u/Flashy-Sherbert-155

Curious about everyone's origin story. What was the deck that took you from "I own some cards" to actually paying attention to this stuff? A specific art deck? Something inherited?

For me, it was a Bicycle Stargazer deck I picked up around 2018. It was still familiar enough to feel like a normal deck of Bicycle cards, but the space themed artwork was the first time I really noticed how much thought could go into the design of the cards themselves. That sent me down the rabbit hole of looking for other decks with unique artwork and eventually paying attention to designers, printers, editions, and all the little details I'd never thought about before.

Always interesting how many people can trace the whole thing back to one deck.

My collections grown past the thousand mark at this point, but if I had to pick only one to keep, it would be a deck from the Stockholm17 Odd Fellows series, no hesitation.

Stockholm17 has a way of making every deck feel like its own little world, and the Odd Fellows decks are probably my favorite example of that. It's the combination of the unusual character driven artwork, the small details throughout the design, and the overall personality of the series that keeps me coming back to them!

Curious what everyone's 'last deck standing' would be? Doesn't have to be the rarest one, just one you truly enjoy!

I collect decks mainly for the art and print side, and half the product pages I read say some version of 'perfect for magicians.' From people who actually perform, what does this really come down to?

Is a standard Bicycle rider back still the practical answer because it's forgettable? Do you avoid decks with distinctive backs or non-standard faces? Does finish matter more for magic than it does for cardistry?

Not asking about any methods, of course- just curious about the physical deck side.

I come at this from the collecting side, so I mostly judge decks on art, tucks, and print quality. I keep seeing decks describes as "great for cardistry" and I want to understand what that actually means in the hand.

Is it mostly stock and finish? Back design symmetry for fans/ spins? Borderless vs. bordered? And are there decks that look incredible on shelf but are actually bad to flourish with?

Trying to appreciate the decks I own for more than just the shelf. Any info is welcome & appreciated!

Feels like every few months my preference shifts. I've got decks from all three and lately I've been reaching for Cartamundi stock more than I expected to.For those with decks across multiple printers: what's your ranking right now, and has it changed? Interested especially in how recent Cartamundi runs compare to their older ones — I've seen mixed opinions on the newer runs compared to the older ones, but my sample size is small.

I collect playing cards (standard decks, custom art decks, vintage casino decks, not sports cards) and I'm somewhere in the few hundred decks now. I've got a spreadsheet going but it's perpetually out of date, and I've definitely bought a deck I already owned at least twice.

For anyone with a decent-sized collection of anything (books, vinyl, sneakers, whatever) what's your system? Spreadsheet? An app? Photos in an album? Just memory?

Mostly trying to solve: knowing what I have when I'm out at a shop, and tracking condition/duplicates.