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Question on Modern Decks

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Question on Modern Decks
« on: June 01, 2015, 03:32:19 AM »
 

jphj012

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Hi everyone. I'm fairly new to card collecting and recently been learning a lot about playing cards. As far as the rarest and valuable in modern playing cards, which deck would it be and around how much would they go for? Thanks.
 

Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #1 on: June 01, 2015, 04:49:38 AM »
 

HankMan

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Wow that is not easy to answer  :P

There are a few modern playing cards that I think is quite difficult to get now (some are rarer than the others and these are listed not in any particular order)

White Centurions - I am not sure about the price though. I couldn't see any recent history on eBay (I remembered seeing 1 sold for $245 earlier this year)
Aurum White Gold Laser Cut - $100+
Bicycle Ghost 1st Editions - $150+
Smoke and Mirrors V1, V2 and V3 - Price again varies = s
Whispering Imps Gold Private Reserve - Have no Idea how much it costs
Blue Blood - $60

there are also recently release deck that fetch lots of $$
Scarlett Tally Ho - especially the legacy editions which can cost up to $500 (eBay)

I remember Don mention this particular deck that I am really interested as well, that is called Broken Spell (not sure about the price)


EDIT: I am not much of an experience collector either, since I only started collecting last November. Hopefully it helps though. I know there are many others will be able to give you better list.
« Last Edit: June 01, 2015, 04:51:21 AM by HankMan »
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Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #2 on: June 01, 2015, 08:56:11 AM »
 

HolyJJ

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Rarest would imply ultra low production... and these days, since the rise of Legends Playing Card Co and Expert Playing Card Co, there are quite a lot of decks with short print runs of around 1000.

You probably mean "most difficult to get hold of" when you say rare... and so decks like Zenith (by Encarded) come to mind -- I've not seen one on eBay for ages.

A genuinely rare deck (as in very low production) is the gold/black private reserve Whispering Imps deck -- from what I remember, that had a crazy low print run of something like 150.
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Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #3 on: June 01, 2015, 08:57:43 AM »
 

jphj012

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It seems like Tally Ho Legacy Edition is the most expensive modern deck out there unless someone can correct me. $500 for a modern deck is really expensive. I know they have been only 50 released. But are there also a big demand for this particular deck which is why its so expensive?
 

Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #4 on: June 01, 2015, 09:09:58 AM »
 

HankMan

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I guess Scarlett Tally Ho Legacy edition priced was so high because of Jackson Robinson's previous works as well.

I mean people knew that his work is amazing and it is going to fetch high prices. On top of that he is making it ultra rare by producing such a limited numbers and only available on the kickstarter campaign, thus you see crazy prices on eBay.

I still would prefer to buy Whispering imps Gold/Black private reserve, knowing they were made by EPCC. HolyJJ is right, there is only 150 of the gold edition is available. I am not even sure how many in circulations.

Zenith on the other hand, do appear time to time. They are not cheap though
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Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #5 on: June 01, 2015, 09:13:36 AM »
 

jphj012

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So as of now, I would assume the most rarest and expensive modern deck is Tally Ho Legacy Edition. It is only 50 made and most recent sales have been around $500 range. Anyone who can think of more rare and expensive modern deck, feel free to chime in.
 

Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #6 on: June 01, 2015, 09:24:36 AM »
 

HankMan

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So as of now, I would assume the most rarest and expensive modern deck is Tally Ho Legacy Edition. It is only 50 made and most recent sales have been around $500 range. Anyone who can think of more rare and expensive modern deck, feel free to chime in.

But if you consider it, legacy deck means that you are paying extra for the wooden casing as well. Nothing can be compared to that because there is no other deck that is being sold with a wooden casing...
maybe UUSI decks..
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Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #7 on: June 01, 2015, 09:39:46 AM »
 

jphj012

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You do have a point there, but if the Legacy deck never came with the wooden casing, I would assume it would probably be between $50-$100 cheaper. It will still be pricey imo.
 

Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #8 on: June 01, 2015, 09:45:31 AM »
 

HankMan

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not really.. it is exactly the same as Gold Gilded Scarlett Tally Ho.
The price is not stable yet.. earlier in May the price was about $200-300
but the last completed listing, were sold for $180 (3 decks total, 1 of each gilded, LE and Display Deck)

So in my opinions the White Centurion is still more expensive..
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Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #9 on: June 01, 2015, 10:07:34 AM »
 

Brian M

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Rarest would imply ultra low production... and these days, since the rise of Legends Playing Card Co and Expert Playing Card Co, there are quite a lot of decks with short print runs of around 1000.

