Pokémon card rarities explained: what the symbols mean and how rarity affects the price
Since the Scarlet & Violet Series began in March 2023, English Pokémon cards have used distinct star combinations for Double Rare, Ultra Rare, Illustration Rare, Special Illustration Rare and Hyper Rare. These Pokémon card rarity symbols identify rarity, not a fixed price. To value your card, you also need its set, number, finish and condition.
1. Find the rarity symbol
Look near the bottom-left or bottom-right corner of your card for its rarity symbol. The collector number sits nearby, often in an XXX/XXX format.
Identify the set as well as the symbol. English cards from different eras do not all use the same rarity system, so a star needs context. You can use the English set directory to identify the set before interpreting the mark.
This guide covers English cards. Japanese cards may use different rarity symbols and print treatments, so do not apply the English system to them without confirming it first.
2. Read the symbol for your card’s era
For English Scarlet & Violet Series cards, the symbol’s shape, star count and color identify the rarity.
| Symbol description | Rarity | Typical card treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Circle | Common | Basic rarity category |
| Diamond | Uncommon | Basic rarity category |
| One black star | Rare | Holofoil Rare in booster packs |
| Two black stars | Double Rare | Pokémon ex |
| Two silver stars | Ultra Rare | Full-art Pokémon ex or Supporter |
| One gold star | Illustration Rare | Full-art non-Rule Box Pokémon |
| Two gold stars | Special Illustration Rare | Textured full-art Pokémon or Supporter |
| Three gold stars | Hyper Rare | Gold-colored cards |
Count the stars and note their color. Two black stars and two gold stars do not mean the same thing.
Before March 2023, English sets used a black star for most rarities from Rare upward, so the star alone did not separate a Rare from an Ultra Rare. A black star could identify either a non-foil Rare or a Holo Rare. From Scarlet & Violet onward, standard Rare cards in booster packs are Holofoil Rares.
Treat the table as an era-specific reference, not a complete list for every English set. Special sets can add rarity categories: Paldean Fates, for example, includes Shiny Rare and Shiny Ultra Rare.
3. Compare the collector number with the set total
A collector number above the printed set total usually identifies a card described as a Secret Rare. For example, 224/198 places the card beyond the set’s numbered total.
“Secret Rare” is not a single symbol category across every era. Umbreon VMAX from Evolving Skies is numbered 215/203 and classified as a Secret Rare. Newer cards numbered beyond their set total can carry specific rarity labels such as Special Illustration Rare or Mega Hyper Rare. Record the exact label for that card; beyond-total cards are not one modern rarity.
Record both parts of the number. A Pokémon’s name alone is not enough to identify the print you are pricing.
4. Identify the foil finish separately
Note where the card shines to distinguish its finish from its rarity. On many older cards, a Holo Rare has foil within the artwork window, while a Reverse Holo has foil outside it. Foil patterns and coverage vary by era.
A shiny card is not automatically an Ultra Rare. Rarity and finish answer different questions, and you need both when matching your copy to a price entry.
For example, Espeon 48/116 from Plasma Freeze is an Uncommon with separate non-holo and reverse holo prints. The Espeon card page separates those variants. Comparing your reverse holo with the non-holo print would mean comparing different versions, even though the name, number and rarity match.
5. Compare the exact print, not just the rarity label
Compare prices for the same card, set, number and finish because rarity does not impose a fixed price ladder. Pull rate, demand, popularity and set all affect what collectors pay.
Consider two holofoil prints of Mega Gardevoir ex from Mega Evolution:
- On November 12, 2026, the TCGplayer Market Price for Mega Gardevoir ex 178/132, Special Illustration Rare was $153.85, alongside a Cardmarket trend price of €135.10.
- On November 12, 2026, the TCGplayer Market Price for Mega Gardevoir ex 187/132, Mega Hyper Rare was $150.46, alongside a Cardmarket trend price of €164.44.
These prints had closely grouped prices despite their different rarity labels. The Mega Hyper Rare was lower on TCGplayer but higher on Cardmarket, so the label alone did not establish a consistent premium.
The TCGplayer figures above concern raw English cards and are not tied to one condition. Each Cardmarket trend price pools every language and condition of its product.
Rarity helps describe a card’s availability in packs, but the label alone does not tell you its exact pull rate or demand. An older Common can be worth more than a recent Ultra Rare.
6. Check condition before using the price
Assess your card’s condition before deciding how a matching price applies to your copy. The right rarity and variant do not make a worn card equivalent to a cleaner one, and a market-wide benchmark is not a condition-specific valuation.
For raw cards, use the marketplace’s condition definitions when comparing condition-specific sales. If your card is graded, compare the same company and grade; do not assume a fixed price gap between grades.
Grading does not change the printed rarity. PSA’s grading standards assess factors including centering, corners, edges and surface.
Before using a price, you should have:
- The exact card name and set.
- The full collector number.
- The rarity label appropriate to that set and era.
- The correct finish or variant.
- A condition assessment, or the grading company and grade.
- A matching price entry with its market, price type and date.