Use this pokemon card rarity chart to decode circle, diamond and star symbols and collector numbers, and see why rarity isn't a price tag.
Pulled a card and wondered what the little mark at the bottom means? That symbol beside the collector number shows the card's printed rarity. This pokemon card rarity chart decodes every circle, diamond and star, and explains why rarity doesn't set the price.
It matches the symbols printed on cards to their rarity tiers, from common up to the scarcest cards in a set.
Rarity describes how a card is printed and grouped. It says nothing about price. Sets differ too: not every set includes every rarity, and newer series add tiers of their own.
Below are the classic circle, diamond and star symbols, plus the tiers that arrived with Scarlet & Violet.
Look along the bottom edge of the card, next to the collector number.
The symbol has shifted between corners over the years. Check both. Don't mix it up with the set symbol, a separate mark that shows which expansion the card comes from.
Some cards printed for certain products carry no rarity symbol. They show a colored silhouette of a Pokémon instead.
Circles, diamonds and stars in black, silver or gold each stand for a rarity tier. Read the shape, star count and color together.
These pokemon card rarity symbols appear on cards from Scarlet & Violet onward:
A few named rarities fall outside this list. ACE SPEC Rare and Shiny Rare appear in select sets. The Mega Evolution series, which launched in September 2025, adds Mega Attack Rare and Mega Hyper Rare, a gold-etched tier for Mega ex cards.
If a mark looks unfamiliar, check the set's official checklist.
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It shows where the card sits in its set, in a format like 58/102.
The first number is the card's place in the set. The second is the set's advertised card count. So 58/102 is card 58 in a set that lists 102 cards.
When the first number is higher, as in 215/197, the card sits beyond the printed set total. Those are the extras: alternate art, gold finishes and other special printings.
Collectors have called these secret rares. The label depends on the era: newer sets name them by tier, such as Illustration Rare or Hyper Rare.
Read the number line first, then the symbol, then the finish. Work through it in this order:
Recommended read: How to tell if a Pokémon card is fake
Not necessarily. A rarity symbol shows how a card was printed and grouped, and nothing more.
Print run, collector demand for the Pokémon and the card's condition may also play a part. A card from a lower tier may still be in demand if the Pokémon is a fan favorite.
Values move over time. Any price you see is a snapshot of that moment.
Recommended read: How to get Pokémon cards graded
Online card ripping is opening card packs through an app or website instead of at a shop counter. The cards in a reveal carry the same symbols and collector numbers you've learned to read here.
Some versions use digital packs tied to real trading cards. Depending on the operator, you may be able to ship the card, trade it or sell it back.
Fees, odds, shipping rules and buyback terms vary by operator. Read them before you open anything. You can't know which card a pack will reveal until you open it.
One option is Crypto.com Rips, an in-app feature for digital pack opening backed by physical collectible inventory. Each pack opens with an animated reveal and each card shows its image, its details and a sell-back quote locked for three days.
Once a pack opens, you can sell the card back to your fiat wallet at the quoted price, request physical delivery or hold it for up to three days. If you haven't shipped or sold it by then, it sells automatically at the quoted price. Physical cards stay in custody until they ship or sell back.
A pokemon card rarity chart is a reference that matches the symbols on Pokémon cards to rarity tiers such as common, uncommon and rare. It helps collectors read a card's printed rarity.
Pokemon rarity symbols show a card's printed rarity. A black circle means common, a black diamond means uncommon and a black star means rare. Extra stars in black, silver or gold mark the higher tiers in Scarlet & Violet sets.
Pokemon card rarity symbols sit along the bottom of the card, next to the collector number. The corner has changed between eras. Check both.
No. A pokemon rarity chart can differ by era. Not every set includes every rarity, and newer series add named tiers. Check the set's official checklist for unfamiliar marks.
Pokemon card rarity describes how a card was printed, and it doesn't set a price. Print run, demand for the Pokémon and condition may also influence what a card sells for, and values can change.
Find the collector number and the rarity symbol beside it, then compare the first number with the set total. A first number above the total points to a card beyond the printed set.
A first number higher than the set total, such as 215/197, means the card sits beyond the printed set. Collectors have often called these secret rares, though the name depends on the era.
No. A reverse holo has foil over everything except the illustration, and it doesn't change the card's rarity or collector number.
A black star with the word PROMO printed over it marks a promo card.
Important information:
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