Would you call yourself a deck collector?

[Kimber]

i love all my decks, and swap the ones i don’t connect to, although i often later regret swapping them so i don’t do this often.

I used to swap out decks I didn't "connect" with....only to find that some years later I'd evolve in a certain way and find those decks speaking to me and then I'd end up rebuying them! So I keep them all now. The warty ones need love too.

[Stan K. Beest]

I am definitely a collector. Been guilty of that since at least my mid-teen-years (at least) - a loooong time ago. It started with Records (a habit I seemed to have picked up from my older brother), then moved onto CDs when they became available, till I finally ended up with several thousands of CDs. Including a sub-collection of "bootleg" recordings (my goal was to obtain a copy of every concert I'd ever attended … I came damn near to 100% success too). In the past several years though I have divested myself of the majority of them.
I first started collecting Tarot Decks more than 30 years ago. But in the last 5 years or so it has gotten completely out of control, to the point where I currently own more than 300 decks. I do sell quite a few though, mostly ones I don't really connect with or have duplicates of. But I can relate to people who say they have gotten rid of decks only to re-purchase them again later. I've done that a few times myself - when it seemed the memory of certain images from an abandoned deck keep haunting me until I finally bring them back into the fold. Strangely there are only a few select decks I read with. The majority I use for study or meditation or inspiration or just to enjoy the beautiful artwork.

[Nemia]

I feel conflicted about my deck collecting right now. Maybe I've watched too many anti-haul and decluttering videos? So many people seem to enjoy letting go of decks, and I always have that reflex of taking in more decks.... I have only let decks go that really really didn't talk to me.

But why do I want to buy more decks when I already have so many I really love? My birthday is getting closer, and all I can think of, all my wishes are more tarot decks. There are mainstream decks that are in my reach and then there are indie decks that I'll never be able to afford... but I want them very much, and when they go out of print, I get such an antsy feeling, it's horrible.

Now what happens when I order a deck? It takes between three to four weeks until it reaches my remote part of the world, sometimes longer. (I think the New Liminal was c. three months on its way to me). I enjoy the waiting time, I walk to our mail boxes where we get the notifications that a parcel has arrived, and to the little receiving office where we have service four hours a week. So getting my parcel is always a big excitement and I wouldn't miss it. When I lived in more urban areas and had mail delivered quickly to my door I was happy, too, but nothing like my walks home with a brand new little box in my hand, burning to open it.

And no other order gives me a kick like a tarot deck. I don't usually order other stuff because I want to support brick-and-mortar shops, especially small ones. But Corona has changed many habits and I had to order some wool, some crochet equipment, and it was nice to get. I don't order books anymore, I only read on my Kindle and ordering a Kindle book is completely devoid of magic. It's nice, yes, and I enjoy having a new book to dive into.

However, nothing gives me a tingle like a new deck on the way. I take pictures of the parcel, and then I spend time with the deck. If I have the time, I write a review (have to do that more often, it intensifies my pleasure with a deck). I crochet a bag for it, I compare it with other decks, I shuffle and re-order it, I keep it next to my laptop and play with it. After some days, it is assigned to one of my 12 deck groups.

Each deck group has a little box of its own, and they all wait their turn for their appearance on my tarot calendar - my magnetic board where I display the cards of the zodiac sign, the season, the decan, the moon phase and the day of the week.

But there are decks that I wanted so very much and I don't have the time to read with them. Okay, I tell myself I collect for the art, and I couldn't part with even one of my decks. Nevertheless, now that my birthday is coming closer and I may have the chance to grab some more decks.... why am I so addicted to adding a new deck to my collection?

People are publishing new decks at a rate I can never keep up with. I have only 128 decks, nowhere near the serious collectors. I don't have many precious or rare decks, and I feel like an impostor when I say I collect.

I resist the pull of Kondo-ing my life, I have problems throwing away old clothes (I don't wear fashionable stuff anyway), I can't part with old letters. When I threw out a whole bunch of old journals, it felt great - for about a day after the garbage van had taken the paper bin away. Since then, I'm grieving for the witness in writing of an important though troubled time of my life. Four years of my life - a whole bin - gone. No, I'm no good at throwing away.

Sorry for the rant, I should probably make a reading about why it's so important to me to OWN decks. I'm not materialistic in other things. I don't want jewelry or expensive clothes, I don't care about cars or other status symbols. I don't want expensive holidays, chic hotels or expensive stuff at home. My collecting is focused on tarot cards (and crochet stash), and it's often manageable, but when the urge to buy gets high like now, I feel really guilty for not giving enough attention to the decks I have. And for spending money on a hobby when I don't earn enough to justify it.

Should I buy the decks I long for right now? the Mystical Moments and Mystical Dream? the Oriens and Children of Litha? the Soul Cards Tarot and Disney Villains? The Robledo, Foudraz, Textured, Spolia, Painted...? Oak Ash thorn, Fauna, Ophidia Rose...? Will I be happy once I have them all? I know I wouldn't.

[MaggieMae]

I have only started with my Tarot journey since last years and have 5 decks. I only use three of them on a regular basis. I thought about buying more decks but for now I want to stick to the three decks I am comfortable with. There are so many cool decks out there but I don't want to buy decks that I won't use.

[fire cat pickles]

I am somewhere in between the top two. I ended up choosing the "yes" option, though. Over the years I have ended up with a few decks that are quite valuable. I have told members of my family to be sure they don't get ripped off if something were to happen to me. I have even gone so far as to tell them who to talk to (on-line of course ) if something were to happen to me (dangerous profession here!) so that this doesn't happen!

[Nemia]

Same here, FCP! I have nothing anyone would like to inherit but I made sure my husband knows who to turn to in case they wish to sell my decks

[TheLoracular]

I read in Tarotsophy that the veteran reader of 10+ years has on average 33 different decks and that was exactly what I had in October, one for basically every year tarot had been in my life just not intentionally that way.

Since then though, at least 10 new decks have come in- and I have 3 more coming from Kickstarters + 2 from recommendations. I'm having some of those same feels of "Is this too much? Should I consider selling or giving away some of the old ones? Am I making compulsive buys now?"

I think that it is just giving me a lot of joy to have them. I think I stopped spending money on other, less tangible things and I will slow back down and just try and put more focus on decks I already own. That might be a delusion. Maybe I should stick to "Yes, and it makes me really happy! Every new deck represents one less RPG game or UberEats order coming into my life instead!" lol