Quick Facts
- The rarity symbol is on the bottom edge of the card, next to the collector number. The set symbol is a different mark.
- Black circle = Common, black diamond = Uncommon, black star = Rare. This has held since the first English sets in 1999.
- Since Scarlet & Violet (March 2023), two black stars mean Double Rare, two silver stars Ultra Rare, and one, two or three gold stars Illustration Rare, Special Illustration Rare and Hyper Rare.
- Mega Evolution sets (from 26 September 2025) replaced the three-gold-star Hyper Rare with the Mega Hyper Rare, a single gold four-pointed star.
- A number above the set total, like 199/165, marks a secret rare. In six recent sets we checked, those cards held 80 to 95% of each set's value.
Turn over any Pokémon card and look along the bottom edge. Next to the collector number there's a small black, silver or gold mark. That's the rarity symbol, and it tells you which tier the card was printed in.
This guide covers every symbol from the 1999 Base Set to the Mega Evolution sets, how to read the collector number for secret rares, what Japanese cards use instead, and what each tier tends to sell for. If you're new to collecting, our beginner's guide starts from the beginning.
Where to find the rarity symbol
Look at the bottom edge of the card, beside the collector number (for example 045/191). From the 1999 Base Set through the XY series it sits in the bottom right corner; since Sun & Moon (2017) it's beside the number, bottom left.
The set symbol is a different mark. It shows which expansion the card is from and has its own design for each set. The rarity symbol is always one of the shapes below.
The three basic symbols
These have stayed the same since the first English sets.
| Symbol | Rarity | What it usually is |
|---|---|---|
| ● Black circle | Common | Basic Pokémon and the most printed cards in a set |
| ◆ Black diamond | Uncommon | Evolutions, most Trainers |
| ★ Black star | Rare | At least one in most English booster packs |
A black star with the word PROMO marks a promo card: one given away with products, at events or in tins, rather than pulled from packs.
Scarlet & Violet symbols (2023 onwards)
Scarlet & Violet, released 31 March 2023, added more tiers above Rare, all shown with stars:
| Symbol | Rarity | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| ★★ Two black stars | Double Rare | Pokémon ex in the standard card design |
| ★★ Two silver stars | Ultra Rare | Full-art Pokémon ex and full-art Supporters |
| ★ One gold star | Illustration Rare | A full-art illustration of a regular Pokémon |
| ★★ Two gold stars | Special Illustration Rare | A full-art illustration of a Pokémon ex or a Supporter |
| ★★★ Three gold stars | Hyper Rare | Gold, textured versions of ex cards, Trainers and Energy |
Two other marks turn up in some sets:
- ACE SPEC Rare, a pink star. ACE SPEC cards are limited to one per deck in play.
- Shiny rarities, in special sets such as Paldean Fates, for the shiny versions of Pokémon.
The cards most collectors chase in these sets are usually the Illustration Rares and Special Illustration Rares, because of their artwork.
Mega Evolution symbols (September 2025 onwards)
The Mega Evolution set, released 26 September 2025, kept most of the Scarlet & Violet tiers but retired the three-gold-star Hyper Rare. In its place is the Mega Hyper Rare: gold, etched cards with alternate art of Mega Evolution Pokémon ex, marked with one gold four-pointed star outlined in black. The first two were Mega Gardevoir ex (187/132) and Mega Lucario ex (188/132).
Ascended Heroes (January 2026) added one more mark, the Mega Attack Rare, two small stars, one pink and one green. These are full-art Mega Evolution Pokémon ex with the attack name written large in Japanese across the artwork. Seven of them sit above that set's total, from 265/217. If a symbol on a new card isn't in the tables above, check the set's card list before assuming it's an error or a fake.
Older symbols you might see (before 2023)
- White star, on cards from the XY, Sun & Moon and Sword & Shield series (before 2023), marks a rare in a special design: EX, GX, V, VMAX, full arts, rainbow rares and gold secret rares.
- Gold Star cards (2004 to 2007) carry a ★ after the Pokémon's name. That's part of the name, not the rarity symbol, and these are among the most valuable cards of their era.
- Wizards of the Coast era (1999 to 2003) cards use only the circle, diamond and star. A holo rare and a non-holo rare share the same star; the holofoil artwork is what tells them apart.
How to spot a secret rare from its number
Secret rares are numbered past the set's printed total. In a set printed as 191 cards, a card numbered 238/191 is a secret rare. Since 2023, that's where the Illustration Rares, Special Illustration Rares, Ultra Rares and Hyper Rares sit.
