Decked Out: The Most Iconic Tarot Decks You Should Know

We've covered the basics in our Tarot 101 blog post, so in this blog post we will be exploring some of the world’s most notable tarot decks to help you to find the right tarot deck.

There is a common myth that someone else should buy your tarot deck for you. In reality, you are allowed to buy your own tarot deck. Picking out your own tarot deck is a great way to ensure you choose a deck that is right for you and your skill level and is in a style that you like. It is a very personal journey and selecting your own deck is a great way to build a connection with your cards.

It is also perfectly acceptable to gift a tarot deck to someone else if you feel called to do so, but you shouldn't wait to start your tarot journey just because someone else hasn't bought you a deck yet!

So, let's take a look at some of the popular tarot decks out there:

The Rider-Waite-Smith deck - THE Beginner Deck. The classic Rider-Waite Tarot deck is one of the most widely used Tarot decks in existence with a huge amount of learning materials and interpretations, this deck is a great one to start with. It was the first popular deck to feature full illustrations on the pip cards. First published by the Rider Company in 1909, based on the instructions of academic and mystic A. E. Waite and illustrated by the iconic Pamela Colman Smith, both members of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. There are lots of new iterations of this deck and you can find it in many different styles and colours, or you can still to the ol' reliable classic style.

Tarot de Marseille - Classic, simple & historical. The Tarot de Marseille is one of the oldest and most influential tarot decks, with origins tracing back to 16th–17th century France. It’s known for its bold, woodcut-style illustrations, primary colors, and symbolic imagery that has inspired many modern decks. It features plain pip cards that some beginners can find hard to interpret. Unlike the more familiar Rider-Waite deck, which features detailed scenes and explicit symbolism, the Marseilles Tarot presents a more abstract and minimalist approach, inviting you to engage your intuition and explore the cards’ meanings on a deeper, personal level.

Luna Somnia Tarot Deck - Beautiful black and gold.

Dreamy themes and celestial stories. The magical Luna Somnia Tarot Deck (Latin for Moon Dreams) brings together traditional imagery inspired by the symbolism of the classic Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot deck, combined with celestial and astrological symbols, to help you connect with your cosmic spirit, to channel your intuition, and to bring you guidance from universal source.

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The Thoth Tarot - Weird, wonderful and a little creepy. Thoth Tarot is an esoteric tarot deck painted by Lady Frieda Harris according to instructions from Aleister Crowley. It is unique for its gorgeous Art Deco design and inclusion of three Magus (Magician) cards. And of course, for the involvement from famed occult scholar Aleister Crowley. This deck was completed around 1943.

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The Wild Unknown Tarot - A Nature lover's dream deck. This has to be one of the most popular modern tarot decks out there. The art of the Wild Unknown is focused, minimal, almost pip-like in some of the minor arcana and doesn't feature any people. Created by artist Kim Krans and first released in 2012. It features stunning hand-drawn imagery that explores the mysteries of the natural world and the animal kingdom.

The Modern Witch Tarot - One for our trendy witchy girlies.

A Rider-Waite-Smith inspired deck for the modern witch.

It is a contemporary interpretation of traditional tarot, designed to resonate with modern sensibilities and diverse audiences. It aims to empower and inspire users through its vibrant artwork and inclusive themes. The deck was created by Lisa Sterle, an artist known for her unique style and ability to blend modern aesthetics with classic tarot symbolism. This deck was published in 2019.

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Other notable decks...

White Numen - Sacred Animal Tarot - Lighting your path to the spiritual realm. Inspired by ancient rituals and stories of sacred animal spirits.

Britts Third Eye Tarot - This tarot deck invites you to lift the veil between the conscious and subconscious mind. Filled with eye-popping colours and imagery, each card calls on the mysteries of the soul, illuminating the path to self-exploration.

Mythic Tarot - Featuring themes from Greek Mythology. Gods and goddesses, heroes and heroines of the Greek myths tell the story of the tarot cards.

The Literary Tarot - The secrets of the universe have always lived in our stories. Classic literary stories pair with each tarot card to unlock the tarot through story telling

Lost Hollow Tarot - The Lost Hollow Tarot is a unique 80-card deck that blends traditional tarot archetypes with a gothic aesthetic, featuring diverse characters and rich symbolism in a striking red, black and white colour scheme.

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We feature a range of tarot cards in store, so make sure to check where we are and pop in to do your research on your first (or 31st!) tarot deck.

Good luck and have fun learning about all the beautiful tarot decks that are out there.

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Did we cover all the best tarot decks or do you feel like we missed some? Let us know what you think.