Understanding Pokémon TCG Card Rarities: A Comprehensive Guide

June 19, 2025 | | Articles

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Introduction

Have you ever opened a pack of Pokémon cards and wondered what those symbols at the bottom mean, or why some cards shine and others don’t? In the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG), every card has a rarity that tells you how likely it is to pull from a pack. From the humble Common Pikachu to the ultra-rare Shiny Charizard, card rarities add excitement and value to collecting. This guide will explain all the known rarity tiers – common, uncommon, rare, holo rare, ultra rare, secret rare, rainbow rare, alternate art, and more – in a casual, easy-to-understand way. We’ll also delve into how rarities have evolved from the classic Base Set days to the latest Scarlet & Violet era, show examples of each rarity tier (with card images), and offer tips for collectors both new and seasoned. By the end, you’ll know your rarity symbols by heart and understand what makes some cards so special (and expensive!). Let’s jump into the world of Pokémon card rarities.

Pokémon TCG Rarity Levels Explained

Pokémon cards come with a tiny symbol (usually in the bottom corner) that indicates their rarity. These symbols are the key to understanding how common or rare a card is within a set. Below is a breakdown of all major rarity tiers in the Pokémon TCG, along with explanations and examples for each.

Common Cards

Example of a Common Pokémon card: Bulbasaur from the Base Set (1999). Notice the black circle symbol next to the card number, indicating Common rarity.

Common cards are the most plentiful cards in any expansion. They’re marked with a black circle symbol cgccards.com, typically found at the bottom of the card next to the set number. Common cards usually feature basic, unevolved Pokémon – think of early-stage Pokémon like Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Pikachu. In a standard booster pack, the majority of the cards will be commons. For example, classic Base Set packs contained several commons (like Bulbasaur shown above) in every pack. Commons are easy to obtain and often form the bulk of any collection. They can still be fan-favorites, but in terms of rarity, they’re the easiest to pull. It’s worth noting that common cards can also appear in Reverse Holo form (more on that later), which adds a foil shine to an otherwise common card to give it a special look.

Uncommon Cards

Example of an Uncommon card: Sandslash from the Fossil expansion (1999). Uncommons are marked with a black diamond symbol.

Uncommon cards are one step up from commons. They are marked with a black diamond symbol cgccards.com. Uncommons often include evolved Pokémon (Stage 1) or sometimes useful Trainer cards. In booster packs, you’ll usually find a few uncommons per pack (for instance, typically 3 Uncommon cards in an English pack)bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net. They are a bit harder to pull than commons but still fairly plentiful. The Sandslash above is an example of an Uncommon card – you can see the diamond symbol denoting its rarity. Like commons, uncommons can also come in Reverse Holofoil versions in modern sets, which means the card has a shiny background but is still considered an uncommon card. These cards add some sparkle to your collection without being truly “rare.”

Rare Cards (Regular Rare)

Rare cards are where things get interesting. A Rare card is marked with a black star symbol cgccards.com – the star has been the classic sign of a rare card since the beginning of the Pokémon TCG. In early sets, a “Rare” could actually come in two forms: Non-holo rare (often called Regular Rare) and Holo rare (see next section). A regular rare has the star rarity symbol but no holographic foil on the artwork. These often feature higher-stage evolutions or Legendary Pokémon. For example, in the Base Set, cards like Beedrill or Electabuzz were non-holo rares: they had the star rarity but no shiny background. Most booster packs guarantee at least one rare card bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net, so you will get either a regular rare or something above rare in every pack.

Even though they’re called “rare,” regular rares are fairly common pulls – you’ll typically get one per pack. What makes them “rare” in context is just that they’re less common than the circle or diamond cards. In modern sets (especially as of the Scarlet & Violet era), all rare cards are now printed with holographic foil to enhance their appearancebulbapedia.bulbagarden.net bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net. But in older sets, pulling a non-holo rare was often a modest outcome – the card was technically rare, but it didn’t have the flash of a holographic card.

Holofoil Rare (Holo Rare)

Holofoil Rares (often just called “holos”) are a subset of rare cards that have a shiny, reflective foil in the artwork area of the card. These share the same black star rarity symbol as regular rares, but the difference is in the card’s appearance: the Pokémon artwork is holographic (sparkly) bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net. A classic example is the Base Set Charizard – it’s a rare card (black star) and it has a holographic background, making it a Holo Rare. Holo rares are typically harder to pull than regular rares. In early expansions, you were not guaranteed to get a holo in a pack; holos were the exciting hits that made kids’ eyes light up when opening booster packs.

Each set usually has a handful of cards available in both non-holo and holo forms (often powerful Pokémon). For instance, in Jungle set, you could get a non-holo Electrode or a holo Electrode depending on luck. The holo version was always rarer. Over the years, the Pokémon TCG has used different holographic patterns on these cards – from the classic “Cosmos” foil with starry dots in the Wizards of the Coast era bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net, to stripe patterns in the Black & White era, to the modern vertical lines in Sword & Shield bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net. Regardless of pattern, if just the picture is shiny, you’ve got a holo rare. Starting with the Scarlet & Violet series (2023), every rare card you pull from a pack is at least a holo rare now bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net, which means no more plain non-holo rares in standard packs – a big change from earlier days.

Reverse Holo and Other Foil Patterns (Side Note)

Before moving on to higher rarities, it’s worth mentioning Reverse Holofoil cards. A reverse holo is kind of the opposite of a normal holo rare: in a reverse holo, the entire card except the artwork is shiny. You can have a common, uncommon, or rare card in reverse holo form. For example, you might have a common Pikachu card but with a sparkly foil on the card border and text area – that’s a reverse holo Pikachu. These were introduced around the Legendary Collection era (2002) and became a staple from the EX series onward bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net. While reverse holos look special, they aren’t usually extra rare since most modern packs include one reverse holo card guaranteed. They mainly add collectible bling and allow any card in a set to have a foil version. As a collector, it’s fun to have both the regular and reverse holo versions of your favorite card. Just remember: reverse holo refers to the background being holo, whereas a normal holo rare refers to the art being holo cgccards.com cgccards.com.

Ultra Rare Cards

Now we’re getting to the really shiny stuff! Ultra Rare is a term that encompasses several special kinds of cards that are rarer and often more powerful (or at least more coveted) than regular rares. Historically, “Ultra Rare” has referred to cards that usually have unique mechanics or full-art designs and are harder to pull. These include things like Pokémon-ex (from the EX Ruby & Sapphire era), Pokémon ☆ (Gold Star Pokémon), Level X, LEGEND pieces, Prime cards, and more – basically, the chase cards of each era cgccards.com cgccards.com. In more recent times, Ultra Rares include Pokémon-EX and Pokémon-GX (from Black & White and Sun & Moon eras), Pokémon-V and VMAX/VSTAR (from Sword & Shield), and the reintroduced Pokémon ex in Scarlet & Violet cgccards.com cgccards.com.

