Gilded vs. Gilded Royale?

G6

Howdy folks! I am attracted to the Gilded Royale deck ($50), however as a special edition it costs way more than the original Gilded deck ($17). If anyone has both decks would you be able to share your experiences with them and if you feel the Royale is worth the extra $? Thanks!
 

ghost271

The Royale (IIRC) are larger and thicker card stock. Limited run and come with a signed tarot bag by Ciro. Also each of the Royale decks have cards from different sheets so no two decks are the same, and they were put together by hand.
 

ghost271

I forgot to add that he did change some of the imagery on certain cards.
 

G6

The Royale (IIRC) are larger and thicker card stock. Limited run and come with a signed tarot bag by Ciro. Also each of the Royale decks have cards from different sheets so no two decks are the same, and they were put together by hand.

Thanks for the additional info...have you used both of these decks? If so what was your experience like with regular vs. limited edition?
 

rwcarter

You can see many of the cards (and I believe a number of compare/contrast shots between the new and original versions) in this thread on the deck over in the Tarot Deck Creation forum.

For me it's really a matter of comparing apples to oranges even though it's basically the same deck. The Royale is lush and sumptuous. The cards are large, which make details easier to see, but can cause problems with shuffling and may require more space to layout larger spreads.

The original is a perfectly serviceable deck. As it was Ciro's first foray into tarot, it's missing a lot of symbolism that's been added back into the Royale. I would be surprised if the Gilded weren't easily available for at least a decade or so more. The Royale is a limited edition, which will become hard to find (and much more expensive when you can).

For me the difference between the two decks boils down to this - after feasting on caviar, champagne and filet mignon (the Royale), I find it really hard to go back to peanut butter and jelly (the regular deck). :)

Rodney
 

MountainGirl

It really depends on what you want in a deck. The regular Gilded was my first deck and is still my regular work horse deck. I find it easy to read. It's beautiful in a quieter way than the Royale. The Gilded Royale is a stunning work of art, but it's too big for me to shuffle. And I'm, well, a bit intimated to use it in spreads because it's so gorgeous and I'm afraid I may damage it. I use it for meditation and tarot spells/rituals.

If you can afford it, get both :)

Bright Blessings,
MountainGirl
 

Le Fanu

If you can afford it, get both :)
If you can afford it, just get the Gilded Royale.

Really no comparison.

For me now, I find it really hard not to see the Gilded Royale as the deck that was always Ciro's vision, but which technical limitations prevented him from creating (not his limitations; the medium's). And so via Tarot of Dreams and Legacy of the Divine he finally came back home and created the deck which for me is the Ciro deck to end all Ciro decks.

I honstly think this is his masterwork par excellence. The colours, the composition, the fluttering banners and gold & clockwork, the people are alive and it is very readable, the photographed faces have gone. Everything you could want of a deck.

I have to confess that the original Gilded (NB, not Guilded; I know how to spell it ;)) leaves me cold. It doesn't speak to me. Never did.
 

G6

Y

For me the difference between the two decks boils down to this - after feasting on caviar, champagne and filet mignon (the Royale), I find it really hard to go back to peanut butter and jelly (the regular deck). :)

Rodney

Wow, Im hungry! This makes sense, thanks!
 

G6

It really depends on what you want in a deck. The regular Gilded was my first deck and is still my regular work horse deck. I find it easy to read. It's beautiful in a quieter way than the Royale. The Gilded Royale is a stunning work of art, but it's too big for me to shuffle. And I'm, well, a bit intimated to use it in spreads because it's so gorgeous and I'm afraid I may damage it. I use it for meditation and tarot spells/rituals.

If you can afford it, get both :)

Bright Blessings,
MountainGirl

This makes sense too and that is my fear I wont want to use it/wear it out. Maybe I will ask for it for Christmas...:) I started with the Golden deck and wore it out and now I have the Celtic deck, which is more sturdy, but I have outgrown it....
 

G6

Just found out the Easy Tarot box set has the Gilded deck in it and at around $14 on Amazon that's a good deal!!!