Beginner Deck Suggestion?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 05 Nov 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Majecot	05 Nov 2003
My niece is going to turn 16 on 01-01-04. Because she has shown some interest in them, her ":cool: off beat Auntie" would like to get her a Tarot deck for her birthday. Does anyone have a suggestion for me on what might be the best beginner deck for a 16 year old? She totally flip over any deck I give her, but I want to make it a sensible gift rather than a fanciful one. What would you buy for yours?

Rusty Neon	05 Nov 2003
If it's for a tarot deck in the Anglo-American tarot tradition, my suggestion would be an RWS deck (probably the Universal Waite, for her age group), or if you don't think she could stomach the RWS artwork (which I, personally, like very much), a close clone of the RWS. The closer the clone the easier it will be for her to access the tarot instruction literature and to learn standard Anglo-American tarot meanings which she can transfer to other decks as the desire arises.

Le_Corsair	05 Nov 2003
Another good choice is Beginner's Guide To Tarot by Juliet Sharman-Burke, with cards drawn by Giovanni Casselli. This is a beautiful book/card combination set, I found it at overstock.com for eleven dollars US and change. It is the size of a paperback, but bound in good quality paper. The deck is a Rider-Waite-Smith clone deck, with much better artwork than found in the RWS. The book (for a beginner a book is very helpful) explains the cards without going into too much intimidating detail, just right for someone just starting out. Bob :THERM

lark	05 Nov 2003
I gave my 15 year old neice the Goddess Tarot by Kris Waldherr. She went gaga over it. It's beautiful, easy to get, and close enough to Rider Waite to make it easy to learn. They even have it in that cute little pocket version now.

truthsayer	05 Nov 2003
i second le corsair's suggestion. the book for this deck is excellent for beginners. the deck is pretty good, too. for a 16 year old, i might also suggest the moon garden. it has lots of fanciful creatures like unicorns, is very pretty but she could read it with a rws background.

Star Spirit	05 Nov 2003
Don't forget the Hudes Tarot :) It's as simple as the Rider Waite but much prettier.

Umbrae	06 Nov 2003
Swiss IJJ

Emily	06 Nov 2003
I'd give her something that would give her a firm foundation to start from - like the Universal Waite, the Radiant Waite or the Morgan Greer. There are so many tarot books around that use Rider Waite symbolism and later on she can move onto other less traditional tarot decks once she's got the basic idea of the cards. I wouldn't give her a pips only deck, she can move to those later if she wants to - the Ancient Italian is a lovely soprafino deck but again pips only.

Sulis	06 Nov 2003
I too would suggest something which is very close in symbolism to the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. I don't own the beginners deck whic Le_Corsair and Truthsayer recommeded but there is a very good review of it at Tarot Passages HERE. The Universal Waite is a lovely deck as well and one which a teenage girl may prefer to the Rider-Waite. I think that it's important to get a deck which she could find easily in books or she may be put off. Good luck with your search. Love and light Sulis xx

PurpleSal	06 Nov 2003
My first pack, at 16, was the Morgan Greer - I really liked it and found it easy to use and also inspiring and not too complicated... Sal x

Majecot	06 Nov 2003
Thanks for all the great suggestions. You all given me a lot to look over. I can almost hardly wait for her birthday now, ( she will be so surpirsed) I know I have plenty of time but I don't like to wait til the last minute. :D I think I started out with the wrong deck (I went for the glitz) and I thought about letting her choose, but I figured she would do the same as I did, and I don't want her to get discouraged. Auntie wants to start her off on the right foot.. There is nothing like shopping for a new deck! ;)

Majecot	06 Nov 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Umbrae Swiss IJJ Umbrae .. what is this deck? Do you have a link? I looked for it on AT but did not find it on the list.

Emily	07 Nov 2003
Hi Majecot, Its a Marseille/Soprafino type clone - its a nice deck if you want pips instead of illustrations. I think its on the Wicce site. Its also called the 1JJ Swiss. The early editions are unlaminated and in french but the version out now is in English and laminated. I have this deck, it was my first deck but I couldn't connect with the pips and also the french so moved onto the Rider Waite. :) Edited to say:- Le Corsair is right, its about 5 up from the bottom of the AT tarot list :)

Le_Corsair	07 Nov 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Majecot Umbrae .. what is this deck? Do you have a link? I looked for it on AT but did not find it on the list. I think it is on the AT list, the designator is 1JJ not IJJ, if I remember it is at the bottom of the list of decks. It is a deck with pips for minors (unillustrated minors), which for many people makes learning the deck more difficult, because the mnemonic device of the illustrations are lacking. That said, it is a nice, traditional deck with a really great Death card. Bob :THERM

Majecot	07 Nov 2003
Thanks guys, I will look again :)

Icestorm	08 Nov 2003
Hmm... when I first started I tried a few rider waite clones, like the Ancient Egyptian and the Russian Tarot of St Petersburg, but they didnt really help me very much. Recently I got the AG Muller edition of "The Original Rider Waite" and I have to say that it was by far the best deck Ive bought so far. Learning with it is just so much easier, and while you are at it can I suggest the tarot books by Paul Fenton Smith, they aided me greatly.

