So lately, I noticed Tarot decks blowing up on collector forums. Everybody’s obsessed with limited editions, especially ones over $500. Figured I’d jump in before prices skyrocket.
First Step: Hunting For The Right Decks
Dove into collector groups and marketplaces. Turns out, not every “rare” deck actually holds value. Filtered out mass-produced stuff disguised as collectibles. Focused on three criteria: under 500 copies printed, signed by artists, and pre-2000 release dates.
My hunting list looked like this:
- Dug up the 1997 Hermetic Tarot with silver gilding (only 100 exist)
- Tracked down the Visconti-Sforza reissue dipped in 24k gold
- Sniffed out a 1980s Salvador Dali set with his scribbled signature
Buying Process & Budget Mess
Checked auction sites daily for weeks. Almost got scammed twice – dudes trying to sell photos of decks instead of the actual cards. Learned to demand timestamp videos with today’s newspaper beside the deck.
Budget went sideways fast. Planned $1500 for three decks. Ended up dumping $2200 because:
- The Hermetic auction turned into a bidding war (worth it though)
- Paid extra for DHL armored shipping after hearing horror stories
- Customs fees slapped another $180 on the Dali set
Storing These Fragile Investments
Shoved them in my sock drawer initially. Big mistake – humidity curled one card edge overnight. Panicked and splurged on airtight glass cases with silica gel packs. Now they live in my closet wrapped in black silk like museum pieces.
What I Learned The Hard Way:
- Condition means EVERYTHING – dropped one deck getting it out of the box? Value tanks 40%
- Provenance paperwork is golden – paid extra for original receipts/certificates
- Insurance costs more than my car payment
Post-Purchase Reality Check
After six months? Mixed bag. The Hermetic deck doubled in value when the artist died. Dali set stayed flat – turns out too many fakes scare buyers. Visconti deck gained 30% after some celebrity TikTok unboxing. Still not selling though. Holding feels like babysitting priceless eggs.
Honestly? Only do this if you actually love Tarot. Watching value fluctuations gave me more stress than crypto. Next time I’m buying one damn deck, not three.
