So in the last few months I've heard of a few clubs with fees to join, I was wondering who belonged to which ones and which you would recommend? What experiences can you share? Which ones do you think are worth the investment? Also, not all of them indicate, or I'm not seeing it, if their membership is annual or not, can anyway offer up some guidance in that aspect.
These are the 4 I hear mentioned quite a bit, if there are others please let me/us know.
52 Plus Joker $25 Annually
Chicago Playing Card Collectors $25 Annually
Bicycle Club 808 $18.00, not sure if this is annually
Ellusionist Black Club $147.00 annually
As always, thanks for the input and information
52 Plus Joker - as Jackson said, the info alone is worth it. The annual con is great - two cons back, they went on a tour of the Erlanger USPC plant! I just wish I could have gone. This year's con was in Las Vegas, next year's con is in SC, I think. They're usually scheduled late-summer/early-fall. Gives you a chance to learn a boatload of information and make a lot of great contacts - and it's no longer just about vintage decks, either, though they haven't forgotten them. The membership is growing and getting younger.
CPCC - Couldn't say, though I'll mention they specialize in collecting single cards rather than decks.
Bicycle Club 808 - you get your money's worth and access to exclusive member-only decks for purchase. Worth it.
Ellusionist Black Club - on the surface, it's marginal. But factor in all the unlisted goodies, like a free Red Arcane deck (with any shippable purchase within a time limit) and a free Gold Arcane uncut (only had to pay shipping), then it starts to look more worthwhile. Toss in the 5% off on everything and it looks better, especially if you plan to make some big-ticket purchases.
Dan and Dave Deck of the Month - eh, maybe every second or third deck is worth it, but you never know until they arrive, and you only get one color if it comes in more than one color. It's financially less costly, but to me it looks like too much of a crapshoot.
Dave and Dave Membership - haven't heard a good thing about it from anyone.