Suit of coins
Encyclopedia
The Suit of Coins or Pentacle
s is used in Latin suited playing cards, including tarot decks
, and corresponds to the suit of diamonds in conventional playing cards. In divinatory and occult tarot it is part of what is called the "Minor Arcana
". Like the other tarot suits it contains fourteen cards: ace
(one), two through ten, page, knight, queen and king.
The suit represents the urban Third Estate (the merchants, artisans, and town-dwellers)
.
of Earth, the physical body and possessions or wealth. Coins as a Latin suit represent the feudal class of merchants and traders, and therefore to worldly matters in general. Associated physical characteristics include dark hair and eyes, dark complexion, and sturdy build.
In the Rider-Waite tarot deck
and derivative decks, the suit is called the suit of pentacle
s, and each card incorporates one or more discs each displaying a pentagram
. In the Book of Thoth it is called the suit of discs, and the cards are associated with the Taurus
, Virgo
, and Capricorn signs of the Zodiac
.
. The picture cards are Valet (Page), Chevalier (Horseman or Knight), Reine (Queen), and Roi (King). This suit was later changed to Diamonds.
German and Swiss decks use round Schällen ("Hawk Bells") instead.
Pentacle
A pentacle is an amulet used in magical evocation, generally made of parchment, paper or metal , on which the symbol of a spirit or energy being evoked is drawn. It is often worn around the neck, or placed within the triangle of evocation...
s is used in Latin suited playing cards, including tarot decks
Tarot
The tarot |trionfi]] and later as tarocchi, tarock, and others) is a pack of cards , used from the mid-15th century in various parts of Europe to play a group of card games such as Italian tarocchini and French tarot...
, and corresponds to the suit of diamonds in conventional playing cards. In divinatory and occult tarot it is part of what is called the "Minor Arcana
Minor Arcana
|thumb|[[King of Swords]] card from a Minor Arcana deckThe Minor Arcana of occult or divinatory tarot refers to the portion of a Tarot deck that consists of 56 cards. The Minor Arcana are roughly similar to the cards found in a common deck of playing cards...
". Like the other tarot suits it contains fourteen cards: ace
Ace
An ace is a playing card. In the standard French deck, an ace has a single suit symbol located in the middle of the card, sometimes large and decorated, especially in the case of the Ace of Spades...
(one), two through ten, page, knight, queen and king.
The suit represents the urban Third Estate (the merchants, artisans, and town-dwellers)
Estates of the realm
The Estates of the realm were the broad social orders of the hierarchically conceived society, recognized in the Middle Ages and Early Modern period in Christian Europe; they are sometimes distinguished as the three estates: the clergy, the nobility, and commoners, and are often referred to by...
.
Divinatory and occult meanings
In occult and divinatory usage the suit is connected with the classical elementClassical element
Many philosophies and worldviews have a set of classical elements believed to reflect the simplest essential parts and principles of which anything consists or upon which the constitution and fundamental powers of anything are based. Most frequently, classical elements refer to ancient beliefs...
of Earth, the physical body and possessions or wealth. Coins as a Latin suit represent the feudal class of merchants and traders, and therefore to worldly matters in general. Associated physical characteristics include dark hair and eyes, dark complexion, and sturdy build.
In the Rider-Waite tarot deck
Rider-Waite tarot deck
The Rider-Waite tarot deck is the most popular Tarot deck in use today in the English-speaking world . Other suggested names for this include the Rider-Waite-Smith, Waite-Smith, Waite-Colman Smith or simply the Rider deck...
and derivative decks, the suit is called the suit of pentacle
Pentacle
A pentacle is an amulet used in magical evocation, generally made of parchment, paper or metal , on which the symbol of a spirit or energy being evoked is drawn. It is often worn around the neck, or placed within the triangle of evocation...
s, and each card incorporates one or more discs each displaying a pentagram
Pentagram
A pentagram is the shape of a five-pointed star drawn with five straight strokes...
. In the Book of Thoth it is called the suit of discs, and the cards are associated with the Taurus
Taurus (astrology)
Taurus is the second astrological sign in the Zodiac, which spans the zodiac between the 30th and 59th degree of celestial longitude. Generally, the Sun transits this area of the zodiac between April 21 to May 21 each year...
, Virgo
Virgo (astrology)
Virgo is the sixth astrological sign in the Zodiac, which spans the zodiac between the 150th and 179th degree of celestial longitude. Generally, the Sun transits this area of the zodiac between August 23 to September 22 each year...
, and Capricorn signs of the Zodiac
Zodiac
In astronomy, the zodiac is a circle of twelve 30° divisions of celestial longitude which are centred upon the ecliptic: the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year...
.
Alternate Decks
In French-language decks, the suit is called Deniers ("silver coins")French denier
The denier was a Frankish coin created by Charlemagne in the Early Middle Ages. It was introduced together with an accounting system in which twelve deniers equaled one sou and twenty sous equalled one livre...
. The picture cards are Valet (Page), Chevalier (Horseman or Knight), Reine (Queen), and Roi (King). This suit was later changed to Diamonds.
German and Swiss decks use round Schällen ("Hawk Bells") instead.