You open a tarot guide at card eight and find a discussion of Strength. The card in front of you shows Justice. That mismatch can be an edition or tradition difference rather than a missing card or printing error.
In A. E. Waite’s own discussion of Strength, he explicitly notes that he interchanged it with Justice, which he describes as usually numbered eight. In the familiar Waite–Smith sequence, Strength is VIII and Justice XI; other traditions retain the alternative ordering.
Match three things before borrowing an interpretation
Record the card’s printed name, numeral and visible subject. Then identify the deck and the guidebook edition you are using. A note that says only “VIII” becomes ambiguous when you later compare several decks.
Try a simple study page with two columns. In one, describe the visual treatment of Justice: posture, objects, gaze and setting. In the other, describe Strength. Keep those observations separate from a guidebook’s interpretation so you can see what the image itself contributes.
A changed sequence does not settle the symbolism
It is tempting to invent a universal explanation for every numerical difference. Waite’s text is useful evidence for what he said about his arrangement, but it does not make every later artist’s intention identical to his. Use the specific deck’s documentation when attributing a reason to its creator.
The distinction matters in group study too. If someone asks everyone to bring “card eleven,” participants may arrive with different subjects. Naming the card as well as its number makes the activity easier to follow.
For personal reflection, you can still work with the image that interests you. Treat the comparison as an exercise in visual and historical reading, rather than proof that one numbering system can predict an outcome more accurately. A precise catalogue note often teaches more than a confident story built around an unexplained numeral.