Gold Rider-Waite Tarot Deck, Gold Foil Edition

Gold foil on the classic images. The foil picks out Smith's line work and catches low light, which makes this a natural altar deck for candlelit readings and a striking gift deck.

Waterproof, durable cards. The card stock is built for daily shuffling, spilled tea, and travel, so the deck you read every morning still looks new a year in.

Storage box included. The box keeps the deck flat and protected between readings and gives it a home on the shelf or in a bag.

• Imagery: Rider-Waite tarot by Pamela Colman Smith
• Finish: gold foil
• Cards: durable, waterproof card stock
• Included: storage box
• Weight: about 1 lb

The Rider-Waite tarot deck is used for divination, meditation, and study across nearly every modern Western tradition, from eclectic witchcraft to ceremonial magic. Arthur Edward Waite, a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, designed it and Pamela Colman Smith, a fellow initiate and working illustrator, painted all 78 cards; it was published in London by William Rider and Son in 1909, and U.S. Games Systems has published it in the United States since 1971. Smith's decision to illustrate every Minor Arcana card with a full scene, rather than a row of cups or coins, is why the deck became the template for most decks that followed.

This gold foil edition changes nothing about how the deck reads. You can use it with any Rider-Waite book, from Waite's own Key to the Tarot to modern guides, and any spread written for the standard deck lays out identically. What the foil adds is presence: on a dark cloth by candlelight, the cards glow, and many readers find that helps them settle into a reading. The waterproof stock also makes it the Rider-Waite to carry, which means it is the one that gets read.

1. Set the deck on a dark cloth by candlelight the first time you open it. The foil is at its best in low light, and it is worth seeing that way once.
2. Cleanse the new deck with incense smoke, a night beside selenite, or a slow shuffle with your intention spoken aloud. The waterproof stock handles smoke without trouble.
3. Learn the cards with any Rider-Waite guide; the images are the standard ones, so every book applies.
4. Pull one card each morning, and try a three-card spread (past, present, future) when a question needs more room.
5. Return the deck to its box between readings. It keeps the cards flat and the foil bright.

The foil is decoration. The reading is still yours.

• Rider-Waite deck & book by Pamela Colman Smith: the classic paper edition packaged with Waite's Key to the Tarot, the guidebook this foil edition does not include.
• Rider-Waite tarot deck Kit: the black and gold foil edition with cloth, bag, bell, feathers, and card holders.
• Gold Bordered Pentagram altar cloth 36" x 36": a gold-bordered black cloth that makes the foil glow under candlelight.
• Learning the Tarot: A Tarot Book for Beginners by Joan Bunning: Joan Bunning's beginner course uses these exact images, so it pairs cleanly with this deck.
• Black Velveteen Pouch, 5 x 7 Inches: a 5 by 7 inch velvet pouch for the days the storage box stays home.

What's the difference between this and the other Rider-Waite editions?

The Gold Rider-Waite prints the standard Rider-Waite images with gold foil on waterproof cards in a storage box. The Rider-Waite deck and book set gives you the classic paper deck with Waite's Key to the Tarot and a chart, and the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck Kit pairs a black-and-gold foil deck with a cloth, bag, bell, feathers, and card holders.

Are the images the same as the original Rider-Waite tarot deck?

Yes, the images are the same Rider-Waite tarot images Pamela Colman Smith painted in 1909, with gold foil added over the line work. Card names, order, and symbolism are unchanged, so any Rider-Waite guidebook or spread applies. Only the finish and the card stock differ from the classic paper edition.

Can I cleanse a foil tarot deck with smoke?

Yes, you can cleanse a foil tarot deck with smoke. Pass the cards through incense smoke a few times, or rest the deck overnight beside a selenite wand if you prefer no smoke at all. The waterproof card stock on this edition also tolerates a quick wipe with a dry cloth.

Is the Gold Rider-Waite good for beginners?

Yes, the Gold Rider-Waite is good for beginners. It uses the standard Rider-Waite images that nearly every tarot book teaches from, so you can learn with any guide. This edition does not list a book, so pair it with a beginner's tarot book or a Rider-Waite companion guide.

How many cards are in a tarot deck?

A standard tarot deck has 78 cards: 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana in the suits of Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. The Rider-Waite tarot set that structure for most modern decks, and this edition reproduces the Rider-Waite images in gold foil. Spreads written for any standard deck work here.

Does the Gold Rider-Waite come with a guidebook?

The listing for this edition includes the gold foil deck and a storage box; a full guidebook is not listed, so plan on a separate Rider-Waite guide. Waite's own Key to the Tarot and Joan Bunning's Learning the Tarot both use these exact images and pair well with this deck.