Deck Identification?

[Croat]

Being a bit computer nerdy (yes, I admit it) I decided to create an Access database for my Tarot decks.  As part of that, I have data fields for creator, artist, publisher, year, country of manufacture, etc.  All working well until this "Classic Tarot" learning deck (pics below).  Quite an excellent learning deck in my opinion, but rather oddly there is no copyright, no year of publication, no mention of who published it, nothing like that at all.  Not on the cards, not on the box, not in the LWB that came with it.  And perhaps even more oddly, internet searches have been similarly fruitless.  I purchased it too long ago to remember where, so I'm rather at a loss here.  Anyone else have information about this particular deck, or at least a link to a web page where I may find more information about it?  Thanks in advance!!

 

[DanielJUK]

I've moved this to the Tarot Decks section 🙂 

FYI - You are more than welcome to post a new thread to work out what a deck is, in this area, but there is also a ongoing thread as well here if you don't want to make a whole new thread for a deck.

The forum is about 95% made up of nerds 😁

[Croat]

8 hours ago, DanielJUK said:

I've moved this to the Tarot Decks section 🙂 

FYI - You are more than welcome to post a new thread to work out what a deck is, in this area, but there is also a ongoing thread as well here if you don't want to make a whole new thread for a deck.

The forum is about 95% made up of nerds 😁

Thanks for making it a better post.

[PathWalker]

So it's another version of this?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BWTY-Best-wishes-you-Beginners/dp/B09KPDLRMH?th=1

 

Suspect some 'non brand' form China or similar - comes in various colourways and languages if you search.

 

 

[DanielJUK]

I was searching the deck box with google lens and it also found a whole lot of cheap RWS decks on Amazon.

This is a very similar box cover but this time says "the original tarot" and is pure RWS cards with no other systems added...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/HLONGG-Classic-Guidebook-Beginners-Professional/dp/B09LCZQD2C/

 

This matches @PathWalker's find above.

 

These are cheap Chinese RWS clones at best but pirated decks at worst

Probably there is no publisher or barcode or ISBN because of this

The remarkable thing is they came with a guidebook and not "scan a QR code for an online download".

Ebay, Amazon, Etsy and many other sites are flooded with these decks these days 

 

[gregory]

There are several very much like it - with book - on Teemu (along with a shedload of pirated ones I own the real ones of...)

Edited July 26 by gregory

[Croat]

Thank you so much to all for your excellent responses.  I must admit, I'm feeling a bit sad about this whole pirated thing, which I previously knew nothing about.  Just doesn't sit well with how I relate to Tarot.  Makes me want to throw this deck away.

[RunningWild]

2 hours ago, Croat said:

Thank you so much to all for your excellent responses.  I must admit, I'm feeling a bit sad about this whole pirated thing, which I previously knew nothing about.  Just doesn't sit well with how I relate to Tarot.  Makes me want to throw this deck away.

 

No, don’t do that.  You’ve said you quite like it.  It’s a learner deck and shows the correspondences, has reversals and even the yes/no feature.  Keep it.  Perhaps down the road you’ll encounter someone who wants to learn the cards but doesn’t want to risk the money.  You’ll have something to donate so they can learn the cards to see if it’s a fit.  

 

 

[DanielJUK]

7 hours ago, Croat said:

I must admit, I'm feeling a bit sad about this whole pirated thing, which I previously knew nothing about.  Just doesn't sit well with how I relate to Tarot.  Makes me want to throw this deck away.

 

In this situation, it's really complicated. Many versions of RWS are now public domain, so cannot be pirated now, although some colourised versions are still. Some of these decks like this are Chinese Clones using the public domain cards. Some are pirated cheap versions though. I think the fact it has a real little book is a good sign. I would look at the quality of the cards and pages of the book, are they well produced and do they line up, typeset, etc? Sometimes pirated versions look almost like photocopied cards and pages and do not have good quality control. The cards won't have the same borders lining up and stuff. If it seems quite high quality, it's just a RWS clone and no need to feel guilty 🙂 .

[Croat]

On 7/26/2025 at 5:31 PM, DanielJUK said:

 

In this situation, it's really complicated. Many versions of RWS are now public domain, so cannot be pirated now, although some colourised versions are still. Some of these decks like this are Chinese Clones using the public domain cards. Some are pirated cheap versions though. I think the fact it has a real little book is a good sign. I would look at the quality of the cards and pages of the book, are they well produced and do they line up, typeset, etc? Sometimes pirated versions look almost like photocopied cards and pages and do not have good quality control. The cards won't have the same borders lining up and stuff. If it seems quite high quality, it's just a RWS clone and no need to feel guilty 🙂 .

Thank you for that good info.  Since the deck is indeed more high quality than not, without typos and a decent book, you almost persuaded me to keep it.  But it has become "stained" in my mind and can't get beyond the lack of copyright or manufacturer's information, not after learning the depressing info about Tarot pirating/cloning.  I have too much respect for Tarot artists who probably don't receive that much compensation to begin with.  So I've decided I need to get rid of it and stop its negative impact.  However, in lieu of throwing it away or burning it I've decided to donate it to Goodwill.  Hopefully it will have a new life as a positive resource for someone in the future.