Vintage Comparisons: Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot Decks from '70s to 2016 

Wow, I feel old. I have a deck I bought as a teenager circa 1973! I keep it wrapped in silk in a wooden box. I lost the white paper a long time ago, but from this video I can see the subtle differences compared to newer decks. I am so keeping it for the rest of my life.

Who could be bored with such a delightful exposition?

If someday I desired to get a vintage RWD you've definatly helped me to look for some major tell tale signs of a true vintage deck thank you 😊

Thank you so much for this video. It has been truly helpful in dating my own decks over the last couple of years. I have two slightly different older vintages of yellow box decks that do not make an appearance in your video. "Older Deck" - no sunburned Magician on tuck box - grey Magician banner on box - copyright on cards - address is 38 East 32nd Street on LWB and insert - insert card is for Encyclopedia of Tarot (Not volumes 1 and 2) - insert card catalog price is $1.00 - LWB catalog price is $1.00 (no mention of cartomancy) - slightly thicker card stock than "Newer Deck" - slightly glossier finish on cards - matte LWB paper stock - smaller ISBN number of box - LWB says 20 19 18 "Newer Deck" - no sunburned Magician on tuck box - grey Magician banner on box - copyright on cards - address is 38 East 32nd Street on LWB and insert - insert card is for Encyclopedia of Tarot (Not volumes 1 and 2) - insert card catalog price is $1.00 - LWB catalog price is $2.00 (mentions cartomancy) - slightly thinner card stock than "Older Deck" - slightly more matte finish on cards - glossy LWB paper stock - large ISBN number of box - LWB says 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 How odd it is that the "Newer Deck" contains a card insert that is older than the LWB, based on the catalog prices. That would seem to indicate that US Games had stockpiled some decks, and were later sold with new editions of the little white books.

I enjoy talking about the decks.

Okay, this is super helpful (I think) because I'm almost ready for my Rider Deck...thank you for your extensive share....I feel the love.

Thank you for this Video...I know it's older,but the information is timeless and very,very helpful. I just bought a late 80's version and you helped me to date it. Great video :)

I was just searching for youtube videos just yesterday on this topic! thank you

Thanks for this. So nice to learn more about my classic blue box cards and had no idea that these are so in demand. Mine is a '76-'77 printed by AG Mueller but with the Conway Street address.

I just love the way you communicate your ideas,

Absolutely love this video! So glad I watched this before I purchased a yellow box there are so many on eBay claiming to be vintage due to the copyright on the cards! I managed to find one to be printed late 80’s early 90’s and my god the cardstock is delicious although it has the copyright it’s so beautiful! I don’t like using my blue box pre-copy right I’m so happy to find something with beautiful cardstock!

Thank you for this Lisa! I am definitely more excited about RWS through your discoveries :) You know that Im a Marseille fan most of all but the vintage RWS is an awesome deck too!

This video is at least 5 years or more old but you were asking about differences of RWS from China and US Games. I have several. China knock offs are smaller in with and length I have more of a cut version without the side back rounds. The Echereal deck is black where gold or silver is. I like handling the smallness of them. They are taller than the minis but about the same in with. I have 4 with the US Games. Like I have both US Games and China's knock off in Echereal, Green Witch decks, Illuminati, and the Golden wheel. I prefer US Games with 3 of the 4. I like the Illuminati in China's knock off because it gives the figures and the over done back round is removed. I have 4 that I did not buy the US Games version to. The Romantic and Year of the Wheels because they were easy to read and Linestrider and Shadowscapes because I didn't care as much for them. As for RWS I have 4 knockoffs from China and they are all different. And I have 7 RWS all different from US Games and other places. And I really work with the original in readings but I have the others and I love them. Is there a difference in look at a read. YES. The colors are different and the shade of light and dark is different. They all have a different feel both inner and outer. They give a different vibration to each. I stopped buying Chinese decks after I found out about the Uighers in North west China being tortured and enslaved and this is where the knock offs come from. And at this time, I stopped buying Russian decks. I have many. I also buy Lenormands and I have 2 Kipper, 2 Sibilla and a few Rune decks I am learning. I hope you don't mind me taking you into the weeds.

This was really helpful for me shopping on Ebay lol I really want a older deck and there are a lot of scammers out there! You rock

Thank you so much!! A plethora of RWS knowledge that I really needed!!

13:08~ Thank you!

Fascinating. So my friends dad found some Rider Waite tarot cards he said he bought in 71 and i looked at it and yes fool looks sunburnt outside but totally not inside. There is no copyright on card with Pixie's writing...and super soft and Beautiful card stock ! He cant find the book though that would probably help find the date. Oh wow that is true about the books, So maybe you can't tell by the book. Thanks for your knowledge!!!

Thank you for this video!

My friend had a tarot deck that was her mothers and she says it's from the 70's and i've never seen a deck like it because it is very old and looks like any vintage rws deck but at the bottom for the names it has different languages all over the bottom. does any one know what deck it is?

I have a blushing fool pre copyright and I think it's the first printing as there are no printing numbers on the inside of the first page of the LWB. There are usually printing numbers and mine has no numbers so maybe first edition? Does your oldest USG have printing numbers on it? Thanks. I watch this comprehensive video a lot! Anne

also at bottom of back of book says, ask your dealer for tarot/cartomancy catalog or send 2.00 for 48 page full color catalog. to us games systems, inc. 179 ludlow street, stamford, ct. 06902 usa. So yeah haveing a hard time on this one.

