Tarot Minchiate Fiorentine - 97 cards from the Tuscan tradition
Most tarot decks contain 78 cards. This one contains 97. The difference lies in twelve zodiac signs, four elements and three additional virtues that the Minchiate system adds to the classic structure.
The Tarot Minchiate Fiorentine is a reproduction of a Tuscan deck from around 1860, itself based on even older designs from fifteenth-century Florence. Lo Scarabeo released this deck in the Anima Antiqua series, a range of limited reproductions of rare historical cards. This edition is numbered and limited to 3,999 copies worldwide.
What you see on the cards
The cards carry the visual characteristics of nineteenth-century Tuscan woodblock printing: clear lines, broad planes, few details. The colours are muted and the figures stand frontal or in profile. No depth, no shadows. This is the visual language of popular print art from that era.
The 41 trump cards include not only the familiar arcana such as the Fool, the Magician and the Tower, but also cards such as Prudentia, Spes (Hope), Fides (Faith) and Caritas (Charity). You also find a card for each zodiac sign and each element. The four suits are Cups, Swords, Wands and Coins, each with ten numbered cards and four court cards.
How this system works
The Minchiate system is not tarot as you know it from the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. The order of the trumps is different. The numerology deviates. The additional cards offer more possibilities for timing (via the zodiac signs) and for interpreting environmental forces (via the elements).
This makes the deck more complex. You cannot simply apply the meanings from a standard tarot book. The guidebook by Giordano Berti provides historical context and explains the differences, but do not expect extensive card descriptions or spreads.
Work out for yourself how the order of the trumps differs from standard tarot. That alone gives insight into how Florentine cardmakers in the Renaissance looked at the world.
Who this deck works for
This is not a starter deck. It assumes you already know the standard tarot system and that you are curious about historical variants. Collectors appreciate the limited edition and the authenticity of the reproduction. Readers interested in Renaissance symbolism or cosmological systems will find enough material here to work with.
The format of 57 x 95 mm is compact, which makes the deck easy to handle for larger spreads with multiple cards.
About Giordano Berti and Lo Scarabeo
Giordano Berti is an Italian tarot historian and author of several books on the history of divination cards. He has spent years researching the development of the Minchiate system and its role in the Tuscan tradition. His texts are factual and based on archival material.
Lo Scarabeo is an Italian publisher specialising in tarot and oracle cards. The Anima Antiqua series focuses on reproductions of rare historical decks, printed on durable cardstock with attention to material and finish.
Specifications
- Number of cards: 97
- Trump cards: 41
- Card size: 57 x 95 mm
- Edition: 3,999 numbered copies worldwide
- Series: Anima Antiqua
- Publisher: Lo Scarabeo
- Guidebook languages: English, Italian, French, Spanish, German
- Guidebook author: Giordano Berti
- Original design: Tuscany, circa 1860, based on fifteenth-century Florentine models
Questions we often get
Can I use this deck like a regular tarot deck?
No, not without adjustments. The order of the trumps is different and there are nineteen more cards than in standard tarot. You will need to learn the structure of the Minchiate system to use it properly.
Is the guidebook extensive enough to get started?
The guidebook provides historical context and explains the structure of the system, but does not contain extensive card descriptions or spreads. For in-depth study you will need additional sources on Minchiate.
