Your Favorite Playing Card Decks

[Raggydoll]

I would like to see everyone’s favorite decks, and if you feel like featuring your whole collection - go for it 😀!!

 

I have a very small collection. When I grew up I used to only work with my grandfathers old deck but sadly it fell a part and I don’t have it anymore. I tried to find an exact one just like it but haven’t been able to. It doesn’t matter though, I’ve come to terms with it. 

 

For some time I was really determined to find the ‘perfect’ vintage deck, but I have given up that search too. Vintage decks are wonderful but I realized that it’s mainly a certain look that I’m after and that it doesn’t necessarily have to be an older deck. So I have paired down my collection and right now I think I have two decks with 52 cards (I have a vintage one with 36 cards as well that I tend to not use for divination). We also have a cheap set of cards for game playing in the house but I don’t count those here 🙂. 

 

So the deck that is currently my number one is this:

 

 

 

I love that it’s so simplistic and the facial expressions of the court cards are great fun. I really like how they are reminiscent of marseille courts. If you’re curious as to what the deck is called then it’s the Limited Edition Faro Vintage Reproduction Prototype Playing Cards (phew! Long title!) I love the cardstock too.

 

The other deck that I have is the High Victorian playing cards by Theory11. They are a bit too stylized and slippery for my preference but they are nonetheless very beautiful. 

 

So, show me your favorites! 😀

 

 

[Flaxen]

Those faces are very expressive!

 

I have a few different playing card decks. My workhorse is the Bicycle Series 1800 - I love the aged look. 

 

Top row from left to right: Charta Bellica, Strigiformes and 1800

Bottom row left to right: Kadar Fortune Cards, Celtic Myth and Whiteknuckle.

 

 

[Saturn Celeste]

I have 2 that I really love.  I actually use just a regular playing card deck for most of my readings but sometimes I use one of my very favorites: 

 

The Magic Neko Deck

 

The Playing Card Oracles Deck

 

For an honorable mention I have the Portable Fortitude Playing Cards.  I use these for fun sometimes.

 

 

 

[Andy]

I've been reading playing cards since last summer. And I like to use the Hidden standard sized Poker deck by Bicycle. It is strongly based on the idea that Secret Societies have hidden very sacred messages within every playing card deck through Symbology. It's my very favorite deck of the 4 that I own. Well.... Technically 3 playing card decks, and a Rider Waite Smith Tarot deck. lol I'm so happy that you all have a place to talk about playing cards as well as Tarot, because I love Cartomancy just as much as Tarot. 😊

 

Edited January 14, 2020 by Andy

[Andy]

On 12/11/2019 at 2:34 AM, Raggydoll said:

I would like to see everyone’s favorite decks, and if you feel like featuring your whole collection - go for it 😀!!

 

I have a very small collection. When I grew up I used to only work with my grandfathers old deck but sadly it fell a part and I don’t have it anymore. I tried to find an exact one just like it but haven’t been able to. It doesn’t matter though, I’ve come to terms with it. 

 

For some time I was really determined to find the ‘perfect’ vintage deck, but I have given up that search too. Vintage decks are wonderful but I realized that it’s mainly a certain look that I’m after and that it doesn’t necessarily have to be an older deck. So I have paired down my collection and right now I think I have two decks with 52 cards (I have a vintage one with 36 cards as well that I tend to not use for divination). We also have a cheap set of cards for game playing in the house but I don’t count those here 🙂. 

 

So the deck that is currently my number one is this:

 

 

 

I love that it’s so simplistic and the facial expressions of the court cards are great fun. I really like how they are reminiscent of marseille courts. If you’re curious as to what the deck is called then it’s the Limited Edition Faro Vintage Reproduction Prototype Playing Cards (phew! Long title!) I love the cardstock too.

 

The other deck that I have is the High Victorian playing cards by Theory11. They are a bit too stylized and slippery for my preference but they are nonetheless very beautiful. 

 

So, show me your favorites! 😀

 

 

Aaaaww.... I'm sorry to hear that your grandfather's deck fell apart and that you no longer have it. That must have been heartbreaking for you.

[Andy]

On 12/11/2019 at 1:22 PM, Saturn Celeste said:

I have 2 that I really love.  I actually use just a regular playing card deck for most of my readings but sometimes I use one of my very favorites: 

 

The Magic Neko Deck

 

The Playing Card Oracles Deck

 

For an honorable mention I have the Portable Fortitude Playing Cards.  I use these for fun sometimes.

