Pokémon Card Rarity Symbols: Circles, Stars and Secret Rares

Mateusz Ryś · October 28, 2026 · about 6 min read

You can tell a Pokémon card’s rarity from the small symbol in the bottom corner, next to the card number. A circle means common, a diamond uncommon, a star rare. The Scarlet & Violet era added more tiers marked by the number and color of the stars. Here’s how to read them.

Pokémon card rarity: the basic symbols

Since the very first sets, Pokémon cards have had a rarity symbol next to the number. The three basic ones haven’t changed in years:

Symbol	Rarity	How many per booster
● circle	Common	most of the cards in a pack
◆ diamond	Uncommon	a few per pack
★ black star	Rare	usually at least one rare or better per pack

The rarity symbol tells you how often a card shows up in boosters, not directly what it’s worth. A popular Pokémon on a Rare can cost more than an unloved card of a higher rarity. Version, condition and demand matter too – see how much is my Pokémon card worth.

In older eras, the star marked every rare card – regular rares as well as holos and full arts. So with cards from before Scarlet & Violet, the star alone isn’t enough: also check the look of the card (shine, full-card artwork) and the number. Basic Energy cards usually have no rarity symbol.

Promo cards carry a promo marking instead of a rarity symbol (e.g. a black star with the word PROMO on newer releases) and their own numbering.

Rarities in the Scarlet & Violet era

With the Scarlet & Violet era (from 2023), the publisher introduced a new marking system for high-end cards. Instead of one symbol for all the “better” cards, each category has its own number and color of stars:

Symbol	Rarity	Which cards
★★ two black stars	Double Rare	Pokémon ex (including Tera ex) with the regular look
★★ two silver (foil) stars	Ultra Rare	full art versions of Pokémon ex and Supporter cards
★ one gold star	Illustration Rare	alternate full art illustrations of regular Pokémon
★★ two gold stars	Special Illustration Rare	alternate illustrations of Pokémon ex and Supporter cards – usually the most sought-after cards in a set
★★★ three gold stars	Hyper Rare	gold cards with a gilded frame – formerly just called “gold secret rares”

Star colors (silver vs. gold) are easiest to tell apart under a light – in photos they can look alike. The publisher explained the new system at the launch of the era on its website: pokemon.com.

ACE SPEC

ACE SPEC is a special category of cards – mostly Trainer cards (such as Items) with very strong effects. The game rules allow only one ACE SPEC card per deck. They appeared in older sets and returned in the Scarlet & Violet era with their own rarity marking. Their price depends mainly on whether they see tournament play.

Special sets

Special sets sometimes add extra rarity categories (e.g. shiny cards). Not every set has every rarity from the table. When in doubt, check the card list for that specific set.

Secret rare – a number higher than the set size

The card number uses the format number/set size, e.g. 045/197. Cards whose number is higher than the number after the slash (e.g. 223/197) are called secret rares – cards outside the set’s “official” list.

In the Scarlet & Violet era, the cards outside the official numbering are the highest rarities, including full art Ultra Rare, Illustration Rare, Special Illustration Rare and Hyper Rare. For example: if a set has 197 cards and yours is numbered 230/197, it’s definitely not a regular card from that set.

Watch out for these traps:

Secret rare numbering differs between eras – in older sets, the cards outside the list were things like gold cards or alternate versions.
Gallery cards (e.g. subsets with a letter before the number in some sets) have separate numbering.
The same number in different sets means different cards – always check the number together with the set symbol or set code.

Rarity vs. finish: holo and reverse holo

Rarity isn’t the same thing as a card’s finish. The same card can exist in several versions:

Non-holo – no foil effect.
Holo – a shiny illustration.
Reverse holo – shine across the whole card except the illustration. A Common, Uncommon or Rare can all come as reverse holo – the rarity symbol doesn’t change.

These versions have separate market prices, so when you price a card, note both its rarity and its finish. In RipWorth, variants such as reverse holo are priced side by side, which makes it easy to check whether a card from a binder happens to be the more expensive version.

How rarity translates into price

Rarity and number first – they instantly separate bulk from the cards worth checking.
Then the Pokémon and the artwork – popular Pokémon and striking artwork have more demand at the same rarity.
Condition – high-rarity cards are often bought for collections or grading, so condition matters a lot. More: card condition.
Current market price – prices for new sets move especially hard in the first weeks after release.

If you open boosters, the rarity symbol lets you quickly sort binder cards from the ones to look up. We cover whether whole boxes pay off in is a booster box worth it.

Frequently asked questions

What do the circle, diamond and star on a Pokémon card mean?

They are rarity symbols: a circle is Common, a diamond is Uncommon and a star is Rare. You’ll find the symbol in the bottom corner of the card, next to the number.

What is a Special Illustration Rare?

A Scarlet & Violet era rarity marked with two gold stars: alternate full art illustrations of Pokémon ex and Supporter cards. They are usually among the most expensive cards in a set.

How do I spot a secret rare?

By the number: if the card number is higher than the number of cards in the set (e.g. 223/197), the card is outside the set’s official list – a secret rare.

Does a higher rarity always mean a higher price?

No. Rarity tells you how often a card shows up in packs, but the market sets the price. A popular Pokémon at a lower rarity can be worth more than an unloved card at a higher rarity.