Smith-Waite Centennial Tarot Deck
The Smith-Waite Centennial Tarot is the original Rider-Waite-Smith deck presented as it was first seen — reproduced from the earliest available editions, with the sepia-toned, aged quality that Pamela Colman Smith's original artwork actually had before decades of commercial reproduction smoothed and brightened it into something more generic.
Pamela Colman Smith is the artist whose work made the RWS tradition what it is, and the Centennial edition is, in a meaningful sense, a restoration of her original vision. The sepia tones feel intentional rather than merely old-fashioned — they give the imagery a dreamlike quality that full-colour reproductions sometimes lose. The symbolism is unchanged and complete; the experience of working with it is subtly but genuinely different.
This deck is both the best possible starting point for a new reader — the most studied, most supported, most resource-rich deck in tarot history — and a meaningful addition to the collection of an experienced reader who has never worked with the original edition. It works as both a learning tool and a piece of tarot history.
The deck arrives in packaging that reflects its centennial significance, making it a beautiful gift for someone beginning their tarot journey or for a practitioner who appreciates the history of the tradition they work within.
Card stock is excellent — solid, with a smooth finish that shuffles beautifully.
The original, as it was meant to be seen. There is no more essential deck in tarot.
Browse the Smith-Waite Centennial Tarot and our full collection at TarotsUK — free UK delivery on orders over £50.