Dan and Dave: Mystery deck V2

[MrMollusk]

It begins.

http://shop.dananddave.com/playing-cards/mystery-deck.html





But this time, it's 9.95 a pop. I guess all that wax and twine is expensive :/

[10ofclubs]

Yeah, weren't they only 6 or 7 dollars last year? And 10 this year for a lot of the same decks. I got several of the Ask Alexander decks last year so I'm gonna pass this time.

[Don Boyer]

Did I spot a pack of Massas in there?  I'm going to pay $10 for the chance to get a $2 deck?!  Nope.  There's some nice decks there, but I own or don't want most of the ones I see displayed.  Oh, there's over a hundred different decks, sure, but if some of them are Studs and Massas and assorted Fulton's decks, I'm not so sure I'd wanna spend $10 on the chance of getting a goose egg that could be had for less or that I simply don't want.

[chach]

I agree. At first I was excited for another round then I read what kind of cards would be available and how a lot of them retail for less than the $10 asking price or that I wouldn't care to have because I already have them or couldn't care less about owning them.  And since my luck is usually rather horrible, I know I wouldn't score a good deck.  Easy pass for me. I'll spend the $10 on a beer at the hockey game tonight instead and be happier about the outcome.

[anhedonia]

Is this even legal? Sounds like a lottery to me - guess that stuff's okay in Vegas, though the USPS may look at it differently.
Retail on Ask Alexander is $5.99, so $5.95 a pop is fine - but does every deck they send out have a retail of at least $9.99?
(Or would they claim the butcher paper, twine and labor-intensive tying is enough to cover that cost?)

Regardless - can't trust them. Easy pass.

[Fanofyankees13]

$10 each? Seriously? I'd rather buy Black JAQKs in bulk for half that per deck. This was one of the easiest passes of Black Friday.

[bhong]

Is this even legal? Sounds like a lottery to me - guess that stuff's okay in Vegas, though the USPS may look at it differently.
Retail on Ask Alexander is $5.99, so $5.95 a pop is fine - but does every deck they send out have a retail of at least $9.99?
(Or would they claim the butcher paper, twine and labor-intensive tying is enough to cover that cost?)

Regardless - can't trust them. Easy pass.

It's perfectly legal as they are completely honest about what you'd get, a random deck, kind of like blind box designer toys. I understand the cost of time, packaging and etc, but I think it'd be more worthwhile if every deck they offered was at least what they're charging for it or close to that 10$. It'd suck to get pay for it and end up with the 2$ Massa. But I'm guessing the 10$ is probably the overall average cost of those 100 decks to D&D.

[atsquare]

Did I spot a pack of Massas in there?  I'm going to pay $10 for the chance to get a $2 deck?!  Nope.  There's some nice decks there, but I own or don't want most of the ones I see displayed.  Oh, there's over a hundred different decks, sure, but if some of them are Studs and Massas and assorted Fulton's decks, I'm not so sure I'd wanna spend $10 on the chance of getting a goose egg that could be had for less or that I simply don't want.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the deck you're referring to isn't Massas; it's the Bee Watermelon Deck.

[kdklown]

Did I spot a pack of Massas in there?  I'm going to pay $10 for the chance to get a $2 deck?!  Nope.  There's some nice decks there, but I own or don't want most of the ones I see displayed.  Oh, there's over a hundred different decks, sure, but if some of them are Studs and Massas and assorted Fulton's decks, I'm not so sure I'd wanna spend $10 on the chance of getting a goose egg that could be had for less or that I simply don't want.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the deck you're referring to isn't Massas; it's the Bee Watermelon Deck.

You are correct.  Didn't feel like correcting them earlier. 

[phantom1412]

If I buy it, I'd feel like I'm buying decks that D&D are trying to get rid off...

[Knobz1]

I fell for it last year spending over $100 worth on the mystery decks. Didn't get squat. Not falling for it again this year.

[bhong]

I fell for it last year spending over $100 worth on the mystery decks. Didn't get squat. Not falling for it again this year.

Just curious, but care to list of the decks you got?

[Don Boyer]

Did I spot a pack of Massas in there?  I'm going to pay $10 for the chance to get a $2 deck?!  Nope.  There's some nice decks there, but I own or don't want most of the ones I see displayed.  Oh, there's over a hundred different decks, sure, but if some of them are Studs and Massas and assorted Fulton's decks, I'm not so sure I'd wanna spend $10 on the chance of getting a goose egg that could be had for less or that I simply don't want.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the deck you're referring to isn't Massas; it's the Bee Watermelon Deck.

You are correct.  Didn't feel like correcting them earlier.

I appreciate the info.  I don't own Watermelon Bees - I don't buy anything used for promotions by tobacco or alcohol companies, nor anything promoting drug use.

[Anthony]

I think at 1st glance this looks like a great opportunity, but like everyone has pretty much chimed in, hardly worth the gamble. I would think they would do better to at least guarantee you get your moneys worth or more.............but where's the profit in that 

[Don Boyer]

I think at 1st glance this looks like a great opportunity, but like everyone has pretty much chimed in, hardly worth the gamble. I would think they would do better to at least guarantee you get your moneys worth or more.............but where's the profit in that 

In your case, it might actually be worth it.  Your a new collector whose collection isn't as extensive as some of us, in which case you'd have a better shot at getting a deck that's at least uncommon and not in your collection.  You would, however, have the best shot of getting something good if you bought a decent number of decks, perhaps at least a half-brick.  Like winning a raffle, you have more chances if you buy more tickets.  Plus the fact remains that much of what they're offering is out-of-print.

