[wwpierce] The Pierce Collection

[wwpierce]

Hi Everyone, I thought I would post my current collection and let you know a little about myself. If you could absolutely care less who I am or what I do...I completely understand and you can see my cards below...Otherwise.... My name is Wayne Pierce and I live just northeast of Atlanta, Georgia. I am a design engineer for an architectural water fountain company. We design/engineer/manufacture architectural fountains all over the world. I have worked extensively throughout the USA and have done a few projects overseas. Even traveled to Japan about half a dozen times and stayed for month once. Anything from spraying fountains you might see in a public park to dancing light show style fountains, etc. It's a pretty interesting job..but enough of that...

Basically I am just a collector. In general, when possible, I buy two of everything. It does not always apply as some decks I have several of and in some cases just the one. I apologize in advance as the photos are not fantastic.

Couple of questions that may pop up.. The first picture has a brown wrapper deck with a question mark on it.. that is the Bad Robot deck before you open it. The second picture looks like a deck is missing in the second row on the end.. that is actually the Bicycle Espionage Deck. It is just very dark.

You may see some decks that look out of place and they might be. Family bought some trying to help out my collection and some may just be lacking other decks to make a full set, etc. I just get what I can, when I can.

Thanks for looking. Let me know if you have any questions.

Regards,
Wayne

[wwpierce]

Just a few more...

Thanks
Wayne

[mmiikk]

some excellent decks. ive not seen sailor jerrys or the deck with the red skull. intrigued.

[volantangel]

Hey man, which deck is your most treasured ? Also none of the decks look opened, do you open and play with them ?

[Sparkz]

Very nice collection! i see you have the Zippo Gift set, very cool and hard to find....out of production by the way.

[wwpierce]

some excellent decks. ive not seen sailor jerrys or the deck with the red skull. intrigued.

The Sailor Jerry's are hard to locate.. at least for me anyway.. The Skull deck is a LEGO deck. It is basically bridge size but pretty cool.

Hey man, which deck is your most treasured ? Also none of the decks look opened, do you open and play with them ?

Funny.. I never really looked at them individually as the "most treasured one"... If I had to choose, I guess it would be the FED 52 Limited Reserve Note... As for playing with them, Yes! Most of what you see excluding a few decks has an opened sibling. In general, I try to get two of everything. Even the Limited Reserve Note.. I really enjoy the artwork that can be created..it is just amazing! I think that is why I am huge Jackson and UUSI fan.

Very nice collection! i see you have the Zippo Gift set, very cool and hard to find....out of production by the way.

Thanks! it is a good start! Lots of generic decks though..but I enjoy most of them. I think you can get caught up in the hype of certain decks/manufacturers. I am going to thin this set out and start being more selective. The Zippo set is really fun. You can still find them around the internet, but it is a unique set.

I think I am going to start drifting towards the harder to find stuff. I like the challenge of trying to locate them.
Currently I am looking for:

Bicycle Burton (No..Art of Play does not have them.. They just like teasing by having the deck with a "sold out" icon.
Bicycle Tall Stacks set (Never find the whole set, especially unopened)
Bicycle "Green Label" (just a huge pain in the ass to locate)

*All unopened of course.

Probably will throw this in the [ISO] section as well. I do have an extra FED 52 Limited Reserve Note as mentioned that I am willing to trade for some things as well...

Thanks for looking!
Wayne

[Sparkz]

The Zippo set is really fun. You can still find them around the internet, but it is a unique set.

Yes you can, but they are getting a bit pricey, regardless if your main draw is the Zippo or the Deck. The sets been retired by Zippo and last I saw a sealed set is was going for around $50.00

[mmiikk]

which decks are the zippo ones?

[MagikFingerz]

which decks are the zippo ones?

It's top right in the last picture Mr. Pierce posted, with a Bicycle deck and a Zippo lighter in one set.

Great collection, Wayne! Are your decks displayed like this, or did you lay them out for the photo session?

[wwpierce]

which decks are the zippo ones?

It's top right in the last picture Mr. Pierce posted, with a Bicycle deck and a Zippo lighter in one set.

Great collection, Wayne! Are your decks displayed like this, or did you lay them out for the photo session?

Thanks.. like I mentioned it is a good start for a collection. No.. I just pulled them out to take some quick photos. I am looking at creating some type of display case, just haven't decided which direction I would like to go with it. Thanks for throwing out the Mr. Pierce, but completely unnecessary.. I am about to be the ripe old age of 39 in a couple weeks.. I don't need any help in indicating how old I am.. Wayne is good all around. Thanks again guys.

[MagikFingerz]

Well, I'm merely 25 and have been taught to respect one's elders. Pardon me, Mr. Pierce, sir

[RSLancastr]

Great collection there, Wayne! And far more than just a beginning.

[Mike Ratledge]

Cool stuff, Wayne! This little idea and name I tossed in seems to be working! So nice to see how everyone has a different perspective but we all converge on this one thing. Even I have a few Zippo lighters and lots of Tobacco related products that aren't decks, but Marlboro & RJRTC are so close to home (I don't smoke, never have).

Fantastic job, and I mean that on multiple levels.

[RSLancastr]

What is it with Zippos and Bikes?

I've seen Bikes with pictures of a Zippo on the tuck, and Zippos with images of Bikes on them...

Seems a rather incestuous relationship, or, at the least, a mutual admiration society.

Does USPCC own Zippo?

[Eoghann]

I've seen several cardists flourish with decks and do zippo tricks at the same time. Maybe there is a history behind that or they just go well together.

Great collection Wayne! I envy your sailor jerry's. I only have one variation.