So what makes a card “ultra rare”? Often, these cards have a few telltale features:

Unique card mechanics or power: e.g., EX/GX/V cards tend to have higher HP and special attacks; VMAX and VSTAR evolve from Vs and can be game-changing; TAG TEAM GX cards had multiple Pokémon on one card, etc.
Special artwork: Many ultra rares are Full Art cards – the artwork covers the entire card, not confined to a small window cgccards.com. Full-art supporters and Pokémon look stunning and are usually ultra rare.
Foil texture: Ultra rares typically have textured holographic foil, making them stand out visually.
Rarity symbol: Prior to 2023, most of these still just showed a black star, but collectors knew they were a tier above because of their numbering and look. Starting in Scarlet & Violet, some ultra rares have a new symbol (two silver stars, explained below) to distinguish them cgccards.com.

For example, a Mewtwo EX from the Black & White era or a Charizard GX from Sun & Moon is considered ultra rare. In the Sword & Shield era, cards like Pikachu VMAX or Charizard VSTAR were ultra rares (often as full art or secret variants). Ultra rares aren’t one per pack or anything – usually you might get a couple of ultra rare pulls per booster box (on average), which is why they’re special. If you see a card with flashy art that extends to the edges and it’s something like “EX”, “GX”, “V”, etc., you’ve likely got an ultra rare in hand. These are the cards that often make players scream with joy when opening packs!

Secret Rare Cards

Secret Rares are the crème de la crème of pack pulls. A Secret Rare card is any card whose collection number is higher than the set’s listed number of cards. For example, if a set says it has 100 cards, a card numbered 101/100 is a secret rare bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net. These cards are deliberately numbered “beyond” the set to signify their special status – almost like an easter egg in the set. Secret rares are typically the hardest cards to pull in a set (hence the name “secret”)cgccards.com. They usually have unique visuals, such as golden borders, shiny Pokémon, or alternate colorations.

The concept of secret rares goes back a long way. The very first secret rare in the English TCG was Dark Raichu in the Team Rocket set (1999) – it was card 83/82, sneaked into packs without even the Japanese set having it bulbapedia.bulbagarden.netbulbapedia.bulbagarden.net. Later sets in the Wizards of the Coast era introduced the “Shining Pokémon” in Neo Revelation/Destiny (like Shining Magikarp 66/64, Shining Charizard 107/105, etc.) which were secret rares featuring Pokémon in their rare alternate colors bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net. In the e-Card series (Aquapolis/Skyridge), there were secret rare crystal cards and others (e.g., Crystal Charizard 146/144 in Skyridge). From the EX era onward, secret rares became a staple: for instance, many EX sets had a secret rare numbered card which was often a shiny Pokémon or a reprint of a classic card (like the reprint Charizard in EX Dragon Frontiers, etc.).

What types of cards count as Secret Rares? In modern sets, secret rares often fall into a few categories:

Rainbow Rare cards – These are full-art cards printed in a rainbow holographic finish (more on these below). They typically have numbers beyond the set list, thus secret.
Gold cards – Often Trainer items, Stadiums, or special Pokémon printed with a gold-colored foil background. These also are secret rare numbered and very coveted.
Alternate Art cards – Many recent alternate-art versions of Pokémon cards (special illustrations) are secret rares, numbered beyond the set count.
Others – Occasionally, secret rares can include oddities like the “trainer’s toolkit” Pokémon (e.g., Imakuni?’s Doduo in XY: Evolutions) or other special inserts.

In summary, if your card’s number is something like “202/198” (just as an example), congrats – you’ve pulled a secret rare, one of the hardest pulls of the set cgccards.com. These often have both high collector value and visual appeal. Secret rares are usually blinged out with foil and sometimes unique textures, making them easy to recognize even beyond the numbering.

Rainbow Rare (Hyper Rare)

Example of a Rainbow Rare (Hyper Rare) Pokémon card: Charizard VMAX from Champion’s Path set, which is a secret rare variant with rainbow-colored artwork (Card #74/73).

Rainbow Rares are a specific style of secret rare introduced in the Sun & Moon series (2017) and carried through most of the Sword & Shield series. Fans often call them “rainbow rares” because the card’s artwork is printed in a rainbow gradient foil. Officially, The Pokémon Company started calling these “Hyper Rare” in some materials, and as of Scarlet & Violet they use the term Hyper Rare (denoted by three gold stars) for what were essentially rainbow-colored secret rares pokemon.com. The Charizard VMAX above is a great example: it’s the same Charizard VMAX card as the regular version, but the art is completely rainbow-hued and the card number 74/73 marks it as a secret rare.

Rainbow Rares are typically the highest rarity variant of a given Pokémon in sets from Sun & Moon and Sword & Shield. For example, a set might have Charizard VMAX as a normal ultra rare, a Charizard VMAX Full Art as an ultra rare, and then a Charizard VMAX Rainbow Rare as the secret rare chase card. These cards are quite tough to pull – maybe only a couple per booster box, sometimes even less. Collectors either love or hate the rainbow style; some enjoy the unique look, while others prefer the full-color artwork of the regular versions. Regardless, rainbow rares usually command high values due to their scarcity.

In the Scarlet & Violet era, Pokémon has actually done away with the rainbow coloring style in favor of the new Illustration Rares (see below). The term Hyper Rare now refers to secret rares with gold stars (often these are gold-colored cards)pokemon.com. So, Rainbow Rares as we knew them might not continue beyond Sword & Shield, making those existing ones a memorable part of that era. If you have a rainbow rare card, treat it well – it’s a shining jewel of your collection!

Alternate Art Cards (Illustration Rares)

One of the most popular trends in modern Pokémon TCG is the rise of Alternate Art cards. These are cards that feature special artwork different from the standard or “default” version of the card. Often, alternate arts have stunning full-card illustrations, sometimes depicting Pokémon in unique scenes or with cameos of other characters. Collectors prize them for their beauty and relative scarcity. Traditionally, alternate arts have been secret rares or chase cards in sets – for example, the Umbreon VMAX (Alternate Art) from Evolving Skies (famous as “Moonbreon” among fans) is an extremely sought-after card due to its gorgeous art and rarity, commanding high prices on the secondary market.

In the new Scarlet & Violet era, alternate art cards have been formally categorized into the rarity system:

Illustration Rare – Represented by one gold star ★. These are usually alternate-art versions of regular Pokémon cards (often basic or Stage 1 Pokémon). They have full-art, beautiful illustrations that showcase the character’s personality or environment pokemon.com. Despite the gold star symbol, they are not as rare as the highest tier secrets; you might consider them akin to “mini” alternate arts.
Special Illustration Rare – Represented by two gold stars ★★. These are alternate-art versions of Pokémon ex or Supporter cards (typically the big hitters like ex cards) featuring full-art scenes pokemon.com. They are essentially the alt-art ex cards, often the most coveted card(s) in a set. For instance, a card like Miriam (Special Illustration Rare) trainer from Scarlet/Violet base set or a special illustration rare of a Koraidon ex would fall here.
Prior to Scarlet & Violet, alternate arts weren’t explicitly labeled with a different symbol, but fans and collectors identified them by their set number and art. For example, Blaziken VMAX alt art (featuring Mei on a rooftop) in Chilling Reign or Giratina V alt art in Lost Origin were secret rares designated by their number and unique art. Collectors just knew those were the “alternate art” versions of those cards.