Even the lowly pack of Studs I mentioned earlier is no longer available and going up in price; it's actually a decent quality deck with a unique back, Arrco faces and a quality level on par with Bicycles.  They were created as an exclusive for the Walgreens pharmacy chain as a less-expensive alternative to Bicycles and gained a following, but were recently axed in favor of the simpler "Play Right" Standard Playing Cards.  That was a dumb move, actually - the deck still comes in two colors, but one is standard index only while the other is jumbo index only; no way to make a matched poker set.

[KPopFever605]

What's funny is the fact that D&D prices these decks at an astounding $10, when mystery deals like these are usually cheaper, as to entice comsumers and increase popularity. I know this store at my local mall where they have a mystery back worth double the price you pay for, simple because you don't know what you're getting. They need to work something out.

[Don Boyer]

What's funny is the fact that D&D prices these decks at an astounding $10, when mystery deals like these are usually cheaper, as to entice comsumers and increase popularity. I know this store at my local mall where they have a mystery back worth double the price you pay for, simple because you don't know what you're getting. They need to work something out.

They're probably basing their prices on a few factors: cost of the decks, cost of warehousing the decks, cost of wrapping materials, cost of employees to do the wrapping, increased shipping costs from last year and the high demand for last year's offer.  I'm not saying I like it, but I am saying that it's the probable cause for that price increase.

[Anthony]

Your right in that with a small collection it would be a better "Chance" at scoring some cool decks. But as you also mentioned you would need to better your odds a bit and go at least 6 to 12 decks. But with the same, lets say $60, you could pick up some pretty nice cards AND you know what your getting for the cost invested, especially over this weekend with sales, promotions and discounts. I have 2 problems in general..........I'm picky and I have no luck what so ever, lol

But your point is very valid as I said, if your just starting and have the cash to do it, picking up a 6 pack or brick of these could probably be worth while.

With all the "Bargains" at the moment I just don't know if the release of these should have coincided with all the Black Friday releases. There are just too many attractive offers on decks where you know exactly what your getting.

[Anthony]

Just wanted to go off topic for just a moment...............who is it that doesn't like me agreeing with DON? Because it seems every time I do someone takes a Rep point away from me,lol  I don't care anymore, but I saw it happen right in front of my eyes and found it quite comical.

Now back to the topic at hand...........................

[Don Boyer]

With all the "Bargains" at the moment I just don't know if the release of these should have coincided with all the Black Friday releases. There are just too many attractive offers on decks where you know exactly what your getting.

Yeah, but how often do you have a chance, albeit quite remote, of scoring a Jerry's Nugget for $10?  Again, for a newbie like you, it's not a bad deal AND if you're THAT fussy, you now have trading fodder to get something else you want - and if the fodder deck was worth at least $10, you're ahead of the trading game.

[Anthony]

OK, but I'm pretty confident that the Jerry's Nuggets are going to be in the minority of that mystery pool, if not in the realm of one, maybe, two available. So I don't think the odds are equal across the decks that they are offering. You know as well as I do putting that particular deck in the marketing photo is done for just one reason.

Yes "A" chance is better than no chance. I still think I would be more interested if you at least got your money back on your Mystery Deck.

Now yes, I'm new to all of this and still learning and in the grand scheme your probably going to be on the up side buying six Mystery Decks, but we're looking at it from a $$ standpoint rather than the actual deck you receive. Right now I'm more comfortable seeing what I'm buying, and as for trade fodder, I think it's easier to toss in that extra deck or two when making your purchase.....ie, picking up a couple extra Exquisite, Legends and JAQK decks for half the cost.

Its a personal preference and I'm sure someone will get a great deck back on ONE Mystery purchase and prove me wrong, but that's OK. Maybe my tune will be different next year, lol

[KPopFever605]

What's funny is the fact that D&D prices these decks at an astounding $10, when mystery deals like these are usually cheaper, as to entice comsumers and increase popularity. I know this store at my local mall where they have a mystery back worth double the price you pay for, simple because you don't know what you're getting. They need to work something out.

They're probably basing their prices on a few factors: cost of the decks, cost of warehousing the decks, cost of wrapping materials, cost of employees to do the wrapping, increased shipping costs from last year and the high demand for last year's offer.  I'm not saying I like it, but I am saying that it's the probable cause for that price increase.

Don't forger the price of the imprinted wax.

[Don Boyer]

Its a personal preference and I'm sure someone will get a great deck back on ONE Mystery purchase and prove me wrong, but that's OK. Maybe my tune will be different next year, lol

But by then they'll be $13 or $15 a deck... 

Don't forger the price of the imprinted wax.

I'd never "forger" that.  Who'd want to make a forgery of a price?  Especially of wax? 

If I recall, they did use wax last year as well and I don't think the cost of sealing wax has increased dramatically in the past year, if at all.

[speedyy400]

Don't forger the price of the imprinted wax.

I'd never "forger" that.  Who'd want to make a forgery of a price?  Especially of wax? 

If I recall, they did use wax last year as well and I don't think the cost of sealing wax has increased dramatically in the past year, if at all.

I looked at the page about the Mystery Deck from last year, version one just today. I saw that it was simply brown paper and string to tie it. I do not recall their being wax on it at all. But I do not feel that wax and increased shipping fees are worth $4. Just my opinion.

I read through it for the most part today to see if anybody received anything of value. I didn't really see anything that made it extremely worthwhile. I feel as a new collector, I have nothing really to lose by picking up a few. I might get 3 or 4 for shits and giggles and see what I end up with =D

[atsquare]

I probably would have bought three of these for fun only to notice shipping alone costs me $27.