This is also a quick fake check: a modern rare whose number makes no sense for its set, or a symbol that doesn't match its number range, is worth a closer look. How to spot a fake Pokémon card covers the rest.
What each tier actually sells for
Rarity tells you how a card was printed, not its price. Still, the gap between the main set and the cards above it is large. We took six recent English sets from BankTCG market data on 11 November 2026: one raw price per card number (the standard print), with reverse holos, stamped promos and sealed product left out.
| Set | Printed total | Main set median | Main set under $1 | Cards above the total | Their median | Their share of set value | Most valuable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scarlet & Violet 151 | 165 | $0.50 | 71% | 41 | $18.99 | 91% | Charizard ex #199, $294.98 |
| Surging Sparks | 191 | $0.27 | 85% | 61 | $5.99 | 91% | Pikachu ex #238, $200 |
| Journey Together | 159 | $0.32 | 86% | 31 | $4.12 | 80% | Lillie's Clefairy ex #184, $79.95 |
| Destined Rivals | 182 | $0.37 | 84% | 62 | $6.99 | 93% | Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex #231, $318.52 |
| Mega Evolution | 132 | $0.29 | 86% | 56 | $4.75 | 95% | Mega Lucario ex #188, $174.50 |
| Phantasmal Flames | 94 | $0.33 | 86% | 36 | $2.54 | 95% | Mega Charizard X ex #125, $650 |
Two things stand out:
- Most of a set's value sits in the cards numbered above its total. Across these six sets, that's 80 to 95%.
- Within a tier, the Pokémon matters as much as the symbol. Every set's most valuable card is a popular Pokémon. Two cards with the same gold stars can sell for very different amounts.
Prices change every week. Look up any card on BankTCG, and see Pokémon card statistics for how sets are moving.
Japanese rarity codes
Japanese cards print a letter code instead of shapes. The common ones:
| Code | Rarity |
|---|---|
| C, U, R | Common, Uncommon, Rare |
| RR | Double Rare |
| AR | Art Rare (English: Illustration Rare) |
| SR | Super Rare (English: Ultra Rare) |
| MA | Mega Attack Rare (same name in English) |
| SAR | Special Art Rare (English: Special Illustration Rare) |
| UR | Ultra Rare (gold; English: Hyper Rare) |
| MUR | Mega Ultra Rare (English: Mega Hyper Rare) |
Japanese and English sets don't line up one to one, so a card's code and its English counterpart's symbol can differ. How to buy Pokémon cards from Japan is a good next read if you collect both.
FAQ
Where is the rarity symbol on a Pokémon card?
On the bottom edge of the card, next to the collector number. Don't confuse it with the set symbol, which shows which expansion the card comes from.
What do the circle, diamond and star mean on a Pokémon card?
A black circle is Common, a black diamond is Uncommon and a black star is Rare. Higher tiers since 2023 use two or more stars in black, silver or gold.
What is the rarest symbol on a Pokémon card?
In Scarlet & Violet sets it's three gold stars, the Hyper Rare. Mega Evolution sets, from September 2025, replaced it with the Mega Hyper Rare, marked with one gold four-pointed star outlined in black.
How can I tell if a Pokémon card is a secret rare?
Look at the collector number. If the first number is higher than the second, like 199/165, the card is numbered above the set's printed total, which is what a secret rare is.
Does a rarer symbol mean a card is worth more?
Usually, but not always. Rarity tells you how a card was printed, not what it sells for. Within the same tier, a popular Pokémon can sell for many times more than an unpopular one, so check the card's own recent sales.
Not sure what you're holding? The free BankTCG app scans a card, finds the exact printing and shows what it sells for.
Sources & Further Reading
- Set prices: BankTCG market data, raw prices, 11 November 2026. One price per card number (the standard print); reverse holos, stamped promos and sealed product excluded. "Printed total" is the number after the slash on the set's cards.
- Symbols and release dates: printed on the cards themselves; Scarlet & Violet released 31 March 2023, Mega Evolution 26 September 2025, Ascended Heroes 30 January 2026.
- Scarlet & Violet Revamps Pokémon TCG Card Aesthetic, The Pokémon Company's own guide to the 2023 rarity symbols
- How to start collecting Pokémon cards, our beginner's guide
- What Pokémon cards to collect
- How to spot a fake Pokémon card
- True first edition Pokémon cards
