Spotlight Interview with Expert Collectors: Part 1
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We're very excited to introduce a new series of blog posts interviewing some impressive playing card collectors from around the world in which they give us some valuable insight into the unique and diverse hobby that is collecting playing cards.
It was quite a privilege to chat with these collectors, as they have much to share about their knowledge of the hobby and community itself. It is my pleasure to shine a spotlight on these individuals, and I hope that their input will be a valuable resource for those who may just be starting off with collecting decks. Enjoy!
π‘ Lou Tolentino π±
π‘ Lou Tolentino π±
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| Instagram: @decked_out_cards |
Introduction...
Lou Tolentino is a popular figure on Instagram for card collectors near and far in which he showcases his amazing collection of decks on his page. Aside from his photos, Lou is an active member of the card collecting and Cardistry community as he has now organized two card collectors meet ups in Southern California.
"My name is Lou Tolentino and I live in Southern California (a town called Valencia) most of you will know me as @decked_out_cards. I started Decked Out Cards back in September of 2018 as a way to showcase my love of cards and some of my collection, while trying to build community through various challenges and funny hashtags some fun ones where the #deckstackchallenge, and #fanningfamfridays."
"I’m currently working on launching a Kickstarter Campaign for my own branded deck of cards called the Standards, the design concept can be viewed on my IG page and I’ve been working closely with my buddy, Mike, at Eight High Studios."
♠ What made you first get into collecting playing cards and/or Cardistry? ♠
"I started doing magic at a young age and always loved having fresh packs of Bicycles on hand. But that was as far as I took it with cards. Fast forward many years and I find a magic store literally down the street from where I lived. The White Rabbit Magic Shop got me back into magic and they had just acquired inventory from a shop that had closed and that included a bunch of custom bicycle decks. I’m a collector by nature so when I found out I could collect them...I went crazy."
♠ How long have you been collecting for? ♠
"I’ve been collecting for 2 years now, I started Decked Out Cards shortly after..."
♠ Approximately how many decks do you currently own? ♠
"Unfortunately I don’t have an exact amount but my last official count was a few months ago and I believe I was shy of 500 but during this quarantine I’ve since added probably over 100 decks so closer to 600 now."
♠ What is your go-to site for picking up all the latest decks? ♠
"I don’t just have one. But I started with playingcarddecks.com [Playing Card Decks Instagram] , and I’ve actually met Will and toured his warehouse (which is amazing by the way). Then SoCal Playing Cards (I’ve met Henry as well and he is freaking awesome). Can’t forget Jonny at Decks on Decks (that dude is family). Mike at Docs Playing Cards (super cool guy as well). Justin with Barrets Playing Cards. Mack at Bam Playing Cards, Rick at Kardology, Steve at Wounded Corner, the guys at Cardvolution too. So many peeps I hope I didn’t forget anyone!"
♠ What deck or brand of decks do you consider to be your favorite? ♠
"I’m a fan of both USPCC and Cartamundi, though I leaned more towards USPCC in the beginning. My favorite deck I guess I’d have to go with my Red Mailchimps. I love the feel of that deck and the design (super thin borders, too)."
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| Theory 11 Mailchimps (Red) |
♠ Is there a certain design or brand that you’re particularly drawn to? ♠
"Hmmmm...one of my favorite designers is Giovanni Meroni of Thirdway Industries. I love his work and his decks are always amazing. But in all honestly there are so many designers out there it’s hard to pinpoint just one (even though I clearly just did that)."
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| Thirdway Industries' Decks |
♠ What’s one of the biggest rookie mistakes you made when you first started off? ♠ |
"Buy[ing] every deck because it was a deck."
♠ Are there any decks that are currently on your wish list? If so, what are they? ♠
"[I] would love to complete more of my Thirdway Collection. A Summer Mailchimp would be amazing. And I’m looking for a Vegas Blue Gemini Casino deck. Otherwise I’m ballin' on a budget... it’s rare for me to spend more than $20-25 on any one deck."
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| Theory 11 Summer Mailchimp |
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| Gemini Vegas Blue Casino |
♠ Do you have any advice for those who are just now getting into this hobby? ♠
"As far as buying and collecting goes, collect what speaks to you... it’s easy to go overboard in the beginning -- it’s new, it’s exciting. But you’ll quickly find that it’s damn near impossible to keep up with all the new releases and trying acquire decks that are a little harder to come by. Stick to your budget unless it’s a deck you really want, but do your research before making a big purchase."
"I’d recommend asking people in the community if you're unsure whether or not a purchase is a good deal. The community is full of people that can help steer you in the right direction. If you’re dealing online be sure you know who you’re dealing with, check the sellers feedback and ratings. Ask around to see if they can be vetted. Nothing worse than getting something different than what you paid for it not getting anything at all. But most importantly have fun with it!"
Featured Photos from Lou...
Online Playing Cards Shops in Mentions:
Thanks...
A special thanks to Lou for agreeing to the interview and helping me with all of the fine details of the post. Be sure to follow Lou on Instagram for all his latest posts and features! As he mentioned in his introduction, Lou and his friends at Eight High Studios are working on the Standard Playing Cards for a Kickstarter Project, so don't miss out on your chance to back the project and get your hands on his new deck!
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