In most instances even if you 'alter' a copyrighted image, you have to have permission to do so, and usually pay a royalty, too. This is why many shows that use only 3 or 4 Tarot cards in an episode have their Art Dept make up 'prop cards' that are recognizable as a Tarot card but not utilizing any one deck.
Using someone else's 'anything' usually involves a copyright, somewhere.
It does not matter 'how old' something is if someone currently holds the copyright for it. If something is not in the Public Domain someone either has the copyright or the licensing rights to it.