What do you consider a good price for the 80's deck with only the ISBN and not barcode? Thanks.

Hello! I've come back to this video so many times when searching for vintage copies. May I ask where you recommend looking for vintage decks? I'm all over Ebay lol.

HI, love you videos on the different rider waites!! so i just bought my second copy of the sun-burnt magician yellow box and it came with a blushing fool!!!! what exactly does that mean? lol

Hi, I seen your other video on Rider Waite copy right. do you know anything about the copyright? I wanted to make some candles with the images and I can not figure out if there is a copyright on the images? Please advise. Thanks.

I have a few of the vintage RWS decks, my favorite is the yellow box one from before they started using the copy rite. Nice thick semi matte card stock. I’ve got a lot of vintage decks....but just because they are vintage doesn’t mean I love them. I’ve got a first edition Morgan Greer, and the card stock is very thin, very flimsy. I think card stock is the most important thing with me.

Hello. Is there any difference between the pre copyright USG and the pre copyright blue box? Thanks so much, Anne

Is it possible that you can answer a question? I have the one with the isbn number on the side. On the 2 accompanying cards there is one that you can request a catalog. Yours shows $2 for the catalog and the one I have is $1. Can you tell how early 80s they are?

My deck is the same copyright mark on the card as the 86-90 deck mentioned. Was printed in Switzerland. Has no copyright/register mark on the front of the box. But, the copyright on the bottom rear of the box says "Copyright 1971 by U.S Game Systems INC N.Y 10016" But, didn't U.S Games move to Stamford in 1986? So, if that's true then why does my deck still say New York on the bottom rear? I'm just confused as to why all signs point to it being an 86 - 90 deck, yet the small copyright print with "New York" on the back would indicate pre-86 since that's when they moved to Stamford. Or am I mistaken about when they moved to Stamford?

Have you seen a Waite tarot deck, this is written on the yellow box, also the picture is the fool, and the back of the cards is pink with a bright pink pentacle on it. Not a ankh. Thirty years old approx. any information would be appreciated. No copyright on it

Hi Lisa. I know you were questioning which yellow box writer had the blushing fool... I bought a sunburned magician deck with a blushing fool on eBay last year. It wasn't advertised as rather. I knew it was a sunburn magician from watching your videos, imagine my surprise when I found the blushing fool inside!!

I have a 1971 deck... but it's in a green box. I thought they were all blue???

Hi Lisa, thanks a million for all your awesome videos! I have a question... I have just bought a RWS pink ankh deck on e-bay, but it’s not the university books one, it says Carol publishing in Syracuse. What’s the difference between the two? Thanks a million❤️

I just got a vintage deck that I just ordered from ebay, the box has a ISBN number up the backside, but the wand is green, the sword is blue, the cards feel really flimsy but has like a wind sound approach to them, like a matte finish like pale in color I mean their beautiful. whoever had these took very good care of them, nothing wrong just the box was kinda beat up. It does have a bar code on the bottom but the older type, no website two cards in deck extra with vol l and vol ll book and box says from us games Stamford ct yes these are silky but they do say copyright very tiny 1971 us games. Stripped backs like checkered board but really light pale in color. The green in them are like a minty to yellow in color. I think it may be a 80's version but im uncertain. The magician's face is pale but kinda dark in color, but they are very very soft in color. They feel so soft also, but it does have 1971 us games copyright but very very small almost to where you can barely tell it's there. in the inside of the book first page above the copyright 1971 it has 40-31.I think mine is like the ones where your showing at 13:30 in the vid. The inside blank cards at the bottom says 38 east 32 nd street, new york, ny 10016 address. I hope you maybe able to decipher it, because im having prob. with identifying it. But these are beautiful and you can tell there very vintage weather it be from the late 70's or 80's through up to maybe early 90's. No way it's past 90's I do know that. I think i may have commented on one of your other vids. a few days ago before i ordered.

Do you happen to know when they started making the decks the same size as poker cards? Also on one of the very last decks that you showed, one or more of the colours are out of register, like in some comic books.

LWBs Oops, just heard what you're saying about those printings. But why would they necessarily print many more LWBS compared to decks?

I have the Trade mark by the deck but printed in Switzerland, what year do you think it is? book says Stanford Ct

hi there hope all is well, i have uploaded 2 x videos on the RWS vintage blue box decks, from 1970/ to an early 1980,s deck, marty of, M.S.G.TAROT BB X

I wonder why your new deck isn't glossy, did you ever find out? Do you think it's because you bought yours in store. I've seen most of the reviews with the newer cards (from Amazon) are very glossy. I'm not bothered by the logo, I just want this deck but with a paper/matte finish.

hi there, just to let you no that, there is another way of telling the 2nd edition early deck, with blushing fool, just take a look at the way the cards have been cut, the round edges are a lot smaller than lets say the 1973, / 76 decks.....I have quite a few early blushing fool decks, but I have noticed a trend, where people to cash in on these decks, they are marrying , the white book, the fool card , with a different box ect ect, , I have falling victim to these scams, so in all honesty, you will never no, if all is 100% genuine, I hope this helps with your Quest in the great rider waite tarot decks, ps have you found the BLUSHING FOOL DECK YET ?

I have one of the modern Italy ones and it's so plasticky I can't stand it . the cards stick together, you can't shuffle it I'm going have to figure out what to do with these Maybe an art project or something