Alternate Art cards (by any name) tend to be some of the most valuable modern cards because they combine rarity with exceptional artwork. TCGplayer noted that the Eeveelutions dominated the priciest alternate arts, with Umbreon VMAX’s moonlit scene being perhaps the most expensive alt-art card in the Sword & Shield era tcgplayer.com. Simply put, these are the cards that people love to pull not just for power, but for how they look. If you’re a collector, alternate arts are often centerpieces of a collection display.

Note: In conversation you might hear “alt arts” and “illustration rares” interchangeably now. Just remember, as of 2023, Illustration Rare = an alt-art with one gold star, and Special Illustration Rare = an alt-art ex/VMAX/VSTAR or trainer with two gold stars, per the new labeling cgccards.com. They all fall under the umbrella of secret rares when it comes to pull rates (they’re not guaranteed in a box and usually quite hard to find).

Promo and Special Rarity Cards

Not all cards come from booster packs. Promo cards are released through special products, events, or merchandise, and they have their own rarity symbol: a black star with the word “PROMO” on it cgccards.com cgccards.com. While “promo” isn’t a rarity in the same sense as others (you don’t pull them from packs), promos can range from very common (e.g., a promo that comes in every Elite Trainer Box) to extremely rare (e.g., prize cards from world championships). Promos often feature unique artwork or commemorate events (like movie releases or tournaments). In terms of collecting, some promo cards become valuable due to limited distribution – for instance, old WotC-era Black Star Promos or modern tournament stamped promos can be pricey. Keep an eye out for the PROMO symbol; it indicates you likely got the card from a box set or special event rather than a booster pack.

Additionally, special expansion sets often have their own rarity twists. For example, Shining Fates and Hidden Fates introduced a “Shiny Vault” subset where all the Shiny Pokémon (in alternate colors) were technically secret rares in numbering, but effectively treated as a separate subset – these Shinies even had a special shiny rare star symbol in Shining Fatesbulbapedia.bulbagarden.net. Another example: Celebrations (the 25th anniversary set) had a “Classic Collection” of reprinted cards with their own numbering. These kinds of special sets often guarantee certain pulls (Celebrations packs always had all holos, for instance) and thus handle rarity a bit differently (you knew you’d get rare holos, but the subset hits were the real chase).

Holiday sets (like Dragon Majesty, Shining Legends, Champion’s Path, etc.) often ensure at least a holo in every pack – so the definition of “rare” shifts there because every pack had something shiny by default. When collecting special sets, it’s good to read how their rarity distribution works; for example, in Dragon Majesty every pack had a holo rare or better, making regular holos less special in that context.

In summary, promos and special sets expand the idea of rarity beyond the standard common-to-secret scale. Promos have their own rarity (or lack thereof) defined by availability, and special sets might tweak pull rates (like guaranteeing holos or including mini subsets). These are fun to collect but can sometimes confuse new collectors – just remember to check if the card is marked “PROMO” or if the set is known to have different seeding of rarities.

The Evolution of Rarity from Base Set to Today

The concept of card rarity in Pokémon TCG has evolved a lot since the game’s inception in 1996 (Japan) and 1999 (international). Let’s take a little journey through history, highlighting how rarities and special card types have changed in each era of the TCG:

