The Spanish deck
Forty cards in four suits, the deck people use to read cards in Spain and across Latin America. Click any card to see what it says about love, money and the person it brings.
Do a readingCoins
Money, work and everything you can touch. Coins bring payments, deals, gifts and practical news, and most of it is good.
- 1Ace of Coinsmoney, success, good newsYes
- 2Two of Coinsexchange, balance, dealMaybe
- 3Three of Coinscraft, first rewards, teamworkYes
- 4Four of Coinssavings, security, holding onMaybe
- 5Five of Coinsloss, hardship, worryNo
- 6Six of Coinshelp, loan, generosityMaybe
- 7Seven of Coinspatience, harvest, waitingMaybe
- 10Jack of Coinsnews, study, opportunityYes
- 11Knight of Coinsmoney on its way, travel, progressYes
- 12King of Coinsprosperity, stability, protectionYes
Cups
Love, home and family. Cups talk about how you feel, about the good times and the people who love you.
- 1Ace of Cupshome, happiness, loveYes
- 2Two of Cupsunion, partnership, reciprocityYes
- 3Three of Cupsjoy, celebration, birthYes
- 4Four of Cupshouse, family, routineMaybe
- 5Five of Cupsdisappointment, sadness, longingNo
- 6Six of Cupsmemories, the past, reunionMaybe
- 7Seven of Cupsillusions, temptation, confusionNo
- 10Jack of Cupsyouth, news, tendernessYes
- 11Knight of Cupsproposal, arrival, romanceYes
- 12King of Cupsprotection, kindness, maturityYes
Swords
Problems, arguments and hard decisions. Swords warn you about what hurts, and they also show you how to stand up for yourself.
- 1Ace of Swordsstrength, conflict, decisionMaybe
- 2Two of Swordsargument, disagreement, hostilityNo
- 3Three of Swordsheartache, separation, jealousyNo
- 4Four of Swordsrest, retreat, recoveryMaybe
- 5Five of Swordsloss, defeat, gossipNo
- 6Six of Swordsway out, move, reliefYes
- 7Seven of Swordsdeception, cunning, mistrustNo
- 10Jack of Swordswatchfulness, news, suspicionMaybe
- 11Knight of Swordsarrival, speed, confrontationMaybe
- 12King of Swordsjustice, authority, lawYes
Clubs
Effort, projects and obstacles. Clubs are hard work, drive and the odd fight along the way.
- 1Ace of Clubsstrength, new start, driveYes
- 2Two of Clubssetbacks, doubts, delaysNo
- 3Three of Clubsteamwork, initiative, supportYes
- 4Four of Clubsstability, celebration, commitmentYes
- 5Five of Clubsfights, competition, tensionNo
- 6Six of Clubssuccess, recognition, progressYes
- 7Seven of Clubsresistance, defense, persistenceMaybe
- 10Jack of Clubsnews, enthusiasm, youthYes
- 11Knight of Clubschange, relocation, departureMaybe
- 12King of Clubsauthority, experience, honestyYes
How to read the Spanish deck
The Spanish deck used for cartomancy has forty cards: ace to seven plus three court cards, the Jack, the Knight and the King, in each of the four suits. There are no eights or nines. Each suit covers one area of life, and the court cards usually stand for people around you.
Coins and Cups almost always bring good news, about money and about love and family. Swords warn of trouble and Clubs talk about effort and obstacles. The more cards of the same suit come up together, the more that theme weighs on your question.
If you prefer tarot, there are also all 78 tarot cards with their meanings.
Frequently asked questions
How many cards does the Spanish deck have for readings?
Forty. Ace to seven plus the Jack, Knight and King of each suit. The 48-card playing deck also has eights and nines, but they are taken out for readings.
What does each suit mean?
Coins are about money and work, Cups about love, home and family, Swords about problems and hard decisions, and Clubs about effort, projects and obstacles.
Who are the Jack, the Knight and the King?
They usually stand for people. The Jack is a woman or a young person, the Knight a young man or someone arriving with news, and the King a mature man or someone in charge. The suit tells you what that person is like.
Do reversed cards count?
It depends on the reader. Every card here also has its reversed meaning in case it comes up upside down in your own spread. In the online reading, cards always come up upright.
How is it different from tarot?
Tarot has 78 cards with scenes and 22 Major Arcana. The Spanish deck is simpler and more direct: it answers practical questions about love, money or people better than questions about your life path.