The Golden Tarot Deck by Kat Black is one of those rare decks that possess not only beauty and artistic quality, but is also very easy to read. The illustrations are gorgeously rendered digital collages of renaissance artwork, and there is a medeival quality about the deck that makes it ideal for those who prefer their tarot images with a more traditional feel.

The illustrations follow the Rider-Waite imagery very closely, but the collage technique adds a richness and depth that is lacking in Waite’s deck. The Golden Tarot is perfect for those who are accustomed to the Waite symbolism and imagery, but who are looking for a deck with a little more colour and artistic quality.

The edges of the deck are gilded, and I worry this may wear off with frequent readings, but I prefer to use the decks I own, not just have them sitting in a corner gathering dust. I am also slightly disappointed in the quality of the card-stock, which seems a bit lightweight for my taste, and I’m also annoyed by the presence of the copyright on every single card. Traditionally, the copyright information is found on the 2 of Pentacles. To have it on every single card is fucking annoying and if I’m to continue to use this deck, I may end up going over the borders with gold-leaf to blot out that infernal copyright.

In this deck, Justice is 11 and Strength is 8, which isn’t the numerical configuration I prefer, but I find it doesn’t detract from the readings in any way.

My initial readings with the deck were quite accurate, and I found the collaged images to be very suggestive of the cards’ meanings.

The packaging is sturdy and attractive. The accompanying book is a step up from the usual LWB, but not by much. The most interesting aspect of the booklet is the source paintings for the collages - very interesting to anyone who enjoys art.