You probably mean "most difficult to get hold of" when you say rare... and so decks like Zenith (by Encarded) come to mind -- I've not seen one on eBay for ages.

A genuinely rare deck (as in very low production) is the gold/black private reserve Whispering Imps deck -- from what I remember, that had a crazy low print run of something like 150.

Rarity is irrelevant to value, as has been pointed out here many times.   I can get a "llimited" deck of my design printed in quantity 1 by MPC.  The only deck more "rare" than that is one that does not exist at all. But if I am the only person who wants that deck, it is close to worthless.   What *is* relevant is the demand for a deck versus the supply, like any other economic good.   A deck that everybody wants and nobody can get is extremely valuable.   A deck that nobody wants and nobody can get is less than worthless because it takes up space.  Eventually, it will be thrown away, increasing the "rarity" of the remaining examples, with no increase in their value.   Desiring a deck because it is "rare" is irrational.  Desiring a deck because a lot of *other* people desire it is not so irrational, especially if those other people can't get it, and you can.

This seems to be a point lost on a many collectors and sellers -- especially sellers on eBay.

« Last Edit: June 01, 2015, 10:14:08 AM by Brian M »
 

Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #10 on: June 01, 2015, 10:11:19 AM »
 

ecNate

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Assuming you rule out potential money laundering theories, the sold list at ebay can be a guide.  Unbranded black reserve note, scarlett tally ho, 52 plus jokers silver/club, etc all have been sold for a few hundred, especially any variants that were signed or especially gilded (would be pricey and fairly rare to begin with).


http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=playing+cards+-lot&_sop=3&LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xplaying+cards+-lot+-vintage.TRS0&_nkw=playing+cards+-lot+-vintage&_sacat=0
 

Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #11 on: June 01, 2015, 10:34:09 AM »
 

jphj012

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Okay. So White Centurian seems to be the "holy grail" of modern decks for now.
 

Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #12 on: June 01, 2015, 11:40:05 AM »
 

Justin O.

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I would put Unbranded Black Reserve Notes on this list. When I was actually able to find them on the resellers market they were selling for $250/$300 and that was a year ago, I don't see them up for sale much these days.
Those at the David Blain Microsoft deck.

Size of the print run aside, I think a big factor in the rarity of a deck is how available it is in the resellers market. At least Jackson Tally Hos are new enough to be all over the resellers market right now, making them a little less rare for a few months.
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Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #13 on: June 01, 2015, 11:40:39 AM »
 

loldudex2

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I used to be a big collector, and the thing I still regret the most is stopping right around the time Jackson Robinson started. I remember pledging for a brick or so of mixed of Federal 52 playing cards, and backing out because I told myself I was going to stop. Now trying to get back into collecting, I'm kicking myself for not getting these decks when I had the chance.
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Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #14 on: June 01, 2015, 05:39:01 PM »
 

Brian M

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Jackson hasn't stopped designing decks.  If you like his designs, just wait for the next one. Given that he hasn't stopped designing decks, and in fact, comes out with a lot of new decks all the time, which you can buy for $10-20 per deck, you have to wonder why anybody would spend multiples of this for the older decks.  Are his newer decks worse, somehow?   For that matter, if you don't want to wait, and don't want to spend even $10 for one of his decks, just buy one of the Civil War decks he designed for USPC.  $4 each.   
« Last Edit: June 01, 2015, 05:48:27 PM by Brian M »
 

Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #15 on: June 01, 2015, 08:14:09 PM »
 

loldudex2

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Jackson hasn't stopped designing decks.  If you like his designs, just wait for the next one. Given that he hasn't stopped designing decks, and in fact, comes out with a lot of new decks all the time, which you can buy for $10-20 per deck, you have to wonder why anybody would spend multiples of this for the older decks.  Are his newer decks worse, somehow?   For that matter, if you don't want to wait, and don't want to spend even $10 for one of his decks, just buy one of the Civil War decks he designed for USPC.  $4 each.   

I understand, and I plan on it. It just sucks that I won't be able to get the entire collection of Fed 52 cards anytime soon, especially since I almost had them for next to nothing.
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Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #16 on: June 01, 2015, 08:37:20 PM »
 

Rob Wright

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Jackson hasn't stopped designing decks.  If you like his designs, just wait for the next one. Given that he hasn't stopped designing decks, and in fact, comes out with a lot of new decks all the time, which you can buy for $10-20 per deck, you have to wonder why anybody would spend multiples of this for the older decks.  Are his newer decks worse, somehow?   For that matter, if you don't want to wait, and don't want to spend even $10 for one of his decks, just buy one of the Civil War decks he designed for USPC.  $4 each.

