Lamination questions

My copy of Tarot of a Moon Garden was printed a while ago. It was not glossy but more of a satiny finish the way US Games used to print tarot decks.

Do any of you have a recent glossy Moon Garden deck? Is it the updated or premier version (deck only, I think?) Or was it the deck and book set that was glossy?

I *had* a recent glossy version of the Moon Garden - but traded it. It was the deck only - I'd already got the book by mistake and then got the deck to go with it. Didn't do it for me though, and I think the gloss was part of the problem.

Whether deck or set or premier edition, if it is shiney it´s bound to be "printed in Italy"... What you want is "printed in Belgium".

Not always easy to verify if you´re ordering from amazon. While we´re on the subject, Im just curious; do other AT members ever email the place where they´re ordering from (amazon, book depository etc) and ask where the deck is printed?

Ive never done that, but often feel like it!

I've been considering the Moon Garden lately but as I recently got the Jolanda which is quite whimsical & colourful, I have resisted for a while. I don't think I'd fancy it if it was too shiny tho....

Re: emailing: I have on occasion emailed the Book Depository & found them really helpful. They have replied very quickly in working hours & are usually willing to share whatever info they can find out

B x

I didnt know there was a laminated re-print of the deck. What is the colour like on the new edition compared to the original? are they richer version from belgium,or are they lightly coloured?.
I dont have the newer edition and I was curious about it. The original shuffles reasonably well but, still I find that the cards do have a mind of their own they are easy to drop as they can fly about freely.
I did find that the images when you finally receive them I found that the colours look faded in some areas. The trees are quite pale. That is my only regret about the deck as, much as I love it I wish the colours were a little bit brighter.

thank you

Le Fanu said:

Whether deck or set or premier edition, if it is shiney it´s bound to be "printed in Italy"... What you want is "printed in Belgium".

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That's true - I was noticing that after I wrote this post. Glossy ones are printed in Italy.

I didn't even know that there were different versions of it. I have the Belgium one, but I do like shiny laminations. Maybe I would like the shiny version of it more...

Le Fanu said:

Not always easy to verify if you´re ordering from amazon. While we´re on the subject, Im just curious; do other AT members ever email the place where they´re ordering from (amazon, book depository etc) and ask where the deck is printed?

Ive never done that, but often feel like it!

Click to expand...

I've done that with ebay sellers. If a US Games deck is in a larger outer box (the theft-preventing ones) though the outer box might say "printed in Italy" but the inner box says "Printed in Belgium" and the deck is the older style (non-glossy). That happened to me once with a deck. I figure they had printed up a bunch of those large outer boxes and put the last of the older decks inside.

seeker*13* If you like shine on your cards the new glossy printing might be worth checking out as it has a glow that kind of fits the night time, moonlight atmosphere of the deck.

Yes, Myrrha, that's why I'm sending you my non-glossy one! Because I'd rather have the gloss! It works out both ways - unless for some reason I get sent one that was printed in Belgium!

I think what's happening with US Games is they have completely shifted their printing of decks from Carta Mundi in Belgium to Modiano in Italy. Any belgian decks left in circulation are the remainders of the old editions. The new editions are fairly easy to distinguish because they've all been given redesigned boxes. The Morgan Greer for example now comes in a purple box with the Queen of Swords on the front rather than the old slate blue box featuring the Chariot. The standard Universal Waite now comes in a blue/red box featuring the Fool rather than the older beige box with the Mary Hanson Roberts illustration on the front. For the Moon Garden, the US Games site now shows the new box artwork so it's often worth checking up on there as a reference

The only exceptions to this rule in the US Games catalogue are the few decks they have printed in China, like the Golden Tarot, the pocket Universal Waite and the Zerner Farber. Also, any decks originally published by AG Muller and distributed in the States by US Games are still printed in Belgium (such as the Cosmic Tarot).

The difficulty is that many suppliers, such as Amazon may still be featuring old box artwork on their listings. If the ISBN hasn't changed then there's no need for anyone to check up. Sometimes it's just pot luck what you get and if you're specifically after Belgian editions, it's often safer to shop second hand through the trading forum or on ebay.

Sadly the whole thing is a sticky and glossy minefield! However, at least all of these wonderful decks are still in print. I'd rather have a glossy/sticky edition than none at all. I recently bought a back up copy of the Morgan Greer and I have to say, the new edition is rather nice - even when put alongside my old Belgian edition. Although the print definition isn't as sharp, the colours remain wonderfully rich.

Chris. xx