Smith-Waite® Centennial Tarot Deck in a Tin

The recoloring does wonders to make this deck one I can connect to and use. Initially I intended to set it aside after getting better with tarot, but I'll definitely be continuing to use this lovely deck. It's given good readings in just the little time I've had it and I look forward to learning with it. I also really like the size - bigger than my other travel deck, but still easily portable, and easy to shuffle. The tin is very good quality and the cards fit into it nicely. I'd previously not gotten the classic Rider-Waite deck because I found the original deck almost repulsive - full of preschool-bright primary colors that appeared to just rest on top of the lovely line art and a hideous amount of yellow. Despite so many sources recommending the deck to use for study at least, I couldn't do it despite how badly I wanted to improve. Just the sight of the Fool and the Magician standing in front of that unrelentingly yellow sky made me not buy it and I knew it wasn't the deck for me. Until I saw a video review of THIS version of the deck. On the video the colors looked thankfully dulled and I finally caved so I could have a good learning deck. I am so glad I did. Even with just a few readings I cannot be happier with this deck. In-person the colors aren't faded or muted, but vivid and saturated - instead they have a dusky, aged quality to them that is very pleasant to the eye. That awful yellow has been replaced with a more mustardy hue. They're still unfortunately yellow, but it's a bearable one. The new off-white color for the backing (almost like a tea-stain) also helps the colors blend into the environment of the scene rather than appearing to sit on top. It suits the cards very well, and I think where they made color changes entirely it was a good decision. Overall the images now look almost painterly rather than like a coloring book. My only qualm is the Little White Book. I did not agree with 90% of the keywords and definitions of the cards. The Hermit is not "Deception" ect. I don't know if I got one with errors, but I will never look at it again. The additional art cards were nice though. Overall: an excellent recoloring of the classic deck.

Gorgeous deck, perfect for what I wanted. Slightly smaller so easier to handle, the colors are gorgeous and feel vivid without being overly saturated or garish. The tin is lovely. I have 0 complaints about this deck, and I've been using it every day for a month. Highly recommend!

Cute little set! Original art is gorgeous and small cards are great for a travel set. The meanings in the included book are a bit dated, recommend you do your own research and keep a journal for the meanings of the cards.

Bought it as a gift and she loved it, specially the tin case and overall build quality of the cards

The important stuff: I LOVE THIS DECK. I’m relearning tarot after five or so years of sacking off. Memorization is hard for me and I couldn’t get into the garish colors of the RWS deck I had previously. This? With its subtle and muted colors? Easier size to hold?Completely changed things around. I’m learning much faster and am having FUN learning, too. It’s easier to carry this around with me around the house or to throw into a bag. I’m a big fan of tins for tarot now. More decks like this please! I’m delighted with it. The cards are the right size, they feel nice in the hand, the imagery is beautiful, the tin is very handy and light but durable. I’m not sure what much else I could add besides what has already been written here, except to reiterate some points given. It’s a small deck, which is absolutely perfect for me. I have medium sized hands but I much prefer shuffling with smaller decks. Shuffling (overhand, mostly) is a meditative, stimming-like motion for me, so this is important. Another thing is that this deck goes swimmingly with Pixie’s Lenormand, which is in the same style, as it takes from her work in tarot and elsewhere to create the art. These two go hand in hand, in my humble opinion, even if you aren’t familiar with Lenormand. Last point, and my ONLY complaint (not enough to take a star away though) is that the LWB (Little White Book) is almost entirely useless. The meanings for too many of the cards are completely off base. This is real oversight if you’re new and relying on what comes with the cards to read them. I mainly use my own document of meanings I keep on my phone, so I just straight up threw the LWB away. It’s that useless. Otherwise, I could recommend this as a beginner’s deck. The extra cards of Pixie’s art are charming and I leave them in, reading on intuition. SO, if you need a small RWS deck for travel or comfort, or like the muted tones of the artwork better than the traditional imagery, this is your deck. I love this deck so much I went out to take pretty pictures with it by the river for you all. I really couldn’t be happier. (well, maybe with a functional LWB)