People will spend whatever it takes to complete sets, if it means that much to them. Some people want every deck that DM or David Blaine puts out. Some people collect every single deck that has a Bicycle logo on it. I was lucky to get most of my JR decks through KS. I would love to have a green or red Gator back, but I'm not willing to spend the money.
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Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #17 on: June 01, 2015, 09:26:37 PM »
 

Don Boyer

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Holy grails of the modern card world...  It's not an easy thing to describe, really.

There's a woman in England who produces decks made by hand at about 50 per design, each one with a different artistic theme.  They rarely sell for less than three figures.

Robinson's Fed52 decks are more of the real Holy Grail with his collection, because they were the first and, in the eyes of some, the best.  In particular, the black unbranded Reserve Note deck was exceptionally rare - USPC shorted the print run by accident, leaving Jackson himself with not more than a handful that weren't sold to backers.  In general, because they were his first, because he wasn't a well-known artist at the time, his Fed52 decks will likely always carry a premium price tag above his other projects, relative to the initial cost of purchase.  His later projects, at least in terms of relative increase in value, are less likely to be worth as much, and his project with USPC for a $4 deck is highly unlikely to get too costly, considering the quantity that were produced and the low price tag they were offered at, though they do make for a great, cheap way to own a Robinson deck.

There are other modern decks that are worth a pretty penny - but that should make absolutely no difference to you, if you're a true collector rather than a speculator.  A collector buys what makes them happy, while a speculator buy whatever they think will be sellable in the future for a profit, be it near or far future.  It could be the rarest deck around, or it could be that cheap Chinese knockoff from the dollar store down the street - if it makes you happy, it doesn't matter the cost or rarity; not to a collector it doesn't.  Speculation is nowhere near as enjoyable, since you could be speculating about anything - playing cards, comic books, commodities, stocks, property, rare metals, raw gems, doodads, whatchamacallits, thingamabobs, tchotchkes, whatever; it doesn't matter much to the speculator - if he or she can buy it now at one price and sell it later for more, that's all that counts.  The collector enjoys what they're collecting, while the speculator enjoys what the collection might later bring - cash, that's it, nothing more.
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Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #18 on: June 02, 2015, 12:16:52 PM »
 

Justin O.

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if you're a true collector rather than a speculator.  A collector buys what makes them happy, while a speculator buy whatever they think will be sellable in the future for a profit, be it near or far future. The collector enjoys what they're collecting, while the speculator enjoys what the collection might later bring - cash, that's it, nothing more.

I would argue that this is a rather limiting explaination. I consider myself a collecter, but a decks value is intrinsically important to me in the decks I add to my collection. While I rarely buy decks to resell them, I want my collection to include decks with a high resale value, almost to the extent that I would like to reduce the amount of less valuable than 'x' decks from my collection, not for the potential future gains but because to me that is something I greatly appreciate about my collection is it's value and how many of the more elite modern decks I continue to add to it.
I agree with everything you say about spectators, but I think there is more to collecting person to person than just enjoyment.

Oh, I just thought of my holy grail deck and what I might consider one of the rarest modern decks: Uusi silver gilded Original Blue Blood. That would likely take a VERY pretty penny to get Bama to part with...
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Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #19 on: June 02, 2015, 12:30:33 PM »
 

CBJ

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Rarity is a hard thing to narrow down. 1000 runs of decks are more and more common now.
I have a few different non-full production prototype decks from Bicycle that I consider rare.

Like the Blaine Prototypes












If we're talking rarity by the numbers ( by one of the majors )... I would say the Gold Monarch is the rarest deck I own.
Only 144 were printed, and only 111 were sold. You can read more about them here:
http://thecardcollectors.blogspot.ca/2012/06/gold-monarch-vs-normal-monarch-theory11.html

If we're talking rarity because of how it was distributed and how hard it is to find... I would have to say the Bicycle Grand Opening deck.
These were handed out at the ceremony celebrating the grand opening of the new USPC plant on August 20th, 2009.






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Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #20 on: June 02, 2015, 08:27:41 PM »
 

Don Boyer

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if you're a true collector rather than a speculator.  A collector buys what makes them happy, while a speculator buy whatever they think will be sellable in the future for a profit, be it near or far future. The collector enjoys what they're collecting, while the speculator enjoys what the collection might later bring - cash, that's it, nothing more.

