Cheapo Decks

Inspired by jema's despair here upon receiving a cheap deck, I was wondering what the cheapest deck was which you ever bought.

And was it worth it?

(Decks found for nothing don't count. We don't wanna know.)

But a deck you paid a laughably low price for. And did it end up being a favourite?

Mine was probably the LoS (1st edition) Minchiate Etruria; I paid 5 euros for it on a junk market when it was at the height of its collectibility, way before the recent reprint. I had no idea it was rare. I just liked the look of it and it indirectly led me back into tarot. So a very wise buy. But there are probably others I can't remember just now.

On reflection, I have a feeling I paid 3 euros for my Fournier Marseilles...

The out of print Alan Tarot (EDIT. I just now remembered the correct title I think), purchased at a little shop in Dublin years ago for an amount I can't remember exactly but which amounted to something like eight or nine USD.

I suppose it was worth it; I am a collector after all...well, a tempered one now but magnificently wanton at that time. Anything tarot was fair game, and if cheap, why, even better.

I haven't looked at since I packed it away I.e. after perusing it once.

It most certainly is not a favorite.

Edit again: altough now that I go back and look at the scans to refresh my memory, it seems more appealing. Too bad it and 90% of my collection are far away in storage.

On a whim i bought a used 1JJ Swiss. I got it for $3USD....it smelled like musty and is beat to hell but I love it and get awesome readings from it. It is so treasured I dont even want a new one.

I bought the Jane Lyle Marseille kit by Thunder Bay for one pound. It has became a favourite. Got a B. Bohemians Cats 1st edition deck online for £12.00 well after it became OOP and very expensive.




Freddie

Le Fanu said:

On reflection, I have a feeling I paid 3 euros for my Fournier Marseilles...

Click to expand...

I should add; I never use it.

Unfortunately, I haven't been so lucky to find a cheap deck as of yet.

My Miss Cleo was 2-3 dollars and I like it fine.

You don't want to hear it but I won not one but two Boho Gothic silver kits. Didn't like them, made me laugh. Bartered one to Karen for a gorgeous stained glass window and one to Tarolyn for a combination of things. I'm happy, they were happy.

My Chinese Jui Guoliang was $18.00 on ebay and I got another the next week for $25, gave it to a friend. One of my top 20 favorites.

1st edition Wonderland for a few bucks,
My Waldherr Lover's Path was 5 bucks
the Norwicki Shakespearian was 4 bucks.
All of these I still have because I love them.

I'm sure there were many more which have long since gone hosta lavista baby.
I was very fortunate to come to tarot when I did, there were still a lot of wonderful decks available for a song. With pricing software the fun has pretty much gone out of the hunt.

I've gotten so many for low low prices....What I can remember offhand is Tarot of a Moon Garden for $5, a regular yellow box RW for $3 in brand new condition, mini Hanson Roberts for a few dollars, don't remember exactly how much, and the old late 1980's Mythic Tarot, brand new PERFECT condition, traded for a book that was worth about 5 or 6$...this was probably my best bargain, as I see this deck going for $150 + on ebay and etsy. I had the deck, in fact bought it the year it came out, but had given it to Goodwill at some point, so I was happy to replace it, especially so cheaply.

I use them all, except for Moon Garden, that one just doesn't move me.

I picked the Alchemical for ten bucks Canadian at a flea market back when it was out of print. Pretty thing but I never use it.

I thought you meant decks that are intended to be cheap rather than lucky finds.

I'd say the Running Press Tarot Nova is a great little cheapo deck. http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/nova/