The Counterfeit Tarot Deck Problem

Yep, it's a problem that's real. 

Pervasive enough that I wrote to a local book thrift shop about counterfeit decks they are selling too, thinking they are legit mini decks when they aren't at all! 

Hallmarks of counterfeit decks:

• They are smaller than the typical deck, so they might be thought of as a "mini" deck; which some decks do have. (The Wild Unknown Tarot, for example, now has a mini deck version, but it's in a *tin* not a little cardboard flip box.)
  
• There are no physical guidebooks
• There are QR codes to download a scanned version of the guidebook (some independent publishers might do this, but it's clear when it's an indie publisher)
• Scans of said guidebooks look awful, btw.   
• NO information on the publisher, 
• NO credit given to the creator. 
• Saying 78pcs
• Shipping from China, (people who legitimately use Chinese presses start to have counterfeit problems with their works)

It's okay if you have been swindled before. I know I sure did when I was new at this! I thought I got the decks for a fabulous deal, but nope, I sure did not. 

Below are four images comparing legit vs bootleg versions of these two decks.  Click on the images below to see larger versions of each image. Conversely, you can also go directly to the links. 

Legit Modern Witch

Counterfeit Modern Witch

Legit Star Spinner

Counterfeit Star Spinner

Liminal 11, the publisher has this to say on counterfeit decks: https://liminal11.com/2021/07/08/fake-tarot-deck/

And mom n pop shop Grove & Grotto has this to say: https://www.groveandgrotto.com/blogs/articles/how-to-spot-a-fake-tarot-deck-and-why-you-should-care

Real:

       

Fake: 

Real:

 

Fake: 

How I Calculate Your Year Card

When I calculate for the year card for a year reading, it's for the CURRENT year. There are two ways to do this, which I discovered quite by accident. Both relate to numerology. It's adding up the month and day of your birth with the current year (NOT your birth year). The two ways to do this is to maintain the place values (yep, back to elementary school here), and the other is to ignore place value and to treat all individual numbers as single digit numbers that go in the ones place. 

I give detailed examples of how this is done here. I also stated at the end of that article that I wasn't sure how I was going to handle the difference because sometimes, the answer is the same, and sometimes it's not. 

For example if your birthday is May 28 with the current year as 2022 (it's the year 2022 at the time of this writing) then the "maintaining the place value" method will give you number 12, The Hanged Man. But the "putting all numbers in the ones place" method will give you number 21, The World.

However, if you were born on May 1 with the current year as 2022, both methods will result in the number 12, The Hanged Man.

So, now the way I handle this is to use BOTH methods. And if you have two cards, you get two year cards, and if you get one card then you have one year card. I find that more interesting, and it adds some clarity and richness to the reading. At least for me. 

As always, questions are welcome!