Encyclopedia of Tarot Cards

Compiled by D. J. McAdam.  All rights reserved.

This encyclopedia of tarot decks is arranged by title.  One deviation from standard listings is that, for ease of use, titles beginning with "Tarot of the" are arranged by subsequent object; e.g., "Tarot of the Cat People" is listed as "Cat People, Tarot of the."  

Our intention is to list all known major varieties of tarot cards, including both out-of-print decks and decks that are currently in print.  Highlighted titles are hyperlinked to other pages (either on this website or other websites) offering additional information on, and a graphic depiction of, the specific deck mentioned.

• Alchemical Tarot, The.  By Rosemary Ellen Guiley and Robert M. Place. 
• Aleister Crowley Tarot Cards.  
• Ancient Egyptian Tarot.  By Clive Barret. 
• Ancient Minchiate Etruria.  97-card tarot of the Renaissance, complete with 12 astrological signs and 4 elements.  
• Angel Tarot.
• Aquarian Tarot Cards.  This used to be an extremely popular deck, back when we were all singing about the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, but it seems that it might have now gone out of print.
• Art Nouveau Tarot.
• Arthurian Tarot Cards.  Created by Caitlin and John Matthews.  Illustrated by Miranda Gray.  
• Bosch Tarot.  Not done by Hieronymus Bosch (he didn't actually design any tarot cards), but inspired by his artistry.  People have the same reaction to these cards that they do to Bosch's work, so the artist certainly succeeded in that regard - some love it, some hate it.
• Cat People, Tarot of the.  
• Cagliostro Tarot Cards.
• Cosmic Tribe Tarot.  By Steve Postman and Eric Ganther.
• Crowley Thoth Tarot Deck.  By Aleister Crowley.
• Crystal Tarot.  By Lo Scarabeo of Italy.
• Dali Universal Tarot.  Designed by Salvador Dali.  One of the most beautiful (and expensive!) sets of tarot cards currently in print.
• Deluxe Rider-Waite Tarot.  Rider Waite design, but cards edged in gilt.  Currently out of print.
• Deva Tarot.  From Piatnik.  Not out of print, but not currently available, either.
• Dragon Tarot Cards.  Created and illustrated by Peter Pracownik under the direction of Terry Donaldson.  
• Eclectic Tarot.  Another Piatnik tarot deck, this one is out of print.
• Egorov Tarot - Was published by Piatnik.  Artwork by Russian illustrator.  Not currently available in USA.
• Egyptian Tarot.
• Elementary Tarot.  By Roberta Peters.  Published as a deck and book set by Caxton Editions, London, 2000.  The 96-page book is attractive and useful, and every page is in color.  The 78-card deck is likewise attractive, our only criticism being that the back design, in black and gray, looks like a Rorschach test.  Cards measure approximately 3-3/8 inches wide by 5-1/8 inches high.
• Faery Wicca Tarot.  By Kisma K. Stepanich, illustrated by Renée Christine Yates.  83 cards.  Blend of Irish mythology and modern Faery Wicca.  
• Fairy Tarot.  
• Gatti Il Meneghello.  22 Major Arcana cards featuring felines.  Small deck, limited edition, black and white cards.  Interesting, primarily for tarot collectors.
• Glow In The Dark Tarot.  Major arcana only, and yes, they do glow in the dark.
• Goddess Tarot Cards.  A very popular deck of tarot cards, especially among goddesses or those who aspire to same. 
• Grand Etteilla Tarot.   Out of print.  
• Haindl Tarot.  
• Halloween Tarot Cards.  By Kipling West.  
• Hanson-Roberts Tarot Cards.  Features Mary Hanson-Roberts' vibrant designs and vivid fairy tale images.
• Healing Tarot.  By Jyoti and David McKie.  Out of print.
• Herbal Tarot.  By Michael Tierra and Candis Cantin.  Integrates herbalism with tarot symbolism.  1988.
• Legend: The Arthurian Tarot.  Different from the other Arthurian Tarot.
• Light and Shadow Tarot.  By Michael Goepferd and Brian Williams.  
• Lord of the Rings Tarot Cards.  Based on the works of J. R. R. Tolkien.
• Mantegna, Tarot of.  By Lo Scarabeo.  Cards have silver foil on them, quite nice.
• Marseilles, Tarot of.  One of the oldest of known tarot deck designs, presumably first executed as woodcuts.  The original being out of copyright, there are, as one might expect, numerous editions of this deck. 
• Masonic Tarot.  Out of print(?).
• Medieval Scapini Tarot.  By Luigi Scapini.
• Moon Garden, Tarot of a.  Illustrated by Karen Marie Sweikhardt.  
• Morgan-Greer Tarot Cards.  Strong colors, appealing as such.
• Motherpeace Round Tarot Cards, by Karen Vogel and Vicki Noble.  
• Mythic Tarot.
• Native American Tarot Cards.  Created by Magda Weck Gonzalez.  Illustrated by J. A. Gonzalez. 
• New Orleans Voodoo Tarot.  By Louis Martinié and Sallie Ann Glassman.  
• Old English Tarot Cards.  This deck belongs in every tarot collection. 
• Original Rider-Waite Tarot Cards, The.  This is actually a deck and book set - very reasonable, recommended.
• Osho Zen Tarot.  Illustrations by Ma Deva Padma.  
• Quick & Easy Tarot.  It's quick.  It's easy.
• Rider-Waite Tarot.  Alternately known as the Rider Tarot.  By all measurements the standard deck in today's world.  
• Robin Wood Tarot.
• Rohrig Tarot Cards.   By Carl W. Röhrig.  
• Sacred Circle Tarot.  Celtic influence.
• Sacred Rose Tarot.   
• Santa Fe Tarot Cards.  By Holly Huber and Tracy LeCocq.  
• Shakespearian Tarot.   By Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki, with illustrations by Paul Hardy.  Published as a boxed deck and book set by Caxton Editions, London, 1997.  First published by Aquarian Press, 1993.  Now out of print, but much sought after.  Clever casting: Prospero as the Magician, Lear as the Hermit, Hamlet as the Hanged Man, etc.  Quotes from Shakespeare appear on the cards. 
• Shapeshifter Tarot. 
• Sola Busca Tarot.
• Spanish Tarot.  Also known as Tarot Español.  Bilingual, Spanish and English.  
• Sphynx, Tarot of the.  From Lo Scarabeo.
• Spiral Tarot.  
• Unicorn Tarot Cards.  Created by Suzanne Star.  Illustrated by Liz Hilton.  
• Universal Waite Tarot. 
• Vampire Tarot.
• Victoria Regina Tarot.  By Sarah Ovenall.
• Visconti-Sforza Tarocchi Deck.  Very nice reproduction deck.
• Wheel of Change Tarot.  By Alexandra Genetti.
• Witches, Tarot of the.  

You can also visit an online store devoted specifically to tarot.

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All information copyright D. J. McAdam 1997-2007

McAdam Standard Encyclopedia of Tarot Cards