Pokémon card rarity symbols: what they mean

At the bottom of every Pokémon card, next to the collector number, there is a small symbol: it tells you how hard that card is to find in a pack. Reading it takes two seconds, and it is the first step in working out which card you are holding. Here are all the symbols, from the three classic ones to the stars introduced with Scarlet & Violet, and the other printed details that change a card's value.

Where the symbol is

The rarity symbol sits in a bottom corner of the card, left or right, next to the collector number written as “number/total” (for example 025/198). Read the two together: the symbol gives the rarity, the number tells you which card it is within the expansion.

The classic symbols: circle, diamond, star

These four symbols have been used since the first expansions and are still used today: The Pokémon Company kept them unchanged in Scarlet & Violet.

  • Black circle: common. The cards you find most of in every pack.
  • Black diamond: uncommon.
  • Black star: rare.
  • Black star with the word PROMO: a promotional card. As CGC explains, it does not come from packs: it is given away at events or included in special products.

The Scarlet & Violet stars

For years the rarities above “rare” had names coined by collectors and no symbol of their own. Since 2023, with the Scarlet & Violet Series, each rarity has its symbol. This is what each one marks, according to The Pokémon Company's official announcement.

  • Two black stars: double rare. This is where Pokémon ex are found, Tera Pokémon ex included.
  • Two shiny silver stars: ultra rare. The full-art foil versions of Pokémon ex and of some Supporter cards.
  • One gold star: illustration rare. Alternate-art versions, full-art and foil, of common, uncommon and rare Pokémon.
  • Two gold stars: special illustration rare. Full-art alternate illustrations of Pokémon ex or Supporter cards.
  • Three gold stars: hyper rare. Full-art foil cards with gilded borders and accents: the cards previously called “secret rares”.

The newest rarities

Expansions keep adding rarities. CGC, one of the main grading services, points out two in the Mega Evolution series: Mega Hyper Rares, with a gold embossed finish and their own symbol, which according to CGC can be as rare as one pack in 1,260; and Mega Attack cards, which arrived in January 2026 with the Ascended Heroes expansion and are marked by two pastel stars, one pink and one green.

If you find a symbol that is not on this page, look the card up in the catalogue: its page shows the rarity and the market value.

Secret rares: when the number is higher than the total

You recognise a secret rare by its collector number, not by its symbol: the first number is higher than the expansion's total. CGC's example is a Snorlax numbered 224/198. These are the hardest cards to find in an expansion, and usually a less rare version exists with the same name and the same attacks but a different look.

Holo and reverse holo: same rarity, different price

The same card, with the same symbol, can exist in several finishes, and the price changes. These are the two most common.

  • Holo: only the artwork box is holographic. Only some cards in an expansion have a holo version.
  • Reverse holo: the whole card is holographic except the artwork. Most cards in an expansion have one.
  • Telling them apart from Scarlet & Violet onwards: The Pokémon Company explains that on parallel foil versions the expansion code, at the bottom left, is printed in black inside a white box, while on the regular version it is white inside a black box.
  • The border: since Scarlet & Violet it is grey instead of yellow, and on rare cards it lets the foil show through.

On old cards: 1st Edition and Shadowless

On cards from the Wizards of the Coast era two more details matter, both explained by CGC. The 1st Edition stamp marks the first print run of an expansion, and those copies are worth more than the others. In the 1999 Base Set, moreover, the very first print runs have no drop shadow around the artwork box: these are the Shadowless cards, also more sought after. The shadow was added with the Unlimited print.

The symbol is not the price

A high rarity does not guarantee a high value, and the reverse is true as well. CGC says so too: the symbol alone does not determine value. An illustration rare of a much-loved Pokémon can be worth more than a hyper rare, and a common from an old expansion in perfect condition can be worth more than one of today's rares. What counts is how wanted the card is, how many copies exist and the condition.

So, after reading the symbol and the number, the next step is the market value of that exact print: on Amber Road you find it on the card's page, by finish, language and condition.

Look up your Pokémon card →

Frequently asked questions

What does the star on a Pokémon card mean?
One black star marks a rare card. Since Scarlet & Violet there are also two black stars (double rare), two silver stars (ultra rare), one gold star (illustration rare), two gold stars (special illustration rare) and three gold stars (hyper rare).
What do the circle and the diamond mean?
The black circle marks a common card, the black diamond an uncommon one. They are the two most frequent symbols in any pack.
How do I recognise a secret rare?
By the collector number: the first number is higher than the expansion's total, for example 224/198.
Is a card with three gold stars always worth a lot?
No. The symbol tells you how hard the card is to find, not what it is worth. The price depends on how wanted the card is, its condition and the moment: check the market value of that exact card.
What is the difference between holo and reverse holo?
On a holo only the artwork box is holographic; on a reverse holo everything except the artwork is. They are the same card with the same rarity, but their prices differ.

Sources

Sources last read on October 8, 2026. Pokémon is a trademark of its respective owners. Amber Road is an independent site. New expansions may introduce rarities and symbols not yet described here.