[MagikFingerz]

Zippo tricks was actually my "gateway drug" into cardistry, so zippo's and decks are at least in that same category of things you can show off skills with (along with pens and coins/chips).

[RSLancastr]

"Zippo tricks" makes me think of an episode of the old (black & white) "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" television show.

The episode was based on a famous short story. In it, a wealthy man at a casino observes a rather proud and boastful young man as he (the young man) ostentatiously uses an expensive-looking lighter to light his cigars.

The young man reveals that he is in desperate need of cash, and the older, wealthy gent offers a rather unusual wager:

If the young man can get his lighter to light five times in a row, on the first try each time, he wins the large wager (I forget the amount).

However, if the lighter fails to light on the first attempt on any of those five times, the older gent's brawny manservant, who will be holding one of the young man's hands throughout the attempts, will chop off one of the fingers of that hand.

The young man, in serious need of the money, and very condidant in his lighter of which he is so proud, accepts the wager.

The tension ratchets up after each lighting of the lighter, leading up to a very dramatic conclusion.

Someone doing tricks with a lighter always makes me think of that episode...

[th4mo]

"Zippo tricks" makes me think of an episode of the old (black & white) "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" television show.

The episode was based on a famous short story. In it, a wealthy man at a casino observes a rather proud and boastful young man as he (the young man) ostentatiously uses an expensive-looking lighter to light his cigars.

The young man reveals that he is in desperate need of cash, and the older, wealthy gent offers a rather unusual wager:

If the young man can get his lighter to light five times in a row, on the first try each time, he wins the large wager (I forget the amount).

However, if the lighter fails to light on the first attempt on any of those five times, the older gent's brawny manservant, who will be holding one of the young man's hands throughout the attempts, will chop off one of the fingers of that hand.

The young man, in serious need of the money, and very condidant in his lighter of which he is so proud, accepts the wager.

The tension ratchets up after each lighting of the lighter, leading up to a very dramatic conclusion.

Someone doing tricks with a lighter always makes me think of that episode...

Well THAT'S MEAN.... leaving us hanging like that!!!
This is actually based on "Man from the South", a short story by Roald Dahl, and has been adapted several times...

[RSLancastr]

Right you are!

I'd tell you how it ends, if only i could remember with any certainty (give me a break - I saw it around fifty years ago!)

Here is the episode on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9pQqKef4OI

...and here is a Wikipedia entry about the story:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_from_the_South

[wwpierce]

Few more editions to the collection..

[RSLancastr]

And a few additions as well!

Nice, by the way!

[shadowkat]

Really nice collection. That Sailor Jerry's deck is awesome! Are there pin up girls on all of the cards or just the courts? Or is it just a standard deck with Sailor Jerry's art on the box?

[Mike Ratledge]

They're hard to find a complete collection of, unless you just want to pay pay, pay. They come up in eBay but you have to pick your battles. 2 of 4 that I know of and I'm told lately there is a 5th?

[RSLancastr]

What's the attraction?

As far as I can tell, they're just another "52 pictures of [whatever]" deck (with Jerry's tattoo designs being the [whatever].

...which is fine, especially if you're into tattoos, but not for what these seem to be going for ($40 and up).

So, what am I missing?

[wwpierce]

What's the attraction?

As far as I can tell, they're just another "52 pictures of [whatever]" deck (with Jerry's tattoo designs being the [whatever].

...which is fine, especially if you're into tattoos, but not for what these seem to be going for ($40 and up).

So, what am I missing?

To each his own. I think it's like anything else out there.. Supply and demand... Why do we constantly spend $$ on re-colors? What makes certain decks so appealing? What makes us individually like a deck.. and can't stand another? Personally I think the artwork is interesting and you don't see them that often. Again, if there were hundreds of them out there for sale, they would be $5, but their not out there.... in quantity anyway... I remember seeing the "White Rabbit" deck go for $80-90 on ebay multiple times..only to see multiple decks offered for $25-30 a few weeks later..

I think this is why I am going to begin thinning out the collection.. Collect the things I really "want" or "like" versus giving into the hype that I find myself caught up in sometimes..

If it is truly unique or different, then I am in... If there is artistry in it and effort, I'm in.. I think that's why I like USSI, Jackson, Lotrek, Encarded, etc, etc.. There is some damn fine work going into those decks and you are going to pay for it. Or I can out and spend $$ on a brick of cards so I can get one deck of the exact same thing in a different color that you supposedly can't buy.. at least for a few months. And if that's your thing.. and that's what your into, then perfect..I did it.. but I don't think I am doing anymore..

Anyway, sorry about that.. probably veered off topic.. I don't think there is a black and white answer.. each of likes what we like and will spend what we feel its worth... do what males you happy..

[MagikFingerz]

Well said, Wayne!

[RSLancastr]

I understand (and agree with most of) that, Wayne. I can fully understand that some may love a deck that I personally do not care for. There are certainly tons of decks in my collection which many here would not (and do not) want in theirs. I was just curious as to why there are so many people so enamored of Sailor Jerry decks (multiple people referred to them as "awesome" in this thread) that the decks command (and receive) the prices they apparently do. And I can't believe that it is simply a matter of a low supply resulting in a high demand.

[PrincessTrouble]

Where did you acquire the Green Label deck, Wayne? I'm still looking for that one...

[ecNate]

Nice set, I recognized most of them, but what are these 2 circled in blue? They look interesting to me and can't make them out.

[MagikFingerz]

Nice set, I recognized most of them, but what are these 2 circled in blue? They look interesting to me and can't make them out.

The top one is T11 Rebels, and the bottom is Bicycle Coffin Fodder.