Blank Cards

[M.J]

Is it common for decks to have blank cards in them??

I have only one tarot deck at the moment (well two, but one I haven't received yet) and that is the Animal Wise deck by Ted Andrews. I got this because I have never used tarot before and I have a strong tie with animals and totem medicine. I thought that I'd feel more comfortable with this deck and could then move on to a more traditional type (which has been true).

In this deck there is a blank card. When I was shuffling the cards and getting used to them - I drew this blank card all the time. I was sitting by a river with my husband one day, trying to put my energy into them and kept drawing this blank. My husband suggested that it was because I wasn't using them - they didn't hold my energy yet.

So I bit the bullet and started doing readings with them instead of just preparing them. I haven't seen the blank card since, but I know it's still in there somewhere!!!

Do all decks have blank cards? Is there an alternate meaning to this or do you think my husband was right? (seemed so!)

 

[Knightward]

I am not fimilar with the deck, so I may not have the best answer.

Which card is "missing" If you have 78 cards, but one is blank, it would stand to reason the Blank card should be whichever card is not present within the rest of the deck.


-Fenier

 

[Lady Orchard]

I've not heard of decks having blank cards. Like knightward says I would check whether this is a 79th "mistake" or whether it replaces a missing card.

If it is an extra card, I think I would be inclined to read with it. It's bound to come up sooner or later - in which case maybe you could treat it like a blank scrabble tile, and give it whatever meaning you intuitively feel for that position?

 

[Knightward]

That could work, But I am wondering if its a Blank 78th or an extra 79th Card. You would have to count the deck to make sure.

-Fenier

 

[Alta]

I suggest you remove the blank card from your deck. It is not a part of the 78 card deck. There extra cards with most decks because of the way they are printed. A standard printing layout has space for 80 cards and the extras are either blank or used as a title card or advertising other decks in the publisher's line. Just remove the card is my advice, use it for a bookmark or whatever.

 

[redflash]

The Quest tarot has 2 extra cards, one of them is the Multiverse, which goes beyond the World card, & one of them is blank, either for you to make into a significator or an extra idea that you would like to add to the deck. But I haven't heard of any others that have blank cards. xx

 

[Fulgour]

Blank Cards were often included in decks in the 1970s.
As Marion stated, a standard printing layout will cover
a sheet of cardstock going 8 by 10 and so to print a
deck of 78 cards there will be a space for two blanks.

Because the cardstock sheet has the back design on it,
and the cutting process works best if not leaving part
of one corner an uncut piece (using metal cutting dies),
printers ended up with blank cards having no other use.

I think it is good manners to include them with a deck!
It's nice when they are printed as Introductory cards,
and too bad they are now used simply for advertising,
but either way ~ they are a part of the deck and can
be used any way a person is inspired to try. Why not?

 

[Deana]

Some decks use the "extra" cards to print spread layouts or information about the deck and some leave it blank. I usually glue them facedown into journals or throw them away. I have never shuffled with a blank card still in the deck.

 

[Abrac]

A tarot deck has 78 cards. Take out the blank and count the rest and see what you have. If you have 78, fine. If not, something is amiss.

-fof

 

[Fulgour]

Animal Wise Tarot by Ted Andrews + 1 Blank

Take out the blank and count the rest and see what you have.
If not, something is amiss.

Or maybe take out all the blank cards and count
them and if there's still just one, everthing's fine.

Hi M.J I don't think some of these folks get it!
Next I expect we'll wonder: what if it's reversed?