The Pamela Colman Smith Centennial Deck review thread

I recieved my Pamela Coleman Commemorative set today. I originally had it ordered through amazon.ca but when it started to look like it was never going to go through I cancelled the order and went to amazon.com.

It's the cost of postage that was the real big time killer... didn't want surface mail, takes way too long... Translated into Australian dollars the postage from Canada would have cost me more than the deck, the postage from America was a bit less than the deck... Amazon really knows how to charge for postage and I reckon that's how they can afford to sell their decks at discount prices... I know, such cynicism ...

Regardless, the package didn't take long to get here, but cripes, was it badly packed for it's overseas trip... Both sides were so loose and open ended that I'm amazed (stunned actually), that the set didn't fall out if it's packaging during it's travels... (probably did and was shoved back in).

I love the cards, very much so... right down my alley way... Except the usual US Games logo on every card, but because the cards aren't glossy laminated that will be easy enough to obliterate... All that other stuff that came with them and the fancy box they were in will probably get discarded one day soon... Same as that awful light blue tarot bag... I'm going to make my own one...

It would have suited me to just get the deck, but no way do I regret the cards... I guess the thing with me is I'm into using the few decks I have and am not interested in Tarot as a collector..... so.... it's not unusual for me to devalue the monetary value of a deck I own in the way I alter it to suit myself... Each to his own...

Welf

I know what you mean re the shipping costs to our part of the world... we are out on a limb in some ways I guess.

having said that, I never go for the more expensive option when ordering from Amazon.com, yet find even with the cheapest airmail method, they usually arrive in about 10 - 12 days to NZ.

Sorry your package was coming apart. Was it mangled or a customs check which didn't lead to it being resealed that well?

Davina

That's the thing shadowdancer, it wan't the most expensive option they had to my knowledge, it wasn't fast business or registered mail... But, I did get a family member to order it for me, so they may have asked for slighter faster postage than initially offered.. ... dunno... Either way, I wouldn't do surface mail though...

No it definately doesn't seem to be customs... wish it had been because they reseal the packages really well if they do go through them, plus they usually leave a note saying they have looked... It was a fragile quality cardboard packaging box and the sides of the box were open at 3 sides and gaped.... and never taped down in the first place by the looks...

Anyway, it got here safe so that's okay... and I really do love the deck... has a really nice feel and aura to it...

Welf

I got mine last week and devoured the little book on PCS in no time flat. An interesting read, and a fabulous collection of artwork.

I've been flitting back and forth between my Universal Waite and Radiant Waite for a little while, but I think it is time now to IDS with this Centennial Deck and all its rich little details.

I just got my copy. First of all, I am so impressed with the card finish... oh sob, why can't that be their normal finish.

It is gorgeous and looking forward to reading the PCS bio included.

Welf said:

That's the thing shadowdancer, it wan't the most expensive option they had to my knowledge, it wasn't fast business or registered mail... But, I did get a family member to order it for me, so they may have asked for slighter faster postage than initially offered.. ... dunno... Either way, I wouldn't do surface mail though...

Welf

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I always choose surface mail through amazon and it never takes longer to arrive than 2 weeks, I'm in Victoria.

Although one DID go missing some months back, but they replaced it (took a while though) free of charge and upgraded the shipping..

Brigid*69 said:

I always choose surface mail through amazon and it never takes longer to arrive than 2 weeks, I'm in Victoria.

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That's interesting... maybe I have the wrong impression what surface mail means... sounds like I do... What I'm thinking about is that mail which takes weeks and weeks, in fact can take months to get here and I always thought that was called surface mail. Hmmm, what sort of a duffer am I... I thought wrong didn't I? This is only the second deck I have brought overseas... the other one was yonks ago, an OOP Deck from an second hand bookshop in America and I can't remember what the cost for mail with that was.

What I do order regularly from America every 3 months is a specialised hard to get cancer health product, a paw paw extract (which should only ever be used by someone who already has cancer cells). We can't get it here and the product was recommended to someone I know who has had cancer for years by their Cancer Specialist.... That's how I know what state a package is left behind after customs has a look inside coz customs always opens it... The mail cost with that isn't anything as high as this one was....

I really wouldn't mind a second copy of The Pamela Colman Smith Centennial Deck... I like it very much and that deck and the Albano version are now my RWS favourites... I might just go for it and do the surface mail bit. After all this, I do need to 'see' how much I was ripped off in mailing costs eh... That's as good an excuse as any.

Welf

I love mine and now want a backup copy

Welf, You ARE right about surface mail from most places.. My Steele Wizard from Canada did take almost exactly three months!

It seems Amazon has an almighty power with the mail system over there.. that or their huge amount of sales...

nicky said:

I love mine and now want a backup copy

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Haha.. Nicky. You should have ordered two right away. That is what I did...

Of course I already knew that I would want a backup copy... ah well..