I would argue that this is a rather limiting explaination. I consider myself a collecter, but a decks value is intrinsically important to me in the decks I add to my collection. While I rarely buy decks to resell them, I want my collection to include decks with a high resale value, almost to the extent that I would like to reduce the amount of less valuable than 'x' decks from my collection, not for the potential future gains but because to me that is something I greatly appreciate about my collection is it's value and how many of the more elite modern decks I continue to add to it.
I agree with everything you say about spectators, but I think there is more to collecting person to person than just enjoyment.

Oh, I just thought of my holy grail deck and what I might consider one of the rarest modern decks: Uusi silver gilded Original Blue Blood. That would likely take a VERY pretty penny to get Bama to part with...

The moment your collection becomes more about the money you can get from it and less from the pleasure it gives you, it's just become your least-favorite job!

There are all kinds of collectors out there, all with different motivations.  When I mention a speculator, I'm talking about someone who's decidedly NOT a collector, not a person who collects for any motivation other than future cash value.  Collectors collect for love, speculators collect for cash value or "investment purposes."  Now, this doesn't mean that value shouldn't have some place in your collection - if that's what floats your boat, hey man, let your freak flag fly!  But there's got to be love in there somewhere, or there's no point other than the bottom line.
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Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #21 on: June 03, 2015, 11:24:21 AM »
 

Brian M

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I would argue that this is a rather limiting explaination. I consider myself a collecter, but a decks value is intrinsically important to me in the decks I add to my collection.

I agree that it is nice to have decks in one's collection which are prized and sought after by other collectors.  That is especially the case when you buy decks because you like them  and they subsequently increase in demand and value.  Not as a matter of speculation and profit, but as a kind of validation of your taste and judgement.   Personally, I almost never buy a deck for more than $10 (exclusive of shipping) or $13 (with shipping).   Some of them are worth quite a bit now, which I have to confess to taking pleasure from.  Many of the decks probably aren't worth any more than I spent on them, which is fine, since I still like them.

« Last Edit: June 03, 2015, 11:25:44 AM by Brian M »
 

Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #22 on: June 03, 2015, 06:24:07 PM »
 

Don Boyer

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I would argue that this is a rather limiting explaination. I consider myself a collecter, but a decks value is intrinsically important to me in the decks I add to my collection.

I agree that it is nice to have decks in one's collection which are prized and sought after by other collectors.  That is especially the case when you buy decks because you like them  and they subsequently increase in demand and value.  Not as a matter of speculation and profit, but as a kind of validation of your taste and judgement.   Personally, I almost never buy a deck for more than $10 (exclusive of shipping) or $13 (with shipping).   Some of them are worth quite a bit now, which I have to confess to taking pleasure from.  Many of the decks probably aren't worth any more than I spent on them, which is fine, since I still like them.

I basically agree with what you've said, but do you notice the part of your quote I highlighted in bold red?  That is something I've NEVER concerned myself with when it comes to my collection.  Why should anyone feel a need to have their tastes or judgment validated by anyone else but themselves?  I've never been one to follow a trend or listen to the herd, preferring to make my own way and set my own style and standards.  I know what I like and why I like it - and that's good enough for me!  (Think of me like that dude from the Dos Equis commercials - "the Most Interesting Man in the World!")  (hee hee hee)
« Last Edit: June 03, 2015, 06:25:03 PM by Don Boyer »
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Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #23 on: June 04, 2015, 01:59:22 AM »
 

loldudex2

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As value goes, sometimes I make a purchase because I know I'll never be able to get that deal again. For example when I got the chance to purchase nearly fifty decks of JAQK playing cards for a little over $225, I knew that I would never have this opportunity again, and since it's my all time favorite deck, I just had to.
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Re: Question on Modern Decks
« Reply #24 on: June 04, 2015, 06:13:29 AM »
 

HankMan

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As value goes, sometimes I make a purchase because I know I'll never be able to get that deal again. For example when I got the chance to purchase nearly fifty decks of JAQK playing cards for a little over $225, I knew that I would never have this opportunity again, and since it's my all time favorite deck, I just had to.

now that is a good deal, but I don't think I will buy 50 of them.. that is a supply for a lifetime.


I basically collect cards that has something that interest me.. in the beginning I look for cards that are highly rated and expensive, hoping one day I can get profit out of it. But now I realised that is not the case anymore.. since I am getting more and more connected to it, the value become nothing to me. It is something that I want to keep with me and maybe it is something I can pass down to my kids if they have the same hobby or interest.

Each individual deck has its own characteristic, they can be similar but no deck is the same.
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