Pokémon rarities
Pokémon card rarities explained
Circle, diamond, black, silver or gold stars: what each symbol means, and the cards of each rarity.
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The short answer
A Pokémon card's rarity is shown by a symbol at the bottom of the card: a circle for a common, a diamond for an uncommon, a star for a rare. Since Scarlet & Violet, the rarest have two or three black, silver or gold stars: double rare (the ex), ultra rare, illustration rare, special illustration rare and hyper rare, the highest.
Rarity symbols
The symbol is at the bottom left of the card, next to its number. In Scarlet & Violet sets:
| Symbol | Rarity | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| ● | Common | The most common cards in each booster. |
| ◆ | Uncommon | A little less common. |
| ★ black | Rare | Usually one per booster. |
| ★★ black | Double Rare | Pokémon ex, with artwork in a standard frame. |
| ★ gold | Illustration Rare | Artwork covering the whole card, often a Pokémon in its surroundings. |
| ★★ silver | Ultra Rare | Full art cards: a Pokémon ex or a Trainer over the whole card, textured surface. |
| ★★ gold | Special Illustration Rare | A special full-card illustration of a Pokémon ex or a Trainer, highly sought after. |
| ★★★ gold | Hyper Rare | The gold cards, a set's highest rarity. |
Before Scarlet & Violet, all rares had the same black star: the card type (holo, V, VMAX, GX, full art) and its number told you its rarity. A card numbered beyond the set total (201/198, for example) is a "secret".
Rarities in the gotem. catalogue
Every rarity as gotem. names it, from most common to rarest, with the number of cards in each and the most valuable right now:
Tick the ones you have, see what you're missing
Add your cards to gotem. (scan, import or by hand), filter by rarity and see the ones you're missing, with what they're worth. Free.
Complete my collectionHolo, reverse: versions, not rarities
- Holo
- The artwork shines. Depending on the era, the holo rare is a rarity of its own or the shiny version of a rare.
- Reverse holo
- The whole card shines except the artwork. Most commons, uncommons and rares also come in reverse: it's a version of the same card, with its own price. Some reverses (Poké Ball, Master Ball) are much rarer than others.
- 1st edition, stamps
- Other versions of the same card: the 1st edition of Wizards cards, stamped cards (prerelease, Staff, Pokémon Center…).
ex, EX, GX, V, VMAX, VSTAR: card types
These words aren't rarities but types of more powerful Pokémon, each tied to an era. They're often rare, and the same card sometimes exists in several rarities (regular, full art, special illustration…).
| Type | Era | Series |
|---|---|---|
| ex (lowercase) | 2003 to 2007 | Ruby & Sapphire and the rest of the EX era |
| EX (uppercase) | 2012 to 2016 | Black & White, XY |
| GX | 2017 to 2019 | Sun & Moon |
| V, VMAX, VSTAR | 2020 to 2023 | Sword & Shield |
| ex (the return) | since 2023 | Scarlet & Violet, Mega Evolution |
Other rarities marked their era: Prime and LEGEND (HeartGold SoulSilver), Radiant, Shiny cards, the Trainer Gallery…
Japanese card rarities
Japanese cards write their rarity in letters. The equivalents:
| Japan | France | In English |
|---|---|---|
| C | Common | Common |
| U | Uncommon | Uncommon |
| R | Rare | Rare |
| RR | Double Rare | Double Rare |
| AR | Illustration Rare | Illustration Rare |
| SR | Ultra Rare | Ultra Rare |
| SAR | Special Illustration Rare | Special Illustration Rare |
| UR | Hyper Rare | Hyper Rare |
| S / SSR | Shiny Rare | Shiny Rare |
What about promos?
"Promo" isn't a rarity level: most promos are easy to find, a few are very rare.
Pokémon promo cards →How you get them, how to recognise them, what they're worth.Frequently asked questions
How do I find a Pokémon card's rarity?
Look at the symbol at the bottom of the card, next to its number: circle (common), diamond (uncommon), star (rare), and since Scarlet & Violet two or three black, silver or gold stars for the rarest.
What is the highest rarity?
In a Scarlet & Violet set, the hyper rare (three gold stars), then the special illustration rare. But the rarest isn't always the most valuable: a special illustration of a popular Pokémon can be worth more.
Is a reverse rare?
It's a version, not a rarity: most commons, uncommons and rares also come in reverse. Some reverses, with a Poké Ball or Master Ball pattern, are much rarer.
What do IR, SIR and SAR mean?
IR = illustration rare (AR in Japanese), SIR = special illustration rare (SAR in Japanese): full-card artwork cards, highly sought after.
How many cards are there of each rarity?
The list on this page tells you, from the gotem. catalogue: the number of cards of each rarity and the most valuable right now.
Is a promo card rare?
"Promo" isn't a rarity level: most promos are easy to find, a few are very rare.
Tick the ones you have, see what you're missing
Add your cards to gotem. (scan, import or by hand), filter by rarity and see the ones you're missing, with what they're worth. Free.
Complete my collection
