How rare are "greenie" Green-Box decks?

bazmonkey

I recently realized that my old (well, 1999 purchased) Thoth deck is one of the early printings (copyright 1983) that has the older "White Box C"-style cards in it: borderless on the back, green-tinted, deep colors, etc. At the time I figured this was just lazy color-matching between the two size formats, but it appears to be more rare than I thought.

For anyone in the know, how scarce are these? I would think they're not actually that rare, as this one managed to stick around for some 15 years before I purchased it new. However, some eBay listings show true "greenie" decks like this going for over $100.

I want to emphasize that I'm not looking to sell it. More like considering whether or not I should get a newer edition of the deck, and preserve this one (they're so large I bought a purple-box deck soon after, so they're still in great shape). At the same time, I dig the borderless back and darker color, so if it's not that rare, I'll just enjoy these.

Thanks for any info!
 

Abrac

Speaking for myself, I wouldn't care if the box was green or white regardless of rarity. It might matter to some hardcore collectors. If it's a nice printing and you want to ensure it doesn't get damaged, it might not be a bad idea to get another version to use on a regular basis and break out the greenie for special occasions. :)
 

bazmonkey

Speaking for myself, I wouldn't care if the box was green or white regardless of rarity. It might matter to some hardcore collectors. If it's a nice printing and you want to ensure it doesn't get damaged, it might not be a bad idea to get another version to use on a regular basis and break out the greenie for special occasions. :)

I also wouldn't care about the rarity, typically. But if it's significant--if they are going to be worth hundreds years down the road or something--I might care.
 

Annabelle

Though I'm a collector, I haven't specifically followed the market for various Thoth editions over the past few years -- so my input may not carry that much weight.

Having said that, though, the "greenie" Thoth is not rare. Yes, a knowledgeable eBay seller will ask more for a greenie than for a more recent printing -- but price doesn't always indicate rarity.

As for whether or not to use your greenie Thoth vs. leaving it pristine and using a more recent copy, that's a personal choice that may simply come down to how much you specifically enjoy/respond to the green tint vs. more normalized colors. Ultimately I doubt you are risking much in the way of future profit by using the deck now, if you think you'll get enjoyment from it. The tarot collecting market just isn't that huge.
 

bazmonkey

Thanks. I think I'm just going to use them.
 

Ruby Jewel

I recently realized that my old (well, 1999 purchased) Thoth deck is one of the early printings (copyright 1983) that has the older "White Box C"-style cards in it: borderless on the back, green-tinted, deep colors, etc. At the time I figured this was just lazy color-matching between the two size formats, but it appears to be more rare than I thought.

For anyone in the know, how scarce are these? I would think they're not actually that rare, as this one managed to stick around for some 15 years before I purchased it new. However, some eBay listings show true "greenie" decks like this going for over $100.

I want to emphasize that I'm not looking to sell it. More like considering whether or not I should get a newer edition of the deck, and preserve this one (they're so large I bought a purple-box deck soon after, so they're still in great shape). At the same time, I dig the borderless back and darker color, so if it's not that rare, I'll just enjoy these.

Thanks for any info!

I also have one of those decks from the 80s that I have never used. Since it is in such good shape, I don't use it because I figure there must be a reason it is worth so much money. Older decks are very much in demand. I have a TdM deck from the same era that has never been used. I took it out to use it and decided to look it up on Ebay.....discovered it is going for around $75 now. So, I don't think it is as much about the fact that it is a "greenie" as it is about the quality of the deck. After they started printing tarot decks in China, the paper stock was ditched for plastic.....in my estimation, the older decks are superior to the newer ones, which is why they are bringing high prices. People will always pay for quality. I think these older decks are selling really well myself, and are a good investment. That is just my opinion...not necessarily the prevalent one. I like to use an older deck as well, so I treat myself to one, but I usually stick with that deck for all my tarot readings.....unless I have a reason to change.
 

Achlys

I'm not sure of the rarity, but considering there's newer editions, it may not be something that's highly sought after by collectors.
Honestly, prices on eBay are insane. I've seen one deck vary in price from $40-$250. I wouldn't use that as a basis for determining rarity.