The Smith-Waite Tarot Cards Holographic Crystal Foil
The Smith-Waite Tarot Cards Gold Rainbow Foil
Moonlight Tarot Cards Gold Rainbow Foil
Pink Moon Tarot Cards Plastic lamination
A holographic tarot deck shifts colour as you move it. Tilt the card and the light travels across the illustration, so the same card looks different in candlelight, in daylight, and on camera. Below are the four decks we print with that finish, all 78 cards, all in stock and shipping now from $34.99.
Holographic or rainbow foil: what the difference actually is
The two words get used as if they mean the same thing. They do not, and the difference decides which deck you want.
- Holographic uses a diffraction layer across the whole card face. The colour shift is full spectrum and moves as one sheet. This is our Crystal Foil deck.
- Rainbow foil is stamped onto specific elements, the linework, the borders, the sun and moon motifs. The rest of the card stays matte, so the artwork reads more easily during a spread.
Readers who want the deck to perform on camera usually pick holographic. Readers who want to study the symbols usually pick rainbow foil. Neither is the better deck, and if you want the long version we wrote it up in foil versus holographic tarot cards.
What comes in the box
Every deck on this page ships as a complete set, not cards alone:
- 78 cards, full major and minor arcana, standard 70 x 120 mm
- Printed guidebook with upright and reversed meanings
- Velvet drawstring bag
- Reading cloth
- Rigid gift box
- A free printable guidebook, sent by email with your order
Cards are anti-scratch laminated. The finish is applied under the lamination, not on top of it, which is why the shimmer does not lift at the corners after a few months of shuffling.
Which holographic deck to choose
Holographic Crystal Foil, for the full mirror effect
Our strongest colour shift. The entire card face carries the diffraction layer, so the deck throws spectrum across the whole spread rather than picking out details. It uses Pamela Colman Smith's 1909 illustrations, the versions almost every tarot book and every online guide is written around, so anything you read about a card will match what you are holding.
Gold Rainbow Foil, for readability with shine
Gold rainbow foil on the linework and borders, matte elsewhere. The symbols stay legible under lamp light, which matters if you read long spreads. Same 1909 illustrations.
Moonlight Gold Rainbow Foil, for our own artwork
Dark Forest original art on 350GSM black art card, with gold rainbow foil. The heaviest stock we print and the deck collectors ask about most.
Pink Moon, for a softer sheen
Plastic laminated, pink pearl finish rather than a full spectrum shift. Waterproof, and the most durable deck we make.
Questions we get asked before people buy
Does the holographic finish make the cards hard to read?
On the Crystal Foil deck the shift is strongest at a shallow angle. Held flat on a cloth, which is how a spread is laid, the illustration reads normally. If you are worried about glare, the rainbow foil decks are the safer pick.
Do holographic cards shuffle well?
Yes. The finish sits under the lamination, so the surface you touch is the same smooth laminate on every deck we make. They riffle and fan without sticking.
Will the foil peel?
It cannot peel, because it is not the outer layer. The lamination is. Corner wear over years shows as the laminate softening, the same as any quality deck.
Are these beginner decks?
The Crystal Foil and Gold Rainbow Foil decks both use the 1909 illustrations, which is the tradition beginner books teach from. Each ships with a guidebook covering upright and reversed meanings. If you are starting out, our beginner guide to reading tarot walks through a first spread.
How fast do they ship?
US orders ship the next business day. Shipping is free over $69, and returns stay open for 14 days.
Why buy this deck here
We print these decks ourselves. 68,000 buyers have rated our decks 4.9 stars, and every order includes the free printable guidebook. New here: code STAR20 takes 20 percent off your first deck.
Still deciding? Read holographic tarot cards, what they are and how to choose, or browse gold foil tarot decks and every Dark Forest deck.