Are spares necessary?

I often worry "What if it goes out of print!" about many of my decks. I have a backup for my Secret tarot because it is my main reading deck. Although I have been reading with it for 6 years and it is VERY worn, I haven't wanted to replace it with the spare yet, I'm very connected to it.

If I ever did start using the spare I would purchase a third to back that one up (I like the deck that much). I am also considering getting a backup for my Fey deck as it has earned a nice curve from heavy use.

When I read professionally I am often hesitant about reading with the Secret deck and pull out the World Spirit instead, imagining people won't like the look of a worn deck, but every once in a while I have had people tell me they like seeing that my deck has gotten so much use. What do people here think? If your reader's deck is worn to you think "experience" or "negligence?"

I think people like having a reading done with a well-worn deck. I know I would. It means to me that the person didn't just start reading last week. Seeing a deck that's worn and used is reassuring to me.

Shade said:

When I read professionally I am often hesitant about reading with the Secret deck and pull out the World Spirit instead, imagining people won't like the look of a worn deck, but every once in a while I have had people tell me they like seeing that my deck has gotten so much use. What do people here think? If your reader's deck is worn to you think "experience" or "negligence?"

Click to expand...

I would most absolutely be more inclined to trust a reader whose deck is worn. The only thing about a deck that might possibly make me feel negatively toward a reader is actual dirt or filth on the cards.

I love using lots of decks but one thing I regret is that they never get that nice worn look as I have so many.

--Myrrha

While I might have several versions of a deck (i.e., Heron. LS, Jodo-Camoin and Grimaud TdM, or La Vera Sibilla and Sibilla Della Zingara), I don't keep multiple identical copies of the same deck. No offense, but that seems a bit neurotic to me. If there was a severe enough disaster, I'd lose them all, anyway.

How many decks were lost in Katrina, I wonder....

If I love a deck, and it isn't a "classic" that will never go OP, I get a back-up deck if I can. I don't think that's in the least neurotic....decks go OP all the time with no warning, prices go sky high, and a deck going back into print is pretty rare. I think it's just being prudent to get a back up for a deck you truly love.

To me, a worn deck speaks of experience and love, not sloppiness.

Spares thread; temporarily "The Enabling Thread"

I read this thread while most of the opinions were In Favor. Also much Baba-stuff going on -- in the community and for me. (I went to a weekend class in early Nov.; brought my BBC; saw VR for the first time. While waiting for my VR(S) to arrive, and before I placed order for VR-G, I realized I needed Prague....) Amidst this-all -- decided I needed the 2nd Prague; then read that the BBC-1 already is OOP; needed a second of That. And decided that while I really like Prague-2 -- it seems more "unified" somehow -- I am very attached to Prague-1 -- while will also go OOP. So -- you get the picture. I'll get the gold BBC; and no doubt the standard issue of the 2nd version, also. (As was noted, these are all different decks!)

Singles of everything else, and think I can leave it that way. Just a shread of Reason! (My house is small, and full of books, etc.; but decks are smaller than the musical instruments and the new massage table -- and cheaper!)

I don't seek out spares and don't normally consider them necessary.

I have extra copies of a handful of decks. In some cases, I spotted a favorite deck on sale and so picked up a spare. In other cases, I spotted a very cheap listing on eBay for a rare or uncommon deck and just didn't want to let the chance go by, even though I already had a copy of the deck. And in a couple of cases, I bought a "lot" of decks on eBay that happened to contain a deck or two that I already owned (in with the decks I was really wanting).

And there's been a time or two when, I admit, I've stocked up just for trading/sale purposes in the future, such as when I spotted a small stack of the Ship of Fools tarot on clearance for less than $4.00 a copy in a bookstore, and bought the lot of them.

All that said, though, I'm not one of those folks who buys a spare of every deck that I like or use. I have neither the room nor the money to do so.

I have two copies of just a few decks. I don't really count my multiple Thoth's, because they are different decks. Also the re-colors of the RWS.

I do have two copies of the Aquarian, my oldest deck - my original is just a bit too fragile to read with anymore. I don't like the new one as well though, and am keeping my eye out for a less well-worn copy that has the solid blue back.

I am also thinking about someday soon getting another copy of both the Universal RWS, and the Gilded, because those are the decks I tend to carry with me and they are both getting a bit worn. Not that I won't use them until they are used up, like my Aquarian, but it would be nice to have backups on hand, just in case.

I might pick up a spare if the price is right or the situation seems right to do so. I don't do it for collection purposes (one to read with one to keep in the collection) or in fear that I would lose a deck that I use. I do it more because sometimes I get the urge to do so, and that purpose will be revealed at a later date...like the opportunity to gift the deck to a friend or someone who needs it. Incidentally, I also feel like getting decks that I have no intention of using for the same reason...like I am the person that is supposed to facilitate a deck's travel to the person it's supposed to be with. I know, I'm talking crazy now

I don't have any duplicates right now. I did get 2 large Thoths, but I trimmed the borders off one of the decks so I consider it a different version of a Thoth now versus a duplicate of the untrimmed one.

valeria

At the moment the only duplicates I have are Buckland, New Orleans Voodoo tarot, and Robin Wood (but one of them is the Spanish version). I'd love to have a second Waking the Wild Spirit, but I always seem to get there too late when one comes up in the trading forum that might be reasonable in price. The NOVT I only have a duplicate deck for because that's what I was able to afford first and then my daughter got me the set shortly after. Otherwise, I certainly wouldn't expect to need two copies of that one.