Base Set and Early WotC Era (1999–2000): The original Base Set introduced the classic Common (circle), Uncommon (diamond), and Rare (star) system that still persists cgccards.com. In Base Set, rares included both non-holo and holo versions (e.g., Base Set had 16 holo rares like Charizard, and the rest of the rares like Beedrill were non-holo). There were no official “ultra” or “secret” rares initially. The first secret rare ever came in late 2000 with Dark Raichu 83/82 in Team Rocket bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net – a surprise card that wasn’t even in the Japanese set, marking the beginning of secret rares. Jungle and Fossil (the 2nd and 3rd sets) kept things simple with just commons, uncommons, rares (again with a mix of holo and non-holo rares). One noteworthy aspect: Wizards of the Coast (WotC) printed 1st Edition runs of sets, which have a 1st Edition stamp and are rarer, followed by Unlimited runs without the stamp. Collectors quickly learned that a 1st Edition holo Charizard was the trophy card of this era. The rarity symbols themselves were consistent, but 1st edition stamping added a layer of “rarity within rarity” (first edition cards are worth more than unlimited prints of the same card) cgccards.com.
Neo Series (2000–2002): The Neo sets (Genesis, Discovery, Revelation, Destiny) continued the common/uncommon/rare scheme and ramped up the idea of secret rare cards with the introduction of Shining Pokémon in Neo Revelation and Destiny. Cards like Shining Gyarados (65/64) and Shining Charizard (107/105) had two stars in their rarity symbol (in Japanese they were called “double star” rarity) and were super scarce. These Shining cards featured the Pokémon itself in foil while the background was plain (reverse of usual holos) – a very cool effect at the time. They were essentially secret holo rares and very hard to pull (typically one shining in a box or so). The Neo era cemented the idea that a set could have a couple of extra-chase cards beyond the normal set list.
e-Card Series (2002–2003): This includes Expedition, Aquapolis, Skyridge – the last sets WotC handled. These sets had some interesting rare variations: Crystal Pokémon in Aquapolis/Skyridge were the big chase cards (e.g., Crystal Charizard 146/144 in Skyridge). They were secret rares with special mechanics (could use multiple Energy types) and had a unique foil pattern. Rarity symbols were still stars, but these were secret numbered. This era also saw the end of WotC’s tenure; after Skyridge, Nintendo took over set production with EX Ruby & Sapphire.
EX Series (2003–2006): The EX era (Ruby & Sapphire through Power Keepers) introduced Pokémon-ex (note the lowercase “ex”) which were the first true “ultra rare” Pokémon cards in a modern sense. These cards, like Mewtwo ex or Blaziken ex, had a big EX after the name and extra powerful abilities. They were harder to pull than regular holos (usually a couple per booster box) and usually had that glossy finish. EX cards still had a star symbol, but everyone knew they were a tier above a normal holo. The EX era also introduced Gold Star Pokémon (☆) in later sets – these were insanely rare cards (about 1 in 2 boxes or so). Gold Star cards like Charizard ☆ (Dragon Frontiers) or Espeon ☆ (POP Series 5) had shiny (alternate color) Pokémon with a gold star next to the name. They remain some of the most sought-after collector cards today because of their rarity and the fact that they depict shiny Pokémon. Also notable, the EX era often included a secret rare reprint of a classic card (for example, Charizard from Base Set was reprinted as a secret rare in EX Power Keepers, and Flying Pikachu in EX Holon Phantoms, etc.). So, by this point, a typical set’s hierarchy was: common, uncommon, rare, holo rare, ex (ultra rare), and maybe a secret rare or Gold Star on top.
Diamond & Pearl / Platinum (2007–2009): The DP era replaced ex cards with Pokémon LV.X cards as the ultra rares. These LV.X cards (like Garchomp Lv.X, for example) worked kind of like evolutions you played on your Stage 2s to give more power. They had a silver border and were often the last card numbers in sets (effectively secret rares in numbering, though some were just highest number rather than beyond set count). Later, the Platinum series introduced Secret Rare reprints of shiny Pokémon (notably, cards like Shiny Vulpix, Shiny Milotic in Platinum sets had alternate colored Pokémon with a sparkle foil and were numbered beyond the set count). There were also oddballs like Alph Lithograph (a secret rare trainer card in HeartGold/SoulSilver sets with unreadable text as a puzzle). The rarity symbols didn’t change (still star), but fans were now accustomed to multiple tiers of “star” rarities. Also, LEGEND cards came in HGSS era – those half-and-half cards (you needed two halves to make one Pokémon, e.g., Lugia LEGEND). Those were ultra rare pulls too.
HeartGold & SoulSilver (2010): This short era had Pokémon Prime (sparkly border, close-up artwork cards) as a replacement for Lv.X (though they weren’t as ultra rare as ex or Lv.X, more like easier ultras), and the LEGEND cards as mentioned. It also continued secret rares (like secret rare Alph Lithograph cards, each with a different message). Rarity symbols still the same; players mainly distinguished rares vs primes vs legends by context and numbering.
Black & White (2011–2013): A big shake-up – Full Art EX cards were introduced in BW Next Destinies. At first, Black & White started with Pokémon BW-era EX (capital EX) which were similar to old ex but now had a mix of regular versions and full-art versions. For example, Zekrom-EX might have a normal art (ultra rare) and a full art variant (then considered even more rare). Full arts in BW were numbered toward the end of the set but within the set numbering (not secret in numbering until later sets started doing secret rares). Black & White sets also introduced secret rare gold Ultra Ball and gold Pokémon cards in Plasma Blast/Boundaries Crossed, etc., and the concept of shiny Pokémon secret rares continued (e.g., Secret Rare Emboar shiny in BW). It’s in late Black & White we first saw the ultra-bling gold bordered cards that continued into XY. By the end of BW, a typical set might have: commons/uncommons/rares, a few holo rares, a batch of Pokémon-EX (ultra rares), some full art EXs, maybe a full art supporter, and a couple of secret rare gold cards. Rarity symbols were still circles, diamonds, stars – no new symbols yet, but the community used terms like “ultra rare” and “secret rare” more heavily.
XY Series (2014–2016): XY continued with Pokémon-EX and introduced Mega Evolution cards (M EX) as huge ultra rares. They also added Full Art Mega EX cards and sometimes Secret Rare Mega EX (with golden accents – for example, the M Rayquaza EX secret rare in Roaring Skies). There were also BREAK cards (horizontal, gold cards) in the later XY sets, which were inserted in the reverse holo slot and had a shiny gold treatment – these were considered something like an “extra” pull separate from your regular rare. Also noteworthy, the XY era brought more full art Supporters (which became their own chase cards for collectors). Rarity-wise, everything was still denoted by the star symbol; however, sets had a lot of variety in what a star could mean (holo vs EX vs secret). For instance, XY Evolutions had secret rares that actually weren’t secret in number (they were just uncommon cards but labeled as “secret” in collectors’ guides, like Here Comes Team Rocket reprint). It was a bit confusing then!
Sun & Moon Series (2017–2019): Sun & Moon revamped the rarity system visually by introducing color-coded rarity styles. We got Pokémon-GX as the new ultra rares (replacing EX). Each GX typically had a regular art, a full art (textured) variant, and a rainbow rare variant (plus sometimes a gold version for certain Pokémon). This era introduced the formal idea of Rainbow Rare (Hyper Rare) as a rarity above full art. For example, Sun & Moon Base Set had Espeon-GX: you could get regular Espeon-GX (ultra rare), full art Espeon-GX (ultra rare, textured), and rainbow Espeon-GX (secret hyper rare) cgccards.com. They were all marked with a star, but the rainbow one was numbered beyond the set count. Secret Rare Trainer Item cards (gold items) also became common in sets – things like Gold Ultra Ball, Rare Candy, etc., were secret rares to chase. Later Sun & Moon sets (Team Up, etc.) introduced Tag Team GX cards, which often had alternate art versions (e.g., the alternate art Pikachu & Zekrom GX). Hidden Fates (a special SM set) gave us the Shiny Vault subset, where every shiny Pokémon (like the shiny Charizard-GX) was essentially a secret rare with a second set numbering – those had a shiny foil and were massively popular. Summing up SM: lots of tiers of rarity but still under the hood just star symbols. Fans used terms like RR (rare), SR (secret rare), UR (ultra rare) to differentiate. The highest pulls were rainbow rares and gold cards.
Sword & Shield Series (2020–2022): Sword & Shield replaced GX with Pokémon V as ultra rares, and introduced VMAX (giant Dynamax/Gigantamax forms) and later VSTAR. The rarity hierarchy remained similar to SM: you’d have V (ultra rare, usually just a star), VMAX/VSTAR (often also ultra rare or secret if alternate art), Full Art Vs (textured, typically ultra rare), Rainbow Rare VMAX/VSTAR (secret hyper rares), and Gold secret rares (including shiny gold Pokémon like shiny Charizard VMAX in Shining Fates or shiny Mew in Celebrations). A big trend in SWSH was an explosion of Alternate Arts – cards like Tyranitar V (Sleepy Tyranitar), Blaziken VMAX alt, Umbreon VMAX alt, etc., became some of the most cherished cards. These alternate arts were usually secret rares (beyond set number). For example, Umbreon VMAX in Evolving Skies is #215/203 pricecharting.com, definitely a secret rare. SWSH sets also had some interesting one-offs like Amazing Rares in Vivid Voltage (multicolor burst behind legendary Pokémon) – those had their own little rarity symbol (an “A” for Amazing Rare) and were inserted in the reverse holo slot of packs. They were not super hard to pull (a few per box), but it was a new rarity category for that set. By the end of SWSH, the pattern was: tons of different art variants and high rarities, but the actual pack odds for something like a specific alt art were often very low (which is why the secondary market prices for, say, Umbreon VMAX or Giratina V alternate art skyrocketed).
Scarlet & Violet Series (2023–present): The Scarlet & Violet era brought the most significant overhaul to rarity symbols since the beginning. To align with Japan’s system, new rarity symbols were introduced starting with Scarlet & Violet Base Set. The traditional common/uncommon/rare symbols (circle, diamond, star) remain for basics – so commons, uncommons, and regular rares still use ●, ◆, ★ respectively pokemon.compokemon.com. But beyond that:
- Double Rare (★★): shown as two black stars. This rarity is used typically for Pokémon ex cards in this era pokemon.com. For example, a Miraidon ex might have ★★ to show it’s a Double Rare. These are roughly equivalent to the old ultra rares like regular Pokémon-V. Pull-rate wise, you might get a few double rares per booster box.Ultra Rare (★★): shown as two shiny (holographic) silver stars pokemon.com. These denote the Full Art cards – for instance, a full art Trainer or a full art Pokémon ex will have two silver stars. Essentially, they took what we used to call “Full Art Ultra Rare” and gave it a distinct symbol. Ultra Rares are harder to pull than double rares (maybe 1-3 per box, depending on luck).Illustration Rare (★): shown as one shiny gold star pokemon.com. As described earlier, these are the special art cards for typically lower-level Pokémon. They’re actually secret rares in numbering (their set number is usually beyond the main set count), but they’re not the highest rarity tier. You might pull a few Illustration Rares in a booster box – they occupy a slot similar to where a Trainer Gallery or Amazing Rare might have in the past.Special Illustration Rare (★★): shown as two shiny gold stars pokemon.com. This is for the fancy alternate art versions of Pokémon ex or supporter cards – basically the chase alt arts. These are quite hard to pull (often 1 or 0 per box). They are both Secret Rares and usually the most expensive cards in the set.Hyper Rare (★★★): shown as three shiny gold stars pokemon.com. This replaces the old “Rainbow Rare/Gold” category. Hyper Rares in S&V are the gold-bordered cards (like gold Pokémon ex or gold trainer cards). They’ve done away with rainbow style; now the top rarity cards are often gold-colored and have the ★★★ symbol. These are secret rares of course.
Along with the symbol changes, Scarlet & Violet packs underwent changes: every pack now guarantees not just a rare, but actually three foils: one holo rare and two reverse holos. So, no more packs with a non-holo rare disappointment – you’ll always get at least a holographic rare bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net. Also, the card borders turned silver/gray (matching Japanese printing) which subtly affects the look of foils (now the border of a holo rare is also shiny). The S&V era’s approach is to be more clear with rarity names so that terms like “Ultra/Hyper rare” are actually printed on the card via symbols, not just fan terminology cgccards.comcgccards.com.