Just wish it was borderless and that the backs were darker green like the mini version smith-waite but it's absolutely stunning! Wish US Games made more of these pocket tins. They are amazing! Edit: I have no problem with the thinness nor the cardstock itself BUT I do have a bone to pick with the cut and the weird waxy residue that's left on my fingertips after shuffling. What's up with that? Feels like a film on my fingertips after heavy handling of the cards. Only one other deck of mine does that and it too is by USGS but all the other USGS decks I own do not have that issue. Weird. I have no idea if it's like a wax coating for protection or what but after a while it makes my cards all smudgy and dirty looking from handling them with that waxy filmy stuff coming off and smearing. Now as for the cut, the paper that the card back is printed is slightly longer on all 4 sides than the paper on the front that the image is printed on is, which makes it SUPER difficult to PROPERLY shuffle. Super toothy and chunky and not a smooth shuffle at all and I CANNOT STAND IT! I realized this by riffle/bridge shuffling in the opposite direction with the art facing up instead of the backs and it shuffles smooth as butter like that!! Like silky smooth and very finely as if each individual card gets mixed in properly. It's crazy! Never seen a deck that shuffled better backwards than forwards like this. I guess I'm going to have to close my eyes and shuffle it backwards when I do use it because otherwise the shuffle is going to be horrendous if I do it the correct way with the backs facing up and the art facing down where it can't be seen..and I'm a GREAT shuffler!! So weird! I feel so let down. After all the raving folks did about this particular version of this deck I feel like mine leaves so much to be desired. I thought about ordering another just to see if it was a defect in this specific deck or if it's a quality issue across the board on all prints of the smith waite centennial tarot in a tin. If I do, and if I notice a difference, I'll be back right away to update this review. Fingers crossed. But yeah, I shouldn't have to buy two. It should've been perfect the first time I bought it. Please take this into consideration if you are a first time buyer of this particular deck. 2nd follow up edit: They finally broke in and are shuffling really well. Not perfect but way better than they were. Most of the wax is gone now too because I've been hyper shuffling them trying to wear it down as much as possible. I'm gonna bump it back up to 4 stars again because half my issue with them was the shuffling and the wax. Ps pro tip: I also discovered that a magical eraser scrubber will remove the bulk of the wax from the card. I use it dry on both sides and it helped so much!

I love this deck so much I’ve bought this version twice (I also have the regular-size borderless edition). The first time, I ended up gifting it to a friend who instantly connected with it—and honestly, I don’t regret it one bit. I bought myself another copy the very next day. That’s how good this deck is! Lately I’ve been in my pocket-sized deck era—they’re easier to shuffle + lighter in the bag + just make more sense for everyday use. This one totally delivers. The artwork is soft and vintage-y in the best way + the muted colors are so much easier on the eyes than the super bright standard version. I’ve always had a soft spot for Pamela Colman Smith’s art. As a queer woman working in the early 1900s, she was a visionary who brought a unique sensitivity and narrative style to tarot that hadn’t really been done before. Her imagery made the symbolism accessible—every card tells a little story, which makes this deck especially beginner-friendly without losing depth. Despite creating what became the most iconic tarot deck in the world, she wasn’t properly credited or financially recognized in her lifetime. So every time I use a deck like this ("her" deck), it feels like a quiet nod of appreciation to the woman whose intuitive art changed tarot forever. The tin case is another win—it’s sturdy, secure, and perfect for tossing into a bag without worrying about damaging the cards. And even though the deck is compact, the print quality is great and the details are still easy to read. I highly recommend starting with a Pamela Colman Smith deck if you’re new to tarot. It gives you a strong foundation + honestly, it’s just good to know your tarot history. She’s the reason so many decks even exist today in the form we know! Whether you’re just starting with tarot or you’ve been reading for years, this is one of those decks that just feels right. It’s perfect for travel, daily draws, or gifting to someone you know will love it. Honestly? I’ll probably end up buying it again.

Love this deck!!