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Pokémon Card Rarity Symbols Explained: Every Tier and Star

October 31, 2026 · 4 min read

On this page

A Pokémon card's rarity symbol sits in the bottom corner, next to its card number. A circle means Common, a diamond means Uncommon and a star means Rare. Since Scarlet & Violet, stars in different numbers and colors mark the higher tiers, up to three gold stars for a Hyper Rare.

Pokémon rarity symbol chart

Symbol Rarity Roughly how often in recent packs
Circle Common Several in every pack
Diamond Uncommon Several in every pack
One black star Rare Often the rare slot
Two black stars Double Rare About 1 in 5
Two silver stars Ultra Rare About 1 in 12
One gold star Illustration Rare About 1 in 9
Two gold stars Special Illustration Rare About 1 in 70 to 1 in 100
Three gold stars Hyper Rare Under 1 in 100
Black-outlined gold sparkle Mega Hyper Rare About 1 in 540 to 1 in 1,260
One pink star and one green star Mega Attack Rare About 1 in 29 in Ascended Heroes

The frequency figures are from our pull rates guide, based on TCGplayer studies. The chart below shows the symbols on real cards.

Close-ups of real Pokémon card corners showing each rarity symbol, from a circle to a gold sparkle

What each rarity looks like

Double Rare cards are usually regular Pokémon ex with holo foil treatment, often the playable stars of a set.

Ultra Rare cards are full-art versions of Pokémon ex and Trainers.

Illustration Rare cards show a Pokémon in a full-card artwork, often in a distinct artist's style. Many are low-cost ways to collect great art.

Special Illustration Rare cards are full-art scenes, usually of a Pokémon ex or Trainer. These are often the chase cards of a modern set.

Hyper Rare cards have a gold design. In Mega Evolution sets, Mega Hyper Rare takes the top spot, with gold, embossed Mega Pokémon.

Example Common, Uncommon, Rare and Double Rare cards from the Mega Evolution set

Example Ultra Rare, Illustration Rare and Special Illustration Rare cards

Example Hyper Rare, Mega Hyper Rare and Mega Attack Rare cards

Special rarities in some sets

Some labels appear only in particular sets. In the card data behind our simulator, these include:

  • ACE SPEC Rare: powerful Trainer cards, limited to one per deck in play.
  • Shiny Rare and Shiny Ultra Rare: alternate-color Pokémon, found in Shiny-themed sets.
  • Black White Rare: found in White Flare and Black Bolt.
  • Pikachu Rare and Futuristic Rare: special cards from 30th Celebration.
  • Radiant Rare and Amazing Rare: from the Sword & Shield era.

Older cards use fewer symbols

Before Scarlet & Violet, English cards had only the circle, diamond and a single star, plus promo markings. A single star could mean anything from a plain holo to a Secret Rare, so with older cards you also need to look at:

  • The card number. A number above the set total, such as 201/198, usually marks a Secret Rare.
  • The card type. V, VMAX and VSTAR cards were higher rarities despite having the same star.
  • The foil pattern. Rainbow and gold finishes mark the top tiers of that era.

Promo cards don't come from standard rarity slots. Japanese cards use their own system of letter codes, so don't assume the symbols line up with English ones.

Does rarity decide what a card is worth?

No. Rarity sets how hard a card is to pull, but demand sets its price. A popular Pokémon at Illustration Rare can be worth more than an unpopular one at a higher tier. See how to check what your Pokémon cards are worth for a real price.

To see all of these rarities in action, open a few packs in our Pokémon pack opening simulator.

FAQ

What does a star on a Pokémon card mean? A single black star means Rare. Two black stars mean Double Rare, silver stars mean Ultra Rare and gold stars mark the Illustration, Special Illustration and Hyper Rare tiers.

What is the rarest Pokémon card rarity right now? In Mega Evolution sets, Mega Hyper Rare is the rarest tier with measured odds, at roughly 1 in 540 to 1 in 1,260 packs.

Is Illustration Rare or Ultra Rare better? Neither is simply better. In many recent sets, Illustration Rares are a little more common by slot, but value depends on the individual card.

Does a black star on its own always mean Rare? No. A black star with "PROMO" marks a promo card, which has no rarity tier in that sense.

Pokémon artwork and card images © Nintendo, Creatures, GAME FREAK and The Pokémon Company. mgame.gg isn't affiliated with or endorsed by them.

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