To sum up the journey: the early game had straightforward rarity but few special chases; as time went on, new tiers like ultra and secret rares were introduced; then multiple variants (full arts, rainbows, gold, alt arts) flourished; and now the latest era has codified many of these into an official symbol system. It’s been quite a ride! Every generation brought something new to excite collectors – from gold stars to rainbow rares to illustration rares. Keeping track of these as a fan is part of the fun.

Identifying Card Rarity: Symbols and Print Patterns

With so many rarity types, how do you quickly identify what you have in hand? Here are some tips for reading your cards:

Check the bottom corner: Nearly every English Pokémon card (and most languages) prints a set number and rarity symbol at the bottom (usually right side, but older cards sometimes left side). For example, you might see “10/100 ★” meaning card number 10 out of 100, with a star indicating it’s rare bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net. A quick glance at that symbol (circle, diamond, star, etc.) gives you the base rarity. Remember: ● common, ◆ uncommon, ★ rare, and special symbols like ★★ or colored stars for higher tiers in new sets.
Set numbering tells a story: If that first number is higher than the second (e.g., 122/120), congratulations, you’ve got a Secret Rarecgccards.com. That’s an immediate sign the card is one of the special secret inserts of the set. Also, the set abbreviation or icon (usually next to the number) and sometimes a letter for the set can help you identify which set it’s from, which can hint at what kinds of rarities were in that era.
Look at the foil and artwork: Holo vs non-holo is easy to tell by tilting the card in light. If only the picture is shiny, it’s a Holo Rare. If the whole card front is shiny (minus the art), you’ve got a Reverse Holo (which could be any rarity technically). If the card has a textured foil surface and full-art artwork (no yellow border on older cards or no distinct art box on newer cards), it’s likely an Ultra Rare full art. Modern full arts have a tactile feel – you can gently run a finger and sense the texture. Rainbow rare cards are obviously identifiable by their rainbow coloring. Gold cards are usually unmistakable – they often have a gold-yellow background and sparkly texture (and often are trainers or energy or shiny Pokémon).
Rarity symbols in Scarlet & Violet: As discussed, you’ll see one, two, or three stars – and they might be black, silver, or gold. One black star = rare, two black = double rare, two silver = ultra, one gold = illustration rare, two gold = special illustration, three gold = hyper rare cgccards.com. It sounds like a lot, but on the card it’s pretty clear. If you pull a new card and see ★★ in an unusual color, you know you’ve got something above the norm.
Promo cards: Instead of a set number, promos have “★ PROMO” printed. They won’t have a set fraction like 10/189. So if your card says “SM Black Star Promo” or has a Pikachu head promo symbol (for older Wizards promos), that’s a promo card. These are only obtained outside boosters (events, boxes) cgccards.com.
Holo pattern differences: If you’re nerdy about it, each era had distinct foil patterns for holos bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net. For example, WotC-era holos have a cosmos (bubbles and stars) pattern; XY era had diagonal slashes for the holo; Sword & Shield has vertical lines. Knowing this can even help identify if a card is from an older set at a glance. Also, Shadowless Base Set cards (early 1999 prints) lack a shadow in the card frame and have a lighter holo pattern – these are rarer variants of Base Set cards cgccards.com. Spotting a shadowless Charizard versus a regular unlimited Charizard can mean a big difference in value (shadowless is much more valuable due to rarity).
Edition symbols: As mentioned, if you’re dealing with vintage cards, check for a “1st Edition” stamp (a “1” with “EDITION” next to it) usually on the left side of the card artwork. That indicates the first print run and adds a rarity premium cgccards.com. If there’s no stamp and it’s an older set that had one, it’s unlimited edition.

Understanding these visual cues will help you quickly gauge what tier of rarity a card belongs to. Before you even look up prices or details, just checking the symbol and number can tell you “This is just a common” or “Wow, this is a secret rare pull.” It’s one of the first things any collector learns – much like checking the stats on a Pokémon in the video games, checking the rarity is fundamental when you sort your cards.

Recent Changes in the Scarlet & Violet Era

Because the Pokémon TCG is always evolving, it’s worth highlighting the specific changes that came with the Scarlet & Violet series (early 2023) as they represent a new paradigm for rarities:

Yellow Borders to Gray Borders: Not directly a rarity thing, but visually important – international cards switched to gray/silver borders (matching Japanese cards) starting S&V. This means holo cards now show their foil on the border too, and the overall look of cards changed slightly pokemon.com. How does this relate to rarity? Well, now even a holo rare looks a bit flashier with a shiny border.
Revamped Rarity Symbols: As detailed earlier, S&V introduced the new star system. The reasoning was to clear up confusion between official rarities and fan terms cgccards.com. Terms like “Ultra Rare” and “Secret Rare” were being used by fans for years without being printed on English cards. Now, the cards explicitly show when something is an ultra rare or beyond via the double or triple star symbols. For example, a Miraidon ex has two black stars (Double Rare) meaning it’s on par rarity-wise with a typical Pokémon V from before pokemon.com. A full art Jacq Supporter might show two silver stars (Ultra Rare). An alternate art Gardevoir ex will show two gold stars (Special Illustration Rare). And a gold Lightning Energy card will show three gold stars (Hyper Rare) indicating it’s a secret. If you’ve collected cards from earlier eras, this is a noticeable difference – earlier, a gold energy and a holo rare energy both just had a star, and you had to know one is secret by the number. Now the gold energy actually has a ★★★ symbol to clue you in.
No More Rainbow Rares: The rainbow style cards were phased out. The highest rarity Pokémon in S&V sets tend to be either gold-colored hyper rares or special illustration rares (the artsy ones). This might be a relief to some collectors who felt rainbows were getting redundant, or a bummer to those who liked them. The term Hyper Rare now essentially covers what would have been rainbows or golds – anything triple-star. In the official announcement, they said “Hyper rare cards were previously known as secret rare cards; they are full-art foil cards with gilded borders and accents” pokemon.com, implying the gold-bordered cards.
More Holos Per Pack: As mentioned, each pack now yields 3 foil cards (2 reverse holos and 1 holo rare) bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net. This means the experience of opening packs is a bit more rewarding for casual players – no pack is completely without shine. But it also means regular holo rares have become very commonplace (almost like how reverse holos were common before). In fact, The Pokémon Company announced that all rare cards in Scarlet & Violet packs are now holofoil bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net, which is a big shift from the past where a rare could be non-holo. So if you open S&V and see a holo rare, remember that’s the new normal floor, not necessarily a big hit.
Pull Rate Adjustments: Early data from Scarlet & Violet base set suggests illustration rares appear roughly 1 in 3–4 packs (since they can appear in one of the reverse slots), and ultra/special illustration rares appear a bit more frequently per box compared to some Sword & Shield chase cards. But it’s all relative – you might get, say, 4-6 double rares, 2-4 ultra rares, 1-2 illustration rares, 1 special illustration, 0-1 hyper rare in a booster box (just rough example). The idea was possibly to smooth out pull rates and ensure each box gives a few good hits. Time will tell how this feels for collectors. Notably, Scarlet & Violet packs have 3 guaranteed foil cards but also cost a bit more MSRP; part of that change was justified by the “better pull experience” as per official news.
Set Structure: Scarlet & Violet also did away with non-foil rares in theme decks etc., and changed some terminology (e.g., “Basic Energy” now is capitalized on cards). These aren’t directly rarity changes but reflect a general refresh of the TCG’s look and feel pokemon.com pokemon.com. The new rarity terms Double Rare, etc., might appear odd at first if you’re used to just “Rare, Super Rare, etc.” but it’s actually closer to how Japan labeled cards for years (Japan would use letters like R, RR, RRR for rarities – now we use stars to convey similar info).

In short, Scarlet & Violet modernized and clarified rarity. For a returning collector, the important takeaway is: learn the new star system. Once you know that, you can glance at a card and know roughly where it stands in the rarity spectrum without having to decipher as much. It’s a welcome change in many ways, since it brings consistency worldwide and acknowledges the community’s terminology on the cards themselves.

Card Grading and Rarity Perception

Up to now, we’ve discussed the inherent rarity of cards as determined by how they’re printed and distributed in sets. However, there’s another layer: card grading. This is when you send a card to a company like PSA, Beckett, or CGC to have its condition professionally assessed on a 1–10 scale and encapsulated. You might wonder, what does grading have to do with rarity? Quite a lot, actually, when it comes to value and perceived rarity:

When a card is graded as a Gem Mint 10, that grade itself can be “rarer” than the card in raw form. For example, imagine an old card like a Base Set Venusaur Holo. Raw, it’s not too hard to find (it’s a holo rare from a widely printed set). But a Base Set Venusaur graded CGC 7 (near mint) might sell for around $86, whereas a modern ultra rare like an Obsidian Flames Charizard ex graded CGC 9 sold for about $62 cgccards.com. Why is the older card worth more despite a lower grade and being a lesser rarity by print? Age and condition rarity. Fewer older cards survive in top condition, so collectors pay a premium for them.

Grading can amplify value differences: A card that might be worth $100 ungraded could be worth many times that if graded a perfect 10, because there might be only a handful of that card ever graded that high (population reports provided by grading companies confirm how many of each grade exist). In this sense, a common card could become “rare” in Gem Mint condition if most copies are played or damaged.

From a perception standpoint, once a card is graded, people often refer to it by the grade. For instance, “a PSA 10 Charizard” – in that conversation the grade is almost part of its identity and rarity. You’ll hear things like “Only 3 copies of this card exist in BGS 10 (Black Label)”. So, collectors might chase not just the card, but the highest grade of the card. This is especially true for vintage holos (which are hard to grade 10 due to print quality issues, scratches, etc.).

Another angle: grading verifies authenticity. This is crucial for very rare cards (like trophy cards or first edition Base holos) where fakes exist. A graded case gives buyers confidence the card is real and in the condition stated. Thus, graded copies of rare cards often command higher prices than raw, because of that trust factor and the showcase factor of the slab.

However, grading isn’t equally important to everyone. Players typically don’t grade cards they intend to play with, and many collectors are happy with raw binders. But when you get into high-end collecting or investing, grading is almost a must. It creates a separate “rarity” – the rarity of a card in top grade.

One could say grading turns condition into its own kind of rarity rating:

A card might be printed rarity: Rare (black star), but population rarity: extremely rare in PSA 10 if only a few 10s exist.
Conversely, a card could be printed rarity: Secret Rare, but if it’s modern and many people graded it, there could be hundreds of PSA 10s, making it not so rare in top grade.

This is why you might see older cards in moderate grade outprice newer cards in high grade. For instance, as CGC noted, a CGC 7 Base Set Venusaur outsold a CGC 9 modern Charizard ex cgccards.com. Age and demand play roles beyond the printed rarity.

In summary, grading doesn’t change a card’s pack-pull rarity, but it does influence market value by highlighting condition scarcity. If you have a card that’s rare to begin with, a high grade makes it a showpiece. And if you have a card that’s common, only a perfect grade might make it stand out. As a collector, you don’t need to grade cards unless you want to; but if you suspect your card is both rare and in gem condition, professional grading can authenticate it and possibly increase its desirability to others.

Value Trends: Rarity vs. Value – What Really Makes a Card Valuable?

It’s a common assumption that “rarer means more valuable.” While that’s generally true on a broad level (secret rares are usually worth more than commons), there are plenty of exceptions and nuances:

Playability: A card that’s heavily used in competitive decks can shoot up in price even if it’s not super rare. For example, an uncommon Trainer card that becomes a staple can be a few dollars (which is high for an uncommon) simply due to demand. Conversely, an ultra rare that’s weak in gameplay might be cheap. Many collectors remember cards like Tapu Lele-GX (a regular ultra rare) being more valuable than some secret rares at its peak because every player needed 2-3 in their deck. So value = rarity + demand, and demand can come from playability or collectibility.
Pokémon Popularity: Some Pokémon will fetch a premium no matter the rarity. Charizard is the prime example – even a common rarity Charizard (say from a theme deck) can be a $5–10 card just because it’s Charizard. Pikachu, Eevee evolutions, Mewtwo, Lugia – popular Pokémon tend to have their cards priced higher than similarly rare cards of less popular Pokémon. On the flip side, you might pull the secret rare Turffield Stadium gold card – technically a hyper rare – but its price might be lower than a full art Pikachu V simply because waifu trainers or mascot Pokémon are more sought after.
Edition/Print Runs: As noted, 1st Edition vintage cards are worth more than unlimited cgccards.com. Also Shadowless Base Set (the very early print without shadow) is scarcer than later prints cgccards.com, so those cards are more valuable than their unlimited shadowed counterparts. This is why a Base Set Charizard’s value hierarchy goes roughly: 1st Edition > Shadowless > Unlimited – all the same card in terms of gameplay, but vastly different prices due to relative scarcity among collectors.
Condition: We covered grading, but even ungraded, the condition matters. A beat-up secret rare might sell for less than a mint holo rare. Those who want mint collections will pay a lot more for gem condition vintage cards. So two of the “same” card can have very different value if one is mint and one is heavily played.
Special Releases: Some cards are rare not by pull rates but by distribution. Consider trophy cards (given to winners of big tournaments) or limited promos (e.g., the Illustrator Pikachu card) – these are exceedingly rare (only a handful exist in the world in some cases) and thus extremely valuable, far beyond any pack-pulled card. While most collectors won’t encounter these, it’s worth noting that “rarity” doesn’t always mean from a booster. A card can be rare because you had to attend an event to get it or because only X copies were ever printed for a contest.
Set popularity & Print Volume: If a set was printed in low quantities or is historically significant, its cards can be more valuable. For instance, Skyridge was one of the last WotC sets and had a lower print run, so even non-holo rares from Skyridge can fetch more than one might expect, simply because there aren’t as many around. The context of a set (was it during the early 2000s Pokémon decline? was it a COVID-era set with huge demand?) can influence how many cards are out there and at what price.
Artwork and Collectability: Some cards become chase items for reasons beyond rarity. For example, the Pikachu Illustrator card is famed for its artwork and history (and is literally one of the rarest cards, with only a few dozen given out). Or consider the modern Special Delivery Bidoof promo – it’s not rare by symbol (just a promo), but because it was a funny, limited release that the community hyped, it’s worth quite a bit now. Sometimes a card depicting a popular character in a unique way (like the Kotone/Lyra with Celebi promo or something from Pokémon Center) can become a sought-after collectible independently of play.
Despite Rarity: There are cases where a “rare” card isn’t worth much. For example, many standard holo rares in modern sets are nearly valueless (under $0.50) because they are guaranteed in every pack nowadays and most aren’t played in decks. So yes, they’re “rare” by symbol, but practically, they’re abundant. Another case: some secret rare Trainer cards might be cheap if they’re not useful and not featuring a popular character or Pokémon. So don’t assume every secret rare is gold – some are literally gold-colored but valued at just a few dollars if they’re undesirable.

As CGC’s article wisely points out: “a card’s printed rarity doesn’t always match its scarcity, and other factors, such as playability and whether the set is a special set, also must be considered.” cgccards.com. A great example was given: full art cards can be more valuable than holos, but not always; secret rares are usually more than ultra rares, but if the ultra rare is more useful, it might outprice a secret rare. The general rule of thumb: Value = Rarity + Demand. Demand is driven by players (for competitive cards) and collectors (for favorite Pokémon, art, historical significance).

If you’re new to valuing cards, it’s a good idea to check price guides or online marketplaces. You might be surprised that your Rare Candy uncommon card is worth more than that shiny-looking GX you pulled, simply because every deck needs Rare Candy. Or that a random Eevee common is a couple bucks because Eevee collectors want all Eevees. In essence, rarity is a foundation, but the Pokémon TCG market has many layers that assign value. Always do a bit of research – and of course, personal value is important too. If that foil Energy card sparks joy for you more than some expensive card, that’s perfectly fine!

Tips for Beginners New to Collecting

Starting a Pokémon card collection can be an exciting (and at times overwhelming) adventure. Here are some friendly tips to help you as a beginner collector, especially with an eye on understanding rarities and value:

Learn the Rarity Symbols: First and foremost, get familiar with the basic symbols – it’s an easy but important step. As covered, memorize that circle = common, diamond = uncommon, star = rare (and multiple stars or shiny stars for higher rarities). This will help you quickly sort and understand your cards. When you open packs, practice checking the bottom corner of each card; soon you’ll recognize rarities at a glance, which is pretty satisfying.
Don’t Chase Value Too Hard Initially: It’s tempting to zero in on pulling that ultra rare Charizard worth $100, but remember that opening packs is a bit like gambling – there’s luck involved. A wise piece of advice often given is “Buy singles for the cards you really want; buy packs for fun.” If you’re after a specific rare card, it can be much cheaper to simply buy that card rather than chasing it in boosters (which might disappoint you if luck isn’t on your side). By all means, enjoy opening packs (that’s part of the hobby’s thrill!), just keep expectations tempered. Some packs will have dud rares, and that’s okay.
Collect What You Love: The Pokémon TCG has cards to appeal to everyone. You might decide to collect all cards of your favorite Pokémon rather than complete sets. Or maybe you love the artwork of a particular artist. Perhaps you want one of each rarity type as a showcase. There’s no wrong way to collect. If you center your collection around what you find cool, you’ll always be happy with it, regardless of monetary value.
Protect Your Cards: Those rare holos and ultra rares you pull – consider sleeving them right away. It’s heartbreaking to scratch a card you just pulled that might be valuable or at least special to you. Invest in some penny sleeves (soft clear sleeves) and perhaps toploaders (hard plastic cases) for your best cards. Keep your collection in a cool, dry place to avoid damage. Even if you’re not looking to sell, preserving cards in good shape is rewarding long-term. And if you do eventually have a card that’s worth grading or selling, you’ll be glad you kept it mint.
Be Wary of Scams and Fakes: Unfortunately, the popularity of Pokémon means there are counterfeit cards out there. As a beginner, you might not instantly tell a fake apart. A few tips: if a deal seems too good to be true (e.g., someone selling a base set Charizard for $5), it’s likely fake or damaged. Buy from reputable sources, especially for higher value cards. Learn how genuine cards feel and look – usually, fake cards have off colors, wrong fonts, or the cardboard feels different (thinner or glossy in a weird way). When in doubt, ask an experienced friend or online community to take a look at a card.
Budget and Pace Yourself: It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and overspend. Set a monthly budget for how many packs or singles you’ll buy. That way you can enjoy the hobby sustainably. The cards aren’t going anywhere – you don’t have to buy everything at once. As one collector on a forum nicely put it: “Start slow. Cards won’t disappear overnight; take your time to learn and set priorities, and then have fun!” elitefourum.com. This is especially true with modern sets, which are usually printed in large quantities. You can always trade with others or buy singles later if you miss a card.
Join a Community: If you have a local game store, consider joining Pokémon league or events. Not only can you play the game, but you can meet fellow collectors who might trade with you or give advice. Online, places like Reddit’s r/PokemonTCG or other forums are filled with people sharing pack pulls, asking questions, and discussing the latest sets. It’s a welcoming community for the most part, and it’s a great way to learn more. Seeing what others pull and how they enjoy the hobby can inspire you and also inform you (for example, people often post about new set pull rates, issues, cool finds, etc.).
Understand Set Releases: New sets come out roughly every few months. There are also special sets in between. It’s useful to know what the current set is and what’s coming next – that way you can decide what you want to collect. If you love a certain Pokémon and it has a big card in an upcoming set, you might save your money for that. The Pokémon Company often reveals card lists or highlights in advance (e.g., on their website or through outlets like PokéBeach or Cerebral). Being aware of releases helps you plan and also avoid overpaying – for example, right when a set releases, certain singles might be super expensive but then drop in price a few weeks later as supply increases.
Card Grading – Maybe Later: As a beginner, you likely don’t need to jump into grading immediately. Grading can be costly per card, and it’s usually something collectors do for very valuable or sentimental cards, or if they plan to sell. First, focus on enjoying and building your collection. Once you have some experience and perhaps a really special card you think is in top condition, you can explore grading. If you do, start with one card as a test run to learn the process.
Have Fun and Nostalgia: Don’t lose sight that this hobby is about having fun. Whether it’s the nostalgia of opening your first pack and getting a holo as you might have years ago, or the joy of completing a set binder, enjoy the journey. Not every card needs to be a money-maker. Some of my favorite cards in my collection are practically worthless commons, but they have artwork I adore or they remind me of a cool moment (like pulling a bunch of them with friends and laughing). Your collection is yours – make it something that when you flip through, it makes you happy.