 

 

 

Oh cool....Ana Cortez. I'm familiar with her work. I've watched her YouTube videos. 😊

[Decan]

On 1/14/2020 at 5:29 AM, Andy said:

I've been reading playing cards since last summer. And I like to use the Hidden standard sized Poker deck by Bicycle. It is strongly based on the idea that Secret Societies have hidden very sacred messages within every playing card deck through Symbology. It's my very favorite deck of the 4 that I own. Well.... Technically 3 playing card decks, and a Rider Waite Smith Tarot deck. lol I'm so happy that you all have a place to talk about playing cards as well as Tarot, because I love Cartomancy just as much as Tarot.

I googled a bit and the Hidden standard sized Poker deck by Bicycle has something of the Royal Mischief playing cards.

Actually I did the opposite, and I began with Tarot, but along the way I was more and more interested by little decks like Lenormand and lately playing cards.

A lot of fortune tellers (like Kapherus but many other) stick with playing cards.

 

Okay so below my 2 favorite playing cards decks:

The Wüst Bourgeois Playing Cards (left) & the Great Russia Standard Playing Cards (right). I love both!

 

Edited January 26, 2020 by Decan

[Andy]

1 hour ago, Decan said:

I googled a bit and the Hidden standard sized Poker deck by Bicycle has something of the Royal Mischief playing cards.

Actually I did the opposite, and I began with Tarot, but along the way I was more and more interested by little decks like Lenormand and lately playing cards.

A lot of fortune tellers (like Kapherus but many other) stick with playing cards.

 

Okay so below my 2 favorite playing cards decks:

The Wüst Bourgeois Playing Cards (left) & the Great Russia Standard Playing Cards (right). I love both!

 

I'm actually finding myself becoming much more intrigued by Tarot lately, as it goes so much deeper than playing cards. 

Edited January 26, 2020 by Andy

[Decan]

In this thread the decks that I prefer are the first one the " Faro Vintage Reproduction Prototype Playing Cards" with the "1800 playing cards".

[iofthebeholder]

my favorite playing card deck looks very similar to the faro reproduction, the "1863 patent" 

 

 

 

started with RWS, TdM, playing cards. loving the simplicity of playing cards, also their familiarity for anyone who ever played card games.

 

 

Edited February 5, 2020 by iofthebeholder

[iofthebeholder]

another favorite "palekh" style russian cards. on a black reading cloth so luxurious : )

 

Edited February 5, 2020 by iofthebeholder

[Mi-Shell]

My favorite Playing card decks are 2 of the Bergsma ones:

:

Garden Spirits

Animal Spirits

 

Card of the day for Tuesday, September 3

Ace of Spades

This card shows me a lonely lonesome Buffalo Bull standing in deep snow. In the background one sees deeply blue-grey and purple storm clouds, pregnant with more snow. The Buffalo's head and torso is already out of the frame of the picture = his mind and soul have gone to greener pastures. Is it, that the storm and hardship is past or is he already claimed by the Wendigo = the voracious Winter Spirit of hunger and starvation?

In the time of the rut he mightiest Buffalo bulls that fight and fight and fight of all the other contenders for the cows have not time to eat and replenish their strengths. They loose too many calories to survive the winter and their bodies feed the Wolves. But their genes are spread wide and come spring the calves will hop across the meadows ♥

In hard times the mind can escape the gnawing realities.

Ace of Spades is linked to the Death card in the Tarot.

Death and re-birth of one phase/ or- one life. Plutonic cataclysms and dangers lurk.

Honour endings!

 

Card of the day for Wednesday,September 4

9 of Hearts

2 Red Foxes nuzzle in front of a wall of petroglyphs

At their feet is the Sun petroglyph from the Jeffer's site.

After the hardships of yesterday we deserve something good!

Maybe these Foxes found some of the still frozen remnants of the Buffalo Elder and are now graced by the warming Spring sun. Soon the Vixen will give birth.

May their wishes come true!

May your wishes come true as well!

May the family unit be well and strong!

The Ancestors are having your back right now!

