Pokémon Card Rarity Symbols: How to Tell if a Card Is Rare

The rarity symbol is printed at the bottom of the card, next to the card number. A circle is Common, a diamond is Uncommon and a black star is Rare. Scarlet & Violet added higher tiers: two black stars, two silver stars, and up to three gold stars for gold cards. A card number higher than the set's card count marks a secret rare. Check the actual value against the price anchor, not the symbol alone.

Where to find the rarity symbol on a card

The rarity symbol is very small, so a lot of beginners miss it. It's printed at the bottom of the card, on the same line as the card number. On Sword & Shield and Scarlet & Violet cards it sits in the bottom-left corner, after the regulation mark, the set symbol or code, and the card number.

On older cards, up to roughly the Sun & Moon era, the number and rarity symbol are printed in the bottom-right corner, and the set symbol appears below the corner of the artwork. If you have a mixed pile of cards from different eras, get used to checking both sides.

Some cards have no rarity symbol at all. Promo cards are marked with a black star and the word PROMO instead of a regular set number, and basic Energy cards usually don't get a symbol. Some cards from theme decks and starter kits are also printed without a symbol or with different markings. No need to worry if you can't find one: first check which category the card belongs to.

Circle, diamond, star: the basics

The three basic symbols have been around since the game's first sets, and they're still the key to most cards that come out of a booster:

• Black circle - Common. Most of the cards in every booster.
• Black diamond - Uncommon. A few copies in every booster.
• Black star - Rare. At least one of these, or something higher, in a typical booster.

In older eras, the same black star was used for both regular rares and holo rares. What set them apart was the shine on the art window, not the symbol. So on an old card with a star, look at the artwork too: if the window shines, it's a holo rare; if not, it's a regular rare.

Later, in series like Sun & Moon and Sword & Shield, cards with powerful abilities and full artwork were added, but most were still marked with a single black star. Their real tier was identified by card type (GX, V, VMAX), by the artwork and by the card number. This system was confusing, which is one reason Scarlet & Violet moved to more detailed symbols. If you want to get the terms straight, check the collector glossary.

Scarlet & Violet symbols: black, silver and gold stars

In Scarlet & Violet, every tier gets its own symbol, so you can tell the rarity without guessing from the artwork:

• One black star - Rare. A regular rare, usually with a shiny art window.
• Two black stars - Double Rare. Usually ex cards with the standard design.
• Two silver stars - Ultra Rare. Full-art ex and Trainer cards.
• One gold star - Illustration Rare. A regular Pokémon with artwork that spans the whole card.
• Two gold stars - Special Illustration Rare. Full artwork of an ex or a Trainer, often the most sought-after cards in the set.
• Three gold stars - Hyper Rare. Gold cards, with a gold-toned frame and artwork.

Some sets also include subsets with their own symbols, such as the shiny cards in Paldean Fates and ACE SPEC cards. If you come across a symbol that isn't on this list, check the card list for that specific set.

Japanese cards don't use stars. Instead, they have a letter code: C, U, R, RR, AR, SAR, SR, UR and more. AR roughly matches Illustration Rare, and SAR matches Special Illustration Rare. In the new Mega Evolution series too, confirm what the symbols mean against the set list before drawing conclusions.

Holo, reverse holo and full art

The shine on a card is a finish, not a rarity tier. Three terms come up all the time, and it's worth telling them apart:

• Holo - The art window shines and the rest of the card is plain. Common on cards with a black star and up.
• Reverse holo - The opposite: the whole card shines except the art window. Almost any card in a set can come in a reverse version, including circles and diamonds.
• Full art - The artwork covers the entire card, usually with a texture you can feel. In Scarlet & Violet this matches the silver and gold stars.

Here's what confuses beginners: reverse holo doesn't change the rarity symbol. A common card in reverse is still a circle card. It looks impressive in a booster, but in most cases it's worth only a little more than the regular version. There are exceptions, mostly in older sets or with popular Pokémon, but they're not the rule.

Some sets also have special reverse versions, with a pattern in the shine or an event stamp. The same card can appear in several finishes, each with its own price. When you look up a price or post a listing, state the exact finish, not just the card name.

The set symbol and card number

Next to the rarity symbol are two more important details: the set the card comes from and its number within that set. Older sets are marked with a small icon, and Scarlet & Violet added a letter set code. Without knowing the set you can't find the right price, because the same Pokémon is printed in dozens of sets.

The card number is written as a number, a slash, and another number. The second number is the official card count of the main set. When the first number is higher than the second, it's a secret rare: a card printed beyond the official list. In most modern sets, secret rares also carry the highest symbols: gold stars and silver stars.

Some sets have subsets with letters before the number, such as the Trainer Gallery in Sword & Shield. The letters mark a separate series within the set, with its own numbering. Write these down exactly in your listing too.

In practice, when you identify a card you pull out three details: the card name, the set and the number. With those three you can find the exact version in any price database and in the price anchor on the board.

Rarity vs. value: why they're not the same

The rarity symbol tells you how hard a card is to pull from a booster. It doesn't tell you how many people want it. Value is set by demand, and demand depends mostly on the Pokémon itself, the artwork and the set.

A familiar example: a Special Illustration Rare of a Pokémon collectors care less about can sell for less than an Illustration Rare of Pikachu or Charizard from the same set. On the other hand, a circle card from an old set, especially a first edition in excellent condition, can be worth more than a modern card with three gold stars. The expensive cards guide has more examples of gaps like these.

A few more factors move the price:

• Card condition - The same card in NM and in MP can be worth completely different amounts. See the card condition scale.
• Reprints - A set that keeps getting printed sees its card prices drop over time.
• Competitive play - Cards that are strong in tournaments get demand from players too.
• Grading - A card graded with a high score usually sells at a premium.

So once you've identified the rarity, the next step is checking the price. How to do that properly is explained in the card pricing guide, including how to read the price anchor and the fairness tag on listings.

Summary table

A quick list to save on your phone. Symbols follow the modern series, from most common to rarest:

• Circle - Common
• Diamond - Uncommon
• One black star - Rare
• Two black stars - Double Rare, usually a regular ex
• Two silver stars - Ultra Rare, full-art ex or Trainer
• One gold star - Illustration Rare, full artwork of a regular Pokémon
• Two gold stars - Special Illustration Rare, full artwork of an ex or Trainer
• Three gold stars - Hyper Rare, gold card
• PROMO star - Promo card, outside the sets' rarity scale

And three rules that help beyond the symbol:

• Card number higher than the set count = secret rare.
• Reverse holo is a finish, not a rarity. The symbol stays the same as on the regular version.
• On Japanese cards, look for a letter code (AR, SAR, SR, UR) instead of stars.

This list leaves out special subsets in certain sets and symbols added in newer series. When something doesn't add up, check the set's official card list, then move on to checking the price on the board.

Frequently asked questions