In short: Circle is common, diamond is uncommon, star is rare. Scarlet & Violet added Double Rare (two black stars), Ultra Rare (two silver stars), Illustration Rare (one gold star), Special Illustration Rare (two gold stars), and Hyper Rare (three gold stars). Rarity and holo finish are separate facts, and in modern sets the Illustration Rares and Special Illustration Rares hold most of the value.
Where the rarity symbol is
On every Pokémon card since Base Set the rarity symbol sits along the bottom edge, near the collector number. On Wizards-era cards it is in the bottom-right corner. On Scarlet & Violet cards it is bottom-left, beside the collector number, the three-letter expansion code, and the regulation mark letter.
Promo cards replace the symbol with a black star and the word PROMO. Base Set has no set symbol, but it does have rarity symbols.
Circle, diamond, star
The three original marks have not changed since 1999. A filled circle marks a common, a filled diamond an uncommon, and a filled star a rare. Every booster pack contains commons and uncommons, and one rare slot that may be a plain rare, a holo rare, or one of the higher tiers.
The star alone tells you the card was printed as a rare. It does not tell you whether it is holo, and it does not tell you whether it is one of the premium tiers, which have their own marks.
The Scarlet & Violet rarity ladder
When Scarlet & Violet launched in 2023 the rarity system was rebuilt. The premium tiers now have distinct symbols, and the names are printed nowhere on the card, so the symbol is what you read.
| Rarity | Symbol | What it usually is |
|---|---|---|
| Common | One black circle | Regular card, non-holo |
| Uncommon | One black diamond | Regular card, non-holo |
| Rare | One black star | Regular rare, holo or non-holo |
| Double Rare | Two black stars | Pokémon ex, standard art, holo |
| Ultra Rare | Two silver stars | Full-art Pokémon ex or Trainer |
| Illustration Rare | One gold star | Alternate-art card with scenic artwork |
| Special Illustration Rare | Two gold stars | Alternate-art Pokémon ex or Trainer, the chase tier |
| Hyper Rare | Three gold stars | Gold-foil card, formerly called secret rare |
Rarity is not the same as holo
The rarity symbol says how the card was printed to be distributed. The finish says what the surface looks like. A rare can be non-holo or holo. A common can exist as a reverse holo, where the foil covers everything except the artwork, and that reverse holo carries the same circle symbol as the plain common.
Prices follow both. In older sets a reverse holo rare can be worth several times its non-holo twin. In modern sets the finish matters less than the tier, because the premium tiers are all foil by design.
Which tiers carry the value
In a modern set, most of the money sits in the Special Illustration Rares and Illustration Rares of popular Pokémon, followed by Hyper Rares and Ultra Rares. Double Rares and plain rares are usually inexpensive unless the card is played competitively. Commons and uncommons are bulk, with a few exceptions for reverse holos of fan-favorite characters.
Older sets behave differently. Before 2023 the chase cards were holo rares, secret rares numbered past the set size, and for a few years the Gold Star cards, which carry a star after the Pokémon's name rather than a distinct rarity symbol.
Older rarity marks you will meet
Cards from 1999 to 2022 use the circle, diamond, and star, with secret rares identified by a collector number past the set size, like 199/165. Some eras added their own marks: Amazing Rare cards carry an A as their rarity mark, and Radiant Rares carry their own sunburst star.
Modern Japanese cards print rarity as bold letters next to the number instead of symbols: C, U, R, RR, SR, AR, SAR, and UR. They map closely to the English tiers, and a scan reads either system.
Read it from a photo
CardLens reads the rarity symbol, the collector number, the expansion code, and the finish from one photo, matches the exact printing, and shows a value range built on recent eBay sales of that printing. Tip a stack of fresh pulls under the camera one at a time and the Illustration Rares sort themselves out from the bulk.
What each rarity does to the price
Sources: Pokémon.com on the Scarlet & Violet rarity changes, Bulbapedia: Rarity
Questions collectors ask
What do the symbols on Pokémon cards mean?
A circle means common, a diamond uncommon, and a star rare. Scarlet & Violet cards add two black stars for Double Rare, two silver stars for Ultra Rare, one gold star for Illustration Rare, two gold stars for Special Illustration Rare, and three gold stars for Hyper Rare.
Where is the rarity symbol on a Pokémon card?
Along the bottom edge next to the collector number: bottom-right on older cards, bottom-left on Scarlet & Violet cards beside the expansion code and regulation mark.
Is a holo Pokémon card always rare?
No. Holo is a finish, rarity is a symbol. Reverse holos exist for commons and uncommons, and many rares are printed non-holo. Check the symbol for rarity and the surface for finish.
What is the rarest Pokémon card symbol?
In Scarlet & Violet, three gold stars mark a Hyper Rare, the tier formerly called secret rare. In value terms, Special Illustration Rares with two gold stars are usually the most sought-after cards in a set.
What is the regulation mark on a Pokémon card?
A letter in a small box next to the set symbol on cards since Sword & Shield. It tells you which cards are legal in the Standard format after each rotation. It does not affect rarity or value directly.
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