Are spares necessary?

I noticed that some people here have spares for decks that they love a lot. I only have one deck, the Victoria Regina, that I loved enough to get a spare for. Then another one was given to me, so all of a sudden I had three copies. I gave the third one away to a friend because I figured I really didn´t need three, and that it was better to share the joy, but I have to admit that I sometimes regret it!

I notice that eventhough I still have two copies, I can find myself considering getting another copy wherever I see that it is available. Which is totally senseless, since I already have two copies. I certainly would tell anybody that you never need more than one deck, one copy of one deck, but still I am obviously greedy enough myself to have two and look for more. I am really embarrassed!

So I would like to know how many spares people here usually keep for their favorite decks? And are they necessary?

I don't, although I have been tempted to with some of my favourite decks.

Actually, thinking about it again, I did buy the mini Secret Tarot even though I had the full size one, and am using the mini version and keeping the other safely at home.

Well, here's how I deal with that.

I'm 61 years old, so I'm not going to put as many miles on a frequently-used deck as I might if I were younger.

I consider how often I use a deck and how worn it is. If I use it a lot and it's really worn, like my Buckland, then I get another one as a backup, but I don't see any reason to have three. If I were 20 years old, though, then I'd probably be tempted to get a third one if the deck isn't reprinted as it's rumored it will be eventually.

I have an Ancestral Path but seldom use it, so I don't expect to wear it out in my remaining years and I don't feel a need for a second one.

My Wild Spirit is not used as much, but I'd get a second copy if I could just because I love it so much and I've used it more.

I also take into account how well the deck seems to wear. If it's not a good quality card stock and lamination and it's a deck I use not too often but sometimes, then I might get a second copy.

If it's a deck I use a lot and the card stock is really flimsy, I'd probably want a third copy, but I don't have any that fall under that category right now.

The bottom line for me is that my decks are my tools and if I expect that I might wear one out that I use a lot and that may go out of print, then I get a backup.

Well... I always buy a spare copy once I *really* love a deck (sometimes I then find out afterwards that maybe it wasn't THE essential love affair, which shows in my profile ).

Some I also get a third copy of, which I did with the Alchemical (because I found it at a reasonable price... I then gifted it in a competition), the Marsella (because unfortunately it doesn't wear very well and I use it a lot) and the Osho Zen (just because I like it so much).

Lyric said:

The bottom line for me is that my decks are my tools and if I expect that I might wear one out that I use a lot and that may go out of print, then I get a backup.

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My sentiments exactly. I actually keep an eye out for decks I might want a second copy of in the trading forum. I would rather trade than buy if possible, but like Lyric if push comes to shove I would look into buying a second copy prior to it going OOP.

They way I determine which decks I would want more than one copy of it comes from years of usage. My Cosmic Tribe and Faeries Oracle for example are decks I have used for years and continue to use. Those are worth it to me. I do not make the determination unless I have used the original purchased deck for a very long period of time and see that I continue to use it and am very confident that I will continue to use it.

At this time the only deck I have two copies of is the Cosmic Tribe, and that is because the publisher sent me an extra set due to a marred card in my original set. Decks I am pretty confident I will need an extra copy of include the Faeries Oracle and the Fey Tarot. I do have two copies of the Margarete Petersen, but that is becuase I needed the book in English to go with my German version of the deck (the English version was not available when I bought mine, and the border color changed in the English version and does not look anywhere as good as the German version so I have had to keep both - if I could keep the English book with the German deck I would trade the English version with the German book)

I have had fits and starts of saying "that is my favourite deck, I MUST have a back up copy for work/travel/personal reading deck.... and so on.

To be honest I then realise I have been irrational, and to this extent some have been traded or gifted to others

I do use the Cosmic a lot and so do have a second copy.
I love the Hanson Roberts and have the mini deck in my drawer at work, as well as the regular sized deck at home.

I am trying to be 'good' and not be overly enthusiastic, and justify why I need second decks all the time. Not always easy. I just know if a Rohrig came up at a ridiculous price on e - bay I would be suckered in, but I am trying to be mega strict with myself.

I think when there are two editions I feel less guilty (such as Victorian Romantic, and BBC Gold when it is released.

Davina

shadowdancer said:

I think when there are two editions I feel less guilty (such as Victorian Romantic, and BBC Gold when it is released.

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Those don't count! *LOL*

I somehow managed to end up with spares of my favourite decks - the Old Path and the Northern Shadows - I got my second Old Path when I got the ISBN's mixed up with an Amazon Market place seller and I got the deck instead of the book - I kept the deck because it had been only about half the price I paid for the original deck and got a cheap copy of the book.

My second Northern Shadows came with the book from a fellow AT'er on here - And I did have two copies of the Cosmic Tarot, again I got a copy when I bought the companion book and found the seller had put the deck in too but the first unopened copy of the Cosmic, I traded away on here.

I don't actually go out of my way to get copies of decks but I do have a few copies of the Thoth, various sizes, and also a few different copies of the RWS. I also have two copies of the Tarot of Prague but they are different versions so that doesn't count.

I sometimes consider getting a second Gilded (I won't, of course, because I could use the money to get another one on my wishlist). Then, instead of necessarily using it for spares, I might use it for card-of-the-day and reading-of-the-day stuff. I've daydreamed about setting up a picture frame with 5 spaces in the shape of my daily reading. Then putting the cards in there. Only it would be cooler if I didn't have to remove them from the deck, but just had a second set of cards.

And if I lose one...I'll probably totally freak out. Then I'd have to get a second.

Galatea said:

I noticed that some people here have spares for decks that they love a lot. I only have one deck, the Victoria Regina, that I loved enough to get a spare for. Then another one was given to me, so all of a sudden I had three copies. I gave the third one away to a friend because I figured I really didn´t need three, and that it was better to share the joy, but I have to admit that I sometimes regret it!

I notice that eventhough I still have two copies, I can find myself considering getting another copy wherever I see that it is available. Which is totally senseless, since I already have two copies. I certainly would tell anybody that you never need more than one deck, one copy of one deck, but still I am obviously greedy enough myself to have two and look for more. I am really embarrassed!

So I would like to know how many spares people here usually keep for their favorite decks? And are they necessary?

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I once had a spare deck, of my first Tarot. At the time I wanted one just for myself and one to carry around in my purse and to sometimes do readings with for others. I found out quickly enough that I don't like reading for others in person, and I stopped carrying it around in time. I finally gave it to a coworker who was getting into Tarot.

I didn't expect I would ever get a spare again, but now with my favourite deck, The Celtic Wisdom Tarot, I know I could not stand to ever be without it. And I think I need a spare in case one day it goes OOP and I don't notice, and my old deck gets raggedy or damaged in some way. I need my Celtic Widsom Tarot with me for the rest of my life. That's my one deck on a desert island deck.

Bar