Times are good

 

 

Card of the day for Thursday ,September 5

Queen of Hearts

There SHE is, Tezcalipoca, The Jaguar Spirit of the Smoking Mirror, her eyes aglow, as SHE looks back at you.

Will you dare follow her?

Follow her down the steep stairs into the lower catacomb of the timeless Mayan pyramid, where the glistening Obsidian Mirror is ready for her scrying seance?

The Full Moon is eclipsed by the shadow of the sun.

Decide now!

SHE is the medium that transmits the trance by a mere breath. The experience will burst open any frozen heart and will forge an initiate into an adept

 

 

Edited February 5, 2020 by Mi-Shell
added some ooooold readings from last year.....

[Czenzi]

On 12/11/2019 at 12:22 PM, Saturn Celeste said:

I have 2 that I really love.  I actually use just a regular playing card deck for most of my readings but sometimes I use one of my very favorites: 

 

The Magic Neko Deck

 

The Playing Card Oracles Deck

 

For an honorable mention I have the Portable Fortitude Playing Cards.  I use these for fun sometimes.

 

 

 

I really like the Ana Cortez cards, but not the card stock. I am loving the Portable Fortitude deck. I may want to get it. How does it read for you? 

I have a couple decks I love. I'll post the once I can get home to take some pictures.

Edited February 12, 2020 by Czenzi

[Czenzi]

Amman deck with unusual suits:



Murphy Varnish Transformation Deck:

[iofthebeholder]

very cool cards @Czenzi, curiosity about the amman deck led me to the MacGregor Historic Games, probably gonna have to pick up the 16th century french playing cards available there, love the colors : )

[Czenzi]

17 hours ago, iofthebeholder said:

very cool cards @Czenzi, curiosity about the amman deck led me to the MacGregor Historic Games, probably gonna have to pick up the 16th century french playing cards available there, love the colors : )

Yes, that is the printer I got them from. I really like some of the other cards too, and i really like that French deck. I chose this one first because the suits are so odd. Just a FYI that the cards I got are not laminated, but the paper stock is good. Also, they do not come with a box. This is something I wish they had, but I crocheted a little pouch for them.

[Starlight]

On 2/6/2020 at 7:15 AM, Mi-Shell said:

My favorite Playing card decks are 2 of the Bergsma ones:

They are lovely, @Mi-Shell. Can I ask where you bought them? I'm wondering if they're OOP. 😞

[Mi-Shell]

Hi @Starlight!

I just now checked the web site from Jody Bergsma and I think, that, sadly they may be out of print.

I do have them since at least 12 years.....

Maybe you can find them at a resale site?

good Luck! ♥

[53rdspirit]

On 12/11/2019 at 2:34 AM, Raggydoll said:

Limited Edition Faro Vintage Reproduction Prototype Playing Cards

I ❤️ ❤️❤️ those green backs! 

[Morwenna]

I'd be hard pressed to name a favorite among all the decks I've amassed over the past half decade! But my current favorite is the Hessler's, which is pretty much the standard Bicycle figures but with four colors of suits. 

 

Sorry I can't post pictures; I haven't figured out how to do that, even with nearly two decades of computer ownership behind me...

[Raggydoll]

1 hour ago, Morwenna said:

I'd be hard pressed to name a favorite among all the decks I've amassed over the past half decade! But my current favorite is the Hessler's, which is pretty much the standard Bicycle figures but with four colors of suits. 

 

Sorry I can't post pictures; I haven't figured out how to do that, even with nearly two decades of computer ownership behind me...

You need 5 posts to upload pictures and it looks like you have exactly 5 posts now, so go for it! 

[Grace]

@Flaxen... I love the strigiformes! That's a really good looking deck.

[Grace]

On 2/4/2020 at 6:23 PM, iofthebeholder said:

another favorite "palekh" style russian cards. on a black reading cloth so luxurious : )

 

Edited February 5 by iofthebeholder

Oooo... These look great too. Love the style of this.

[Grace]

I use this... Pretty unremarkable as far as cards go, but it has a nice history as a retired old casino deck - I mainly use it to practice shuffling.

 

[Flaxen]

16 minutes ago, Grace said:

@Flaxen... I love the strigiformes! That's a really good looking deck.

Thank you! Although I’ve just noticed that my photo is turned upside down so my names don’t match. 🤦‍♀️ The strigiformes is the owl deck and the top middle is Celtic Myths.