A divinatory tarot deck is read with Wands, Cups, Swords and Coins or Pentacles; a tarot card game is played with Spades, Hearts, Diamonds and Clubs. Both have 78 cards.
If you want a deck made for reading, the Borderless Vintage Tarot, Light Edition carries Pamela Colman Smith's original 1909 illustrations, with a printed guidebook in the box.
Scenes on every card
Start with the 1909 scenes
Borderless Vintage Tarot Cards — Light Edition, 1909 Classic Art
Pamela Colman Smith's original 1909 illustrations, borderless, with a printed guidebook covering all 78 cards.
See the deckWhat is a divinatory tarot deck?
In France, searching for "jeu de tarot" first brings up the card game. It is played by several people with 78 cards: suited cards with French suit signs and numbered trump cards. It was not designed for readings.
A divinatory tarot deck is made for drawing cards and interpreting them. It also has 78 cards: 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana in four suits. The Major Arcana carry the great figures, such as the Magician, Strength or the World.
The same word, "tarot", therefore names two different objects. That matters for a buyer: a card game gives you no images made for reading, no guide to meanings and none of the logic of the arcana.
This confusion is common, and it is harmless if you notice it before buying. The two kinds of deck have the same number of cards, which is why product photos sometimes look alike. That is why reading the description matters more than glancing at the thumbnail. A deck for reading shows figures such as the Magician or Strength; a card game shows mostly playing cards and numbered trumps. If you hesitate, read the title of the listing, the suits it names and the list of what comes in the box.
How to tell the two apart before you buy
A few clues are enough. Look at the suits first, then at game indexes in the corners, then at the description and the guide that comes with it. The table sums up the differences.
| Check | Tarot card game | Divinatory deck, Marseille tradition | Divinatory deck, illustrated tradition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suits | Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs | Batons, Cups, Swords, Coins | Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles |
| Cards | 78 cards, including numbered trumps | 78 cards: 22 Major Arcana, 56 Minor Arcana | 78 cards: 22 Major Arcana, 56 Minor Arcana |
| Numbered cards | Game indexes in the corners | Pip cards: suit symbols in patterns, no scene | A scene on every card, numbered cards included |
| What you receive | Sometimes a rule sheet | A guide to meanings | A guide to meanings |
| Use | Playing with friends | Reading through number and suit | Reading from the pictures |
A simple rule: if the product page talks about meanings, arcana or spreads, it is a deck for reading. If it talks about game rules, tricks or points, it is a card game. For playing, a games shop is the right place: we only sell decks for reading.
Why the suits are not the same
The two families share the name "tarot" and the count of 78 cards, but not the suit signs. The Tarot de Marseille was codified in France in the 17th and 18th centuries and uses Batons, Cups, Swords and Coins. The modern card game uses the suit signs of French playing cards.
The illustrated tradition keeps the same four suits as the Marseille, with the Pentacle in place of the Coin, but puts a scene on every card. That is what makes it easier to read alone: the picture already tells you something.
Reading with an ordinary 52-card deck is yet another method, playing-card cartomancy. Our article how to read tarot with playing cards explains what it allows and what it does not replace.
What to check on the product page
Before you pay, take two minutes to read the whole listing. A serious deck for reading says clearly what it contains, and the same list helps you compare two decks with each other.
- The number of cards: 78 cards, including 22 Major Arcana, for a complete deck for reading.
- The suits: Wands or Batons, Cups, Swords and Coins or Pentacles, not Spades, Hearts, Diamonds and Clubs.
- The guidebook language: a guidebook printed in your language saves you from searching for meanings online.
- The card stock and finish: the thickness in gsm and the type of lamination tell you how the cards feel in the hand.
- The size: about 7 by 12 cm is a common size for a reading deck, easy to shuffle.
If a point is missing, ask the seller before you buy. A serious seller answers plainly, and you stay free to buy elsewhere if the answer does not suit you.
A first deck for reading: the illustrated tradition
A beginner who wants to start reading quickly does well with scenes on every card. The Borderless Vintage Tarot, Light Edition uses Pamela Colman Smith's original 1909 illustrations, running to the card edge with no white border. The cards measure about 7 by 12 cm (roughly 2.75 by 4.7 inches), on white 350 gsm card with matte anti-scratch lamination.
It comes in a protective cardboard tuck box with a 36-page printed guidebook covering all 78 cards, upright and reversed. For the basics of reading, our guide tarot cards for beginners takes you from the first cards to a first spread.
If you like a foil finish, the Holographic Crystal Foil Tarot uses the same original 1909 illustrations with a holographic foil that shifts through the rainbow as you tilt each card.
Holographic foil
Like a foil finish?
Holographic Crystal Foil Tarot Cards — 1909 Classic Art
The same original 1909 illustrations, with holographic crystal foil and anti-scratch lamination.
See the foil deckWhat about the Marseille tradition?
In a Marseille deck, the numbered cards of each suit show repeated symbols, not scenes. You read them through number and suit: three Cups are not read like three Swords. It takes more patience at first, but it is a very structured way to read. This plainness comes from the 17th-18th century codification of the Marseille pattern: the meaning is built from the number, the suit and the place of each card in the spread.
The Marseille pattern was codified in France in the 17th and 18th centuries. To compare editions, read how to choose and buy a Tarot de Marseille.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a divinatory tarot deck and a tarot card game?
A divinatory deck is made for reading cards and has Major and Minor Arcana with a guide to meanings. A tarot card game uses French playing-card suits and is made for playing.
Can I read cards with a tarot card game deck?
You can try, but the pictures, suits and guide are not made for reading. A divinatory deck gives you symbols to interpret and printed meanings.
How can I tell a divinatory deck before buying?
Look for the words arcana, meanings, spread or guidebook, and check the suits: Wands or Batons, Cups, Swords, Coins or Pentacles. Spades, Hearts, Diamonds and Clubs with indexes point to a card game.
Which divinatory deck should I start with?
Most beginners start with a deck that has a scene on every card. The Borderless Vintage Tarot, Light Edition does, and it ships with a printed guidebook.
Is the Marseille tradition harder to learn?
It takes a little longer, because the numbered cards show no scene. With a guidebook and some practice, you read through number and suit.
You can now tell a divinatory tarot deck from a card game: look at the suits, the arcana and the guide. To compare more decks for reading before you choose, browse our decks for beginners.
A full tarot course in English comes with every deck.
Includes a free full tarot course in English
Includes a free full tarot course in English
