Top Five Special Edition Decks

There are thousands of decks available and most are just the deck of cards and small booklet. Some mass marketed decks come in higher quality packaging with more comprehensive books, but this article will focus on the very best special edition decks for a serious collector, gift-giver, or professional reader.

• Tarot 101

Salvador Dali Tarot Universal: Gold Edition (2018)

This deck set is out-of-print, so you will have track it down through an Amazon reseller, eBay, or another resource. You should expect to pay anywhere from $80 to $200 for a copy. Salvador Dali (1904 to 1989) was a Spanish surrealist painter and his most famous piece is the “Persistence of Memory”:

Dali’s style is perfect for tarot, and he developed images for a deck, and they were first used in a 1984 edition. Several versions have been published since, but this version has gold cut edging, a companion book by renowned tarot author, Johannes Fiebig, and a certificate of authenticity.

True Black Tarot

An exceptionally beautiful deck by Arthur Wang. The purchase price is $85 and you get the deck, which is waterproof!, a booklet, and high quality box with a magnetic latch. You can also purchase a pack of 3 cards for $8 to see and feel them before committing to the larger purchase. The cards are made with the latest print and card finishing technology, making them heirloom quality.

Here is the biography of the creator, from his site (https://trueblacktarot.com/about):

TrueBlack is the brainchild of Arthur Wang, designer and illustrator. Growing up in NYC’s myriad mix of cultures, lifestyles, and beliefs, it was easy for him to become fascinated with the occult from a young age.

Books of anthropological folklore, paranormal studies, and witchcraft throughout all ages and geographical locations filled his shelves, and from there, the marriage of the occult studies with his design background was an easy connection to make. He has since been working full-time in product design while creating True Black.

All designs, illustrations, logistics, photography, and production is handled by Arthur. I am actually writing in the 3rd person right now, and it’s a little weird.

TrueBlack is printed and packed in the Northeastern US, and every deck is painted, wrapped, boxed, and shipped by Arthur and his wife Ellie.

Tarot of Delphi (2014)

From the website:

“The Tarot of Delphi is a stunning fine art tarot deck illustrated with paintings from the late Victorian and Edwardian Eras. The original artworks featured in the deck include Pre-Raphaelite, Aesthetic, Symbolist, Academic, and Neo-Classical.”

Unfortunately, this deck is nearly impossible to find; it does show up on eBay from time-to-time, for somewhere between $500 and $1000. However, the artwork is a stunning collection, making this a truly amazing deck.

Murder of Crows (2020)

The Murder of Crows Tarot is a deck by Corrado Roi, and the limited-edition box set is out-of-print, but not impossible to find. Copies can be purchased between $175 and $400 dollars. The collection details are as follows:

Packaged in a stunning premium box, the cards combine the moody essence of the original deck with the addition of evocative splashes of blood red detailing. Omen bringer, messenger, guardian, and scavenger, the crow knows no master. These cards have the power to awaken your soul even as they draw you into the disquieting world of the darkest bird.

The standard edition can be purchase new, on Amazon, for around $25.

Lord of the Rings Tarot: Gold Edition (1997)

Published in 1997, this deck is signed and limited, but copies are available in numerous outlets, mainly Etsy and eBay. You can expect to pay anywhere from $175 to $500 for a copy. The deck comes with a card signed by the creators of the deck: Illustrator – Peter Pracownik and Creator – Terry Donaldson. It is a high-quality deck that draws imagery for the world building of JRR Tolkien. This deck has also been designed to play as a game.