All I can say about the suit of Coins in Celtic Tarot is -- you better have your meanings memorized, because you won't be getting much help from these card images! Having looked at them very closely, I can't say I see much to go on intuitively, or many cues to traditional meanings. Do you?? They're very pleasing to look at, but not much to go on.
In each card you get a golden Celtic knot as the 'coin', surrounded by blue knot work borders. Sometimes this border encircles each coin separately, sometimes in groups or clusters. In most cards, these circle borders are either anchored to the outer border by straight lines, or are interwoven into the outer border, like in knitting. A few of the cards have half-moon 'bites' taken out of the sides, but these do not seem to have any symbolic meaning. All meanings given in the companion book by Helena Patterson follow traditional RWS meanings, but I can't find many hints at them in these cards. Just as well as I have them memorised, then!
rather too tired to comment in more detail right now but just wanted to say that i am really enjoying reading these posts with your take on each of the suits in the celtic :]
ReplyDeleteThank you! :) I think I may take a closer look at the court cards next. x
ReplyDeleteOnce I went through a Tarot de Marseilles-craze and that's how I Started to learn to read non-scenic pips. I cannot say I became very good at it, but it was an enlightening experience - specially because later I'd learn to read Playing Cards which are usually non-scenic.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite decks is Fergus Hall's "Tarot of the Witches" which also has non-scenic minors, and I really loved using it (despite the fact I had to rely a bit more on memorization than with a RWS-clone).
I am enjoying your posts too! This deck is very pretty... I can't wait to see your take on the court cards! :)