Majecot	10 Nov 2003
Ok Everybody, There were a lot to choose from. I have an a tenative choice for my niece. I have just ordered the beginners Guide to Tarot, actually three of them. One is for my sister in law that has a birthday coming up, one for my niece, and of course one for me :D. This way I don't feel sad when I give the deck away ;) and I can give it a good look before she gets it for her birthday. I will let you know how she likes them. Thank you for all your help.

romreader	15 Nov 2003
I suggest that a person start with Rider Waite. I didn't, even though I was advised it was the best one to start with, and I never did really learn to read intuitively very well till I just heeded what so many say and went to Rider and learned from there. My suggestion is the Rider Tarot, pocket edition. It can be gotten for $10.50 at Amazon.com. It's small and easier to shuffle for someone with small hands, like me, plus it's a very nice size to carry in the pocket or purse without being so small it's hard to read with. My pocket tarot is my favorite, goes everywhere I go, and in reading for others, it's just a breeze as well as being very accurate.

Jen	16 Nov 2003
After reading this thread I bought the Beginners guide to tarot. I had never heard of it and I like having a variety of RWS clones. The set is cheaply made. The cards are the punch-out kind, I think. They're very flimsy, but usable. Also the card backs are solid hot pink with a silver line around them and the copyright on each card. This is the only downside. The artwork is nice and clean, definitely a great beginners deck. I like the book as well. It describes the symbology in each card and give really nice divinatory meanings. It starts with the minors fist, then goes to the majors. One thing I really like about this book is it gets right to the point. It doesn't have long chapters on history, ethics etc.

Majecot	17 Nov 2003
I got my decks in the mail last Friday.. I totally agree with Jen on the quality of the cards, but I do like the art work. I gave the one set to my sister in law who ablsolutely loves them. they were easy to shuffle and she loves the simplicity of the book and explantions of the cards. It is making the learning process much easier. I think this was the deck for sure for my niece. I can hardly wait to give them to her :D Thank you everyone for all your help... Maybe next birthday I may have her choose her own. ;)

Le_Corsair	17 Nov 2003
Compared to the silky-smooth feel and heavier cardstock of a standard deck put out by US Games, Llewellyn or Lo Scab, the cardstock used in the Casselli deck is thin, and there is little in the way of coating on it; so if you are dissatisfied with my recommendation, then I apologize. I spent quite a bit of time shuffling the cards, as I like to shuffle cards nervously as I read; the cards hold up well to shuffling, as you will find. The backs are undistinguished, that is true, but no more than the standard RWS blue plaid back (retch). :joke: Look at the artwork on the cards, though; much better than the RWS deck. My favorite of the cards in this deck is the Wheel of Fortune, normally an undistinguished card for me. Never have I seen a card image that compares with this one for explaining the archetype of the Wheel. The book is remarkably good quality, also; I hope you noticed that it is sewn, not just glued, so it will hold together well. All in all, for the pittance I paid for it (less than 12 dollars US, delivered), a really great value. It's a good introduction to Tarot, I think; and you can always buy more decks! :laugh: Bob :THERM

Majecot	18 Nov 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Le_Corsair so if you are dissatisfied with my recommendation, then I apologize. I spent quite a bit of time shuffling the cards, as I like to shuffle cards nervously as I read; the cards hold up well to shuffling, as you will find. The backs are undistinguished, that is true, but no more than the standard RWS blue plaid back (retch). :joke: It's a good introduction to Tarot, I think; and you can always buy more decks! :laugh: Bob :THERM Oh Bob :) I am not dissatisfied at all.. I hope you did not misunderstand. I think the deck is great. My sister in law loves them and I am sure my niece will too... I was surprise they were thin with no coating on them... all of my decks are coated so I did not even think about them not being.. infact I have one that is sooo slippery it doesn't stay in a pile very well... that is probably because I don't use them much so they are not broken in.. unfortunately I am ALWAYS ... shopping for a new deck.. there are just too darn many of them out there....:joke:

Majecot	02 Jan 2004
Well Yesterday was my niece's 16th birthday, and today I went to see her to give her birthday gift to her. Her reaction was, with eyes wide .."this cool, this is seriously cool!" then she said "Dad's gonna kill you" and of course I just grin and say "yah I know.." ( but he won't, my brother is not that narrow minded, she just thinks he is because he won't let her get facial piercings.) I just told her that's what Auntie's are for :D I did not get to spend much time her today, but she was already diving into her cards, trying to read the cards and looking up the meanings. I think she is a natural intuitive reader. ;) I have a feeling I am going to get a lot of phone calls from her. :cool:

The Beginner Deck Suggestion? thread was originally posted on 05 Nov 2003 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.