Pokémon card symbols
The rarity symbols, set code, card number, regulation mark and other small marks printed on a Pokémon card, and what each one means.
Test yourself: Pokémon card symbols quiz
Rarity symbols 6 symbols
Card markings 5 symbols
Printings and finishes 3 symbols
About pokémon card symbols
Pokémon card symbols are the small marks printed on a Pokémon Trading Card Game card, most of them along its bottom edge: the rarity symbol, the set code, the collector number, the regulation mark and the copyright line. Each page here says what one of them means, from The Pokémon Company International’s rulebooks and announcements, the card grading company CGC’s guides, and gaming reporting. Pokémon and its card markings belong to Nintendo, Creatures Inc., GAME FREAK inc. and The Pokémon Company; the drawings are our own simplified sketches, not the cards’ artwork. The pages say what a mark means and put no value on any card.
The rarity chart
CGC describes the rarity symbol as a small mark in the bottom right or bottom left corner, beside the set number. The black circle, diamond and star mark common, uncommon and rare cards, and The Pokémon Company International kept them unchanged when it added symbols for the rarities above rare with the Scarlet & Violet Series in 2023.
| Symbol | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Black circle | Common |
| Black diamond | Uncommon |
| Black star | Rare |
| Two black stars | Double rare (from 2023) |
| Two silver stars | Ultra rare (from 2023) |
| One gold star | Illustration rare (from 2023) |
| Two gold stars | Special illustration rare (from 2023) |
| Three gold stars | Hyper rare (from 2023) |
| Black star with PROMO | Promo card |
The other marks at the bottom
The set symbol says which expansion a card is from; Kotaku reported in 2023 that the picture symbols had given way to letter and number codes in a black box. The collector number, such as 025/165, gives the card’s place in its set and the set’s size, and Wargamer explains that a secret rare is numbered above the set’s official size. The regulation mark is a letter that decides whether a card is legal in Standard tournament play: The Pokémon Company International’s 2026 rotation took cards marked G out of the Standard format from 10 April 2026. The rulebook lists the game’s 11 Energy types, and its copyright line names Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK inc.
Printings and finishes
The 1st Edition stamp marks the first print run of the early English sets; CGC counts ten sets issued in the three years it was used, ending with Neo Destiny. Shadowless is the collectors’ name for the second printing of Base Set. The holo and reverse holo page covers the shiny finishes and The Pokémon Company International’s name for reverse holos, parallel foil.
Sources
- Understanding Pokémon Rarity Symbols and Card Features (CGC), Understanding Pokémon Rarity Symbols and Card Features, CGC Cards news article 12438, CGC (Certified Guaranty Company), Pokémon Rarity Symbols; Scarlet & Violet Rarity Symbols
- Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet Revamps Pokémon TCG Card Aesthetic, Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet Revamps Pokémon TCG Card Aesthetic, pokemon.com news, 30 March 2023, The Pokémon Company International, Rarity symbols
- Pokémon TCG Scarlet & Violet’s New ex Cards Are Ridiculously Powerful (Kotaku), “Pokémon TCG Scarlet & Violet’s New ex Cards Are Ridiculously Powerful”, Kotaku, March 2023, Kotaku, Scarlet & Violet’s New Changes Are A Silver Lining
- All Pokémon card rarity symbols explained (Wargamer), Matt Bassil, “All Pokémon card rarity symbols explained”, Wargamer, Wargamer, Secret Rare
- 2026 Pokémon TCG Standard Format Rotation Announcement, 2026 Pokémon TCG Standard Format Rotation Announcement, pokemon.com news, 9 January 2026, The Pokémon Company International, The Standard Format for 2026
- Pokémon Trading Card Game Rules (Scarlet & Violet rulebook), Pokémon Trading Card Game Rules, Scarlet & Violet expansion rulebook (2023), PDF, The Pokémon Company International, p. 4, Energy Types; back cover
- How to Tell if a Pokémon Card is a First Edition (CGC), How to Tell if a Pokémon Card is a First Edition, CGC Cards news article 10262, CGC (Certified Guaranty Company), First editions beyond Base Set
- How to spot first edition Pokémon cards (Wargamer), Matt Bassil, “How to spot first edition Pokémon cards”, Wargamer, Wargamer, Shadowless and Unlimited
Researched, edited and approved by Rory Hansen before publishing. Last reviewed October 9, 2026. How we research