Pip Cards
The numbered cards Ace through Ten in each suit — 40 of the deck's 78. In illustrated decks like Rider-Waite-Smith, each pip carries a full scene; in older decks, just the suit symbols.
Detailed Explanation
Pips are where readings get specific. The Majors set the theme; the pips describe Tuesday afternoon. Rider-Waite-Smith changed the game by illustrating them — the Six of Pentacles isn't 'six coins,' it's a merchant weighing out charity while two people wait. If your deck has scenes, read the scene: who has power, what's moving, what's missing.
Examples
- •Six of Pentacles: read the scales, the giver, the receivers — the scene is the meaning
- •Five of Wands: five people, five sticks, no wounds — competition, not war
- •In a Marseille deck, the same pips show only suit symbols — number + suit carry the meaning instead
See It on the Cards
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Pip Cards — tap your read
In an RWS deck, the Six of Pentacles shows a merchant weighing coins on scales while two figures kneel below. Why does the scene matter?
Common Misunderstandings
❌ Myth: "Pip cards matter less than Majors"
✅ Reality: Pips carry the practical detail — a spread of all Majors tells you the stakes but not what to do on Monday
❌ Myth: "Pip artwork is decoration"
✅ Reality: In scenic decks the artwork is the meaning — posture, direction, and detail are readable information
Practice Prompts
Use these questions to deepen your understanding:
- •"Pick any RWS pip and list three details in the scene you've never consciously noticed"
- •"How would you read the same pip in a scenic deck vs. a suit-symbols-only deck?"
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