My Latest Aquisition...

A Vintage Deck of Bicycle Racer Back No. 2 Playing Cards Produced Probably Sometime in the Late 1920's

The Cheapo Card Collector's Terms & Definitions #1: "BUNDLING"

A Deck of White Arcane Playing Cards That I Purchased as Part of a "Bundle" on an Online Auction.  This and Eleven Other Collectible Decks in the Lot Came to Less Than Four Dollars a Piece,  Almost Half the Price Than If I Purchased Each Deck Separately.

You might be aware of the term " Bundling" from the practice of the telephone, cable, and other companies offering several products or services together as a package deal for a single price, but you ask "what does that have to do with playing card collecting?". You will often encounter "Bundling" when you discover a  deck of playing cards that you've been lusting for on an online auction that being sold as part of a "lot". You also might find yourself in a similar situation in many thrift stores which do not sell decks of playing cards singularly, but instead package several decks together in a clear plastic bags. Probably you don't really want to purchase the other items (usually it's grouped with other playing cards, but not always) but the seller refuses to sell you your object separately (though it doesn't hurt to ask). So what do you do? Well, it really depends how you feel about the surplus cards. You might really want the others as well, or at least not mind adding them to your collection. If so, there's no problem. Just divide the final price by the number of decks to figure out the cost for each, and use that figure to evaluate if it's worth the purchase. But if the extra cards are totally unwanted, you should treat the price for the entire lot as the cost of the single deck. In many cases, you will find it just too expensive, and it might be best to pass on the entire deal. It's really up to you, and how much you really want that desired deck. Many times, I've been forced to buy not only really crappy cards that I already owned just to claim a treasure, but totally random junk as well. This has happened to me particularly over and over in one specific nation-wide thrift store chain that has peculiar habit of bundling their playing cards with unrelated items: puzzles, staples, screws, sewing notions, drink coasters, etc. Once in pursuit of an deck of cards in this store, I even acquired a glass paperweight of the Sydney Opera House in Australia!
Though bundling can be a real pain, but it can be beneficial as well. Often it will turn out those spare cards that you didn't think you wanted will be a better find that the original deck you bought the whole lot for. This has happened to me a few times, most memorably in that same thrift store I've mentioned, discovering a very rare vintage scenic railroad deck from the 1930's, I was totally unaware of, in an unlabeled card case among very common airline playing cards sold together in a plastic bag.

So good luck, my fellow cheapo card collectors! May all your "bundles" be blessed!

 Rare Green Phoenix Playing Cards From That Same "Bundle".

SPECIAL BULLETIN: Only Ten Days Left to Take Advantage of BOGO Bicycle Playing Cards Sale at Your Local Walgreens

Bicycle Red Plastic Cup Playing Cards Featuring a Full Color Joker and an Unique Ace of Spades

If you saw my last post, you must be wondering how in the world have I managed to snag a Bicycle Zombie Deck for just 2 dollars at Walgreens. Well, Walgreens for the last month has been running a Buy One, Get One Free special on all  their Bicycle Brand Playing Cards (Except for the 2 and 4 packs). That means if you buy one deck at the regular price of $3.99, you get a second deck for free (I'm no math genius, but even I know that works out to just two bucks a deck).
This not only includes regular Bicycle Rider Back Poker, Pinochle, and Bridge Cards, but all the cool Bicycle Specialty Decks that Walgreens carry as well.  So for just two bucks a piece, you can add Bicycle Poker World Series, Dragon (Red & Blue), Peacock (Green & Purple),  Zombie, and Red Plastic Cup decks to your very own cheapo card collection. You might even get lucky, and find a fairly rare Black Bicycle Rider Back deck like I did. But if you don't act soon, you will miss out since this special sale ends March 29th, 2014.  So all Fellow Cheapo Card Collectors, run, not walk, to your neighborhood Walgreens store and start buying!

Bicycle Green Peacock Playing Cards Featuring an Unique Ace of Spades

My Latest Acquisition

A Deck of Really Cool Bicycle Zombie Playing Cards Purchased At My Local Walgreens For Two Bucks!

Breaking News: The Return of the Cheapo Card Collector!

For those, if any, who have read this blog, there's breaking news: I'm back! Please accept my apologies for being so neglectful. I've been a bit intimidated by all my overreaching ambitions & goals for this blog, so I've been procrastinating. Since I started this blog at the end of last year, I've only posted twice, the last time over two months ago, but now I plan to dig in and get serious. So prepare yourself for tons of helpful (and not so helpful) advice, tips, and opinions on how to amass a sizable collection of playing cards on a limited budget, plus a glimpse of my own insane collection.

Collecting 'Found' Playing Cards

One unusual (as well as very inexpensive) way to collect playing cards is to take photographs of random playing cards discarded on the street. Here is a round miniature 7 of Hearts I discovered on Park Avenue in Worcester, MA on July 15th, 2013. If you are interested in seeing more random playing cards found all over the world, check out Found Playing Cards at http://foundplayingcards.tumblr.com/