too.
I open decks cause i'm sure i wont sell it. And i want to feel the decks.

[xZEROx]

On a side note, @labyrinth,
please show us your vintage collection in the thread!

http://aethercards.com/discourse/index.php?topic=1653.0

[Emmanuel]

I open all the decks I buy. However, I've gotten into the habit of only unsealing/cutting the top portion of the cellophane since I want to minimize the wear on the tuck cases while still being able to enjoy the cards.

[Don Boyer]

I open all the decks I buy. However, I've gotten into the habit of only unsealing/cutting the top portion of the cellophane since I want to minimize the wear on the tuck cases while still being able to enjoy the cards.

Beware that over time the cellophane has a tendency to shrink, putting pressure on the tuck box.  In your case, it would possibly damage the box, but would likely split before it got to the point of warping the cards inside - the side edge of the cellophane isn't as strongly secured once the top portion has been removed.  The only time I save the cellophane is if the box has an open window in the back, like many casino decks, or if the cellophane has a unique feature, like the hologram on the Bicycle Be@rbrick or the sticker on the Bicycle Hanshin Tigers.

I own just over four hundred different deck designs and more than a thousand individual decks.  Most decks I get in twos, sometimes threes, leaving one opened for use.  But if I only have one, I open it!  I get my pleasure from seeing, feeling and handling the cards, not staring at the sealed box.  I've said before on one of these topics that I equate it to purchasing a rare painting or sculpture and displaying it while it's still in the crate it was shipped in, never to be opened.  I never worry about future value much, because I don't want to get rid of my cards until I'm just too old to play any more.  The decks I buy in larger quantities are either very common decks for use in magic, very cheap decks that I got as a bargain, or decks that I intend to use as "trading fodder" - currency to trade with other collectors to get new, unique decks I don't own or want more of.

I own just a handful of vintage decks, most of which are bridge-sized airline decks from the '70s/'80s.  As much as I'd love to own some more vintage decks, my hobby is expensive enough as it is!  But I certainly wouldn't turn a good one down if it happened to come my way in a trade...