What to Do With Unwanted Tarot Cards
Donate your deck. Set it free. Pass it on.
If you have unwanted tarot or oracle cards, you can donate them to Tarot Amnesty so they can be passed on to a new reader for free.
Do you have a deck that deserves another reading?
Tell us a little about your deck using this short contact form and you will receive a personal reply with the next steps.
Tarot decks can become companions, holding memories of readings, people, places or particular times. Even a deck that has rested quietly on a shelf for years can feel too significant simply to throw away.
Whatever its history, your deck will be received with care. Accepted decks are stored safely and later passed on to new readers for free through community tarot events and other rehoming activities. Tarot Amnesty never buys or sells donated decks, and nobody is charged to receive one.
Where can I donate unwanted tarot cards in the UK?
You can donate unwanted tarot and oracle decks to Tarot Amnesty, a voluntary community project based in Nottinghamshire that accepts suitable decks from across the UK.
Accepted decks are rehomed with new readers for free through Tarot Amnesty community events and other rehoming activities.
How Tarot Amnesty works
1. Tell us about your deck
Use the short contact form to share the deck’s name, if known, and anything else you would like us to know.
2. Receive a personal reply
Tarot Amnesty will reply to your donation offer personally. When a deck can be accepted, the postal address and any relevant details will be shared privately.
You are welcome to include a short note about the deck, its history or what you hope for its next chapter. This is entirely optional.
Tarot Amnesty is a self-funded voluntary community project, so the person donating the deck is responsible for the cost of postage.
3. The deck begins its next chapter
Accepted decks are stored safely until they can be rehomed.
At Tarot Amnesty community events, donated decks are made available to new readers for free. They may find homes with beginners, experienced readers, collectors, researchers, artists or community groups.
Events will be announced on TarotAmnesty.org and through Tarot Amnesty's other public channels as they are arranged.
Decks with particular historical, artistic or cultural significance may instead be preserved for future research with the British Tarot Archive.
What tarot and oracle decks can I donate?
Tarot Amnesty welcomes complete, incomplete, older, unusual and well-loved tarot and oracle decks.
A donated deck does not need to be valuable, pristine or in its original packaging. Worn edges, handwritten notes and other signs of use are part of its history and do not prevent it from finding a new home.
Guidebooks, companion books, bags, boxes and original packaging are also welcome.
Tarot publishers, artists and independent deck creators are welcome to donate usable materials, including publishers' seconds, sample or demonstration decks, surplus stock and incomplete production sets.
Publishers or creators wishing to donate several decks are welcome to get in touch.
Frequently asked questions
Can I donate unwanted tarot cards?
Yes. You can donate unwanted tarot and oracle cards to Tarot Amnesty, which rehomes accepted decks with new readers for free.
Decks may be used, studied, preserved or enjoyed by individuals and community groups.
Can I donate inherited tarot cards?
Yes. Tarot Amnesty accepts inherited tarot and oracle decks. It can provide an alternative when keeping, selling or throwing away an inherited deck does not feel appropriate.
You do not need to know the deck’s full history. You may include a note about the deck or its previous owner, but this is entirely optional.
What if the tarot deck is incomplete or well used?
Incomplete and well-used tarot decks can still be donated. Depending on their condition, they may be suitable for rehoming, teaching, creative work, research or preservation.
Do tarot cards need to be disposed of in a special way?
No. Tarot cards do not need to be disposed of using any particular ritual or method.
Some people choose to cleanse, wrap or thank a deck before letting it go. Others simply package it safely for posting. The right approach is whatever feels most comfortable to you.
Will my tarot deck be sold?
No. Tarot Amnesty never sells decks donated to the project. Accepted decks are passed on to new readers for free or, where appropriate, preserved for research.
Can I choose who receives my deck?
Tarot Amnesty cannot promise that a deck will go to a particular person.
You are welcome to express a preference for it to support a beginner, artist, researcher or community group. This will be considered wherever reasonably possible.
When will my donated deck be rehomed?
There is no fixed rehoming time. Accepted decks are stored safely until an appropriate opportunity arises to pass them on to a new reader.
Upcoming events and completed rehoming activity will be published online.
Where will Tarot Amnesty events be announced?
Tarot Amnesty events will be announced on TarotAmnesty.org, Eventbrite and relevant social media channels. Local events may also be promoted through community listings and local media.
Do I need to pay for postage?
Yes. Donors currently need to pay the cost of posting their deck to Tarot Amnesty.
Tarot Amnesty is an independent, voluntary, not-for-profit community project. It is not yet a registered charity and cannot currently pay or reimburse incoming postage.
The project covers the costs involved in rehoming accepted decks, including:
- safely storing and preparing them
- organising community tarot events
- making decks available to new readers for free
- maintaining TarotAmnesty.org
- promoting events through social media and local press
- travelling to different locations so that more communities can take part
Postal details are shared privately after a deck has been offered.
The Tarot Amnesty promise
Tarot Amnesty will:
- receive every donated deck with care and respect
- never buy or sell a deck donated through the project
- keep personal contact and postal details private
- store accepted decks safely until they can be rehomed
- pass donated decks on to new readers for free
- make every reasonable effort to find each deck an appropriate new home
Tarot Amnesty is an independent community project founded by British tarot scholar and curator Finbarre Snarey.