Lastly, remember that the Pokémon TCG has both a playing side and a collecting side. If you find collecting alone isn’t scratching the itch, try playing the game with your cards! Some collectors get more joy when they use their cards in decks. There’s also the digital game (TCG Live) where every pack has a code card that you can redeem online. Who knows, you might become both a top collector and a skilled player!

Special Sets, Promos, and Their Place in Rarity

We touched on this in various sections, but let’s focus specifically on those non-standard releases:

Special Sets (Holiday sets): These are sets like Generations, Shining Legends, Dragon Majesty, Hidden Fates, Champion’s Path, Celebrations, etc. They often:

Don’t have booster boxes and are instead sold in special collection boxes or Elite Trainer Boxes.
Guarantee certain rarity pulls (e.g., every pack in Champion’s Path had a holo rare or better, which is unusual for main sets).
Contain subsets or unique cards (Hidden Fates introduced the Shiny Vault subset of shiny Pokémon cards; Celebrations had a subset of reprints of classic cards).
Are usually smaller sets by number of cards, but with more high-rarity cards per pack on average.

In terms of rarity, special sets may make some rarities easier to get (since you always get a holo, for instance). But the chase cards in them can be just as tough or tougher to pull because people often open less product overall (due to limited availability). For example, Hidden Fates’ Shiny Charizard-GX was a shiny vault secret rare – tons were opened, yet it remains quite valuable because it’s a Charizard and was not easy to pull. The rarity symbol on those was still just a shiny star (in that case), but everyone knew it as a “SV” shiny vault secret.

So when collecting special sets, adjust your expectations: don’t get excited seeing a white code card or holo border, because those might be guaranteed. Instead, chase the specific subset or card you want. Completing subsets like all 25 Celebrations classics, or all shiny vault shinies can be a fun project.

Promos: Promo cards (black star promo) cover a huge range. Some come in every structured deck (so literally as common as that deck is). Others are given to only top tournament winners (like Trophy cards, Champion’s Festival worlds promos, etc.). So the “rarity” of promos is case-by-case:

Read up on how a promo was distributed. For instance, the Ishihara GX card (given to the Pokémon Company President for his birthday event) is so scarce that one sold for $50k+. Meanwhile, a Pikachu V promo from a Pikachu V box is maybe $1 because there are tens of thousands out there.
Promos often have unique stamps or codes. For example, SM Black Star Promos were numbered SM01, SM02, … etc., during Sun & Moon. Sword & Shield promos have “SWSH###”. Japan often has promo cards with a small set symbol like “M” for magazine, etc. Recognizing these helps because you might confuse a promo with a set card if you don’t notice the notation.
Some promo cards later get reprinted in sets or vice versa. Occasionally a card is a promo in one region and part of a set in another. So rarity can be regional! A card could be easy to get in Japan (given out freely) but a chase card in English, or vice versa.

Pre-release promos: Each main set often has a few stamped promo variants given at pre-release events (with the set logo stamped). These have some collectibility because of the stamp. They’re not too rare if you can attend events or buy the build & battle kits, but down the line, a sealed pre-release promo or one in mint can be a nice item (especially if the Pokémon is popular). They usually have the same art as a set card though, so collectors of master sets might not always count them.

Tournament prize cards: These are at the pinnacle of rarity. For instance, the No. 1, 2, 3 Trainer cards given out in the late 90s, or the University Magikarp prize card in Japan, or modern ones like Champion’s Festival (given to World Championship participants each year, with unique city/year stamps). These cards often have extremely limited print runs (dozens or hundreds). They are considered holy grails for collectors. Their rarity symbol might still just be a star or say “PROMO”, but their true rarity is far beyond any pack pull. If you ever encounter one, you’ll know it’s special – often they have event-specific artwork or text (like “You are the champion”) that normal cards wouldn’t. They sit outside the typical rarity hierarchy – you can’t pull them, you had to earn them!

Misprints / Error Cards: Not a category of intentional rarity, but sometimes errors (like a card with the wrong holo layer, miscut, text errors) become collectibles. A famous one is the “No Damage Ninetales” from Base Set (a few Ninetales were printed without the damage number on the attack). It’s technically as rare as a regular holo Ninetales in pull, but the error version is rare because not many escaped like that. Collectors pay big for certain errors. These are odd because their rarity isn’t marked – it’s all about recognition in the community.

In the end, where do special sets and promos fit? Think of them as parallel to the main sets. They often have the same kinds of rarities (they have holos, ultras, etc.), but because of how you obtain them, their frequency can differ. Promos bypass pack rarity entirely – you get it if you buy the product or attend the event. Special sets can shower you with holos but still have their own ultra secrets to chase. For a collector, they are important to include if you want a comprehensive collection. For instance, if you love Pikachu, you can’t ignore promo Pikachus or you’ll miss dozens of unique cards.

From a value perspective, some of these (like trophy promos) are way more valuable than any set card. For example, the Pikachu Illustrator card (a promo given to winners of an art contest in 1997) is often cited as the most expensive Pokémon card, period – one graded 7 sold for $900k+ in 2022. It’s a promo, technically a “rare” card only because so few exist.

So, special sets and promos are like the spice of the TCG world – they add flavor and unique chase elements beyond the regular sets. They often cater to collectors (with special art, stamps, nostalgia reprints) and can be a fun detour from just the normal expansions. If you’re serious about collecting, you’ll eventually venture into promo territory, whether it’s as simple as picking up a cool McDonald’s promo or as deep as dreaming of trophy cards.

Conclusion: The Pokémon TCG’s rarity system is rich and continually evolving. From the simplicity of Base Set’s stars to the glittering array of modern secret rares, understanding rarities enhances your appreciation of the hobby. It helps you know what you’ve got and what you might want to chase next. But while rarity can tell you how hard something is to find, every card can be special in the right eyes. Whether you’re opening your first booster pack or adding a gem mint Charizard to a graded collection, remember to enjoy the process. Happy collecting, and may your pulls be ever in your favor – with plenty of ★s and shiny goodness in the mix!

Sources: Pokémon TCG Official News pokemon.com pokemon.com; CGC Cards Guide on Rarity cgccards.com cgccards.com cgccards.com cgccards.com; Bulbapedia (Rarity, Secret rare) bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net.