Tarot decks differ mainly in three things: the artwork, the finish of the cards and the way you learn them. For a beginner, an illustrated deck is the easiest start, because the scenes help you remember the meanings.
If you want to start from the pictures, look at Borderless Vintage Tarot – Light Edition, with the original 1909 illustrations, or Moon Magic, a lunar reinterpretation that simplifies some classic pictures.
To start with
Light Edition and Moon Magic
Borderless Vintage Tarot Cards — Light Edition, 1909 Classic Art
The Light Edition is illustrated with 1909 scenes; Moon Magic is a lunar reinterpretation that simplifies some classic pictures. Matte anti-scratch lamination, a printed guidebook and a protective box.
See the deck
Moon Magic Tarot Cards
The Light Edition is illustrated with 1909 scenes; Moon Magic is a lunar reinterpretation that simplifies some classic pictures. Matte anti-scratch lamination, a printed guidebook and a protective box.
See the deckHow to compare tarot decks
When decks all look alike, four questions are enough. The answers are almost always on the product page, if the seller writes them down.
- Artwork: does every card show a scene, or do the number cards only have symbols? Scenes help you remember the meanings.
- Finish: matte lamination, gold foil or holographic foil? It changes the feel in your hand and the way light reflects.
- Size: every deck we sell measures about 7 by 12 cm (roughly 2.75 by 4.7 inches), a size that is comfortable to shuffle.
- What is included: a printed guidebook, a box and, in the fuller sets, a bag and a cloth.
For a wider check of physical quality, such as card weight and lamination, read how to tell if a tarot deck is good quality.
Tarot decks compared: six of the decks we sell in Italy
The table lines up six of the decks we sell in Italy. It contains only details written on the product pages: where a detail is not stated, we left it out.
| Deck | Artwork | Finish | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Borderless Vintage Tarot – Light Edition | Original Pamela Colman Smith illustrations from 1909, borderless, a palette of ochres and dusty blues | White 350 gsm card, matte anti-scratch lamination | Beginners who want to read from the pictures, in a deck with no glare |
| Borderless Vintage Tarot – Dark Edition (EU only) | The same original 1909 illustrations, borderless | Premium thick cardstock, matte anti-scratch lamination | Readers who choose the 1909 tradition and prefer this edition |
| Moon Magic | A lunar reinterpretation of Pamela Colman Smith's system that simplifies some classic pictures | Thick cardstock, matte anti-scratch lamination | Readers who like a lunar theme that is atmospheric but not gothic |
| Moonlight Gold Rainbow Foil | Based on Pamela Colman Smith's system, with gold rainbow foil | Black 350 gsm cardstock, foil and glossy anti-scratch lamination | Readers who want a luminous deck whose foil shifts colour in the light |
| Holographic Crystal Foil | Original Pamela Colman Smith illustrations from 1909 | 350 gsm cardstock, holographic foil and anti-scratch lamination | Readers who want the 1909 pictures with a rainbow effect |
| Tarot de Marseille – Vintage Edition (EU only) | Marseille tradition, number cards with symbols rather than scenes; not Pamela Colman Smith's art | White cardstock, anti-scratch lamination | Readers who already know they want a symbol-only deck |
Every deck has 78 cards, 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana. The difference lies in the look and in the reading method, not in the number of cards.
A short summary: for daily reading with little glare, the Light or Dark Edition; for a lunar reinterpretation, Moon Magic; for a light effect, Moonlight or Holographic Crystal; for symbols only, Marseille. This comparison does not rank the decks. None is best in every case, because it depends on how you want to read.
Which deck to choose if you are starting
A beginner does not have to memorise 78 meanings: suits, numbers and pictures work together, and a scene helps connect them. That is why we suggest starting with one of the decks with the 1909 pictures; Moon Magic is instead a lunar reinterpretation that simplifies some classic pictures.
Every deck buyer also receives a free beginner course in your language, in four books. You can read how it works on the page tarot deck with a free beginner course in Italian. There is no Italian deck with the meanings printed on the cards: the method is guidebook plus course.
The Marseille deck is an optional choice. It suits you if you already know you want number cards with symbols and enjoy reading by number and suit. It is not the deck we recommend to someone who has never read tarot.
A good habit is to pick one deck and use it for a few months before you buy a second one. To learn how a deck faithful to a tradition is recognised, read also original tarot cards: how to recognise an authentic deck.
If you want a more striking effect, here are two decks with foil: Moonlight Gold Rainbow Foil and Holographic Crystal Foil.
With foil
Moonlight and Holographic Crystal
Moonlight Tarot Cards Gold Rainbow Foil
Two decks with gold rainbow or holographic foil, anti-scratch lamination, a printed guidebook and a protective box.
See the deck
Holographic Crystal Foil Tarot Cards — 1909 Classic Art
Two decks with gold rainbow or holographic foil, anti-scratch lamination, a printed guidebook and a protective box.
See the deckFinishes: matte, foil, holographic
The finish is the part you see and touch first. It is worth understanding before you buy.
Matte
Light Edition, Dark Edition and Moon Magic have a matte anti-scratch lamination. It does not give strong reflections under a reading lamp. It is the calm choice for reading every day.
Gold rainbow foil
Moonlight uses gold rainbow foil on black cardstock. The colour shifts when the card catches the light, and the glossy anti-scratch lamination protects the surface.
Holographic
Holographic Crystal Foil moves through the full rainbow spectrum as you tilt the card. Here too there is an anti-scratch lamination. If you want to compare the kinds of deck in more detail, see the guide to types of tarot decks.
Anti-scratch laminations make cards more resistant to signs of use. They are still cards made of cardstock, so keep them with care, in their box.
What comes in each box
Every deck we sell comes with a printed guidebook. In the Light Edition, Dark Edition, Moon Magic and Marseille decks it is a 36-page guidebook; for the others, the product page states a printed guidebook that covers all 78 cards.
There is also a protective box, either cardboard or a tuck box. In the fuller sets you also find a velvet bag and a cloth, useful for keeping and using the cards. The language of the guidebook is not always stated on the product pages, so read the page of the deck you are considering.
Besides the guidebook, a deck buyer receives the free beginner course in your language, which completes the study of the cards.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best tarot deck for a beginner?
An illustrated deck, because each card shows a scene that helps you remember the meaning. The Light Edition and Dark Edition carry the original 1909 illustrations, and Moon Magic is a lunar reinterpretation that simplifies some classic pictures.
What is the difference between a matte deck and a foil deck?
Matte reflects little, so you can read it with less glare. Gold or holographic foil changes colour as you tilt the card.
How many cards are in a tarot deck?
A complete deck has 78 cards: 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana. All the decks in this comparison are complete.
Is the Marseille deck right for a beginner?
It is an optional choice, suited to readers who want to read by number and suit. For someone who has never read tarot, it is simpler to start with an illustrated deck and the free course in your language.
What size are the cards?
About 7 by 12 cm (roughly 2.75 by 4.7 inches). That is the size of every deck in this comparison, comfortable to shuffle and to lay out on a table.
We invite you to look at all the editions in the all tarot decks collection.
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
