Pokémon Card Rarity Symbols Explained
From the classic ●, ◆, ★ symbols of 1999 Base Set to Scarlet & Violet's Crown Rare — what each symbol means, how rare each card is, and how rarity drives PSA grading value.
Last updated: May 2026
Donnie Lauring
Founder, AgentGRaiL · Pokémon TCG collector
Quick Reference — Symbol at a Glance
Classic Symbols (1999–2022)
The original ●, ◆, ★ system was used from the 1999 Base Set all the way through the end of the Sword & Shield era in 2022. Even though modern cards switched to letter codes, vintage collectors still need to read these symbols fluently.
Common
The black circle denotes the most abundant cards — basic Pokémon and basic Energy. Every booster pack contains multiple Commons.
Grading note: Very high PSA pop counts (often 10,000+) for iconic commons like Base Set Pikachu. The grade premium is modest unless the card is extremely old or pristine.
Uncommon
The black diamond. Appears on evolved Pokémon, Trainer cards, and utility Supporters. Roughly 3–4 per booster pack.
Grading note: Still high pop, but desirable Trainers like Computer Search (Base Set) carry premiums in PSA 10.
Rare
The black star. One Rare per pack — typically a stage 2 evolution or powerful supporter. Non-holo Rares have the same star but no foil surface.
Rare Holo
Same ★ symbol as a Rare, but the card artwork features a reflective holographic foil pattern. The foil pattern varies by set era — Base Set used a starburst pattern, Jungle/Fossil used distinctive textures.
Grading note: The holographic surface is highly susceptible to scratches. PSA 10 Rare Holos from 1999–2001 carry large premiums — a PSA 10 Charizard Base Set Holo is among the most iconic in the hobby.
Special case — no rarity symbol: Some early Base Set cards (Pikachu, some Energy) were printed with no symbol at all. These are sometimes called "no-rarity" or "shadowless" cards and are among the most valuable in the hobby due to their scarcity and age.
Scarlet & Violet Rarity Symbols (2022–Present)
Scarlet & Violet launched in 2022 with a completely redesigned rarity system. The classic symbols were replaced by letter codes, and entirely new premium tiers were introduced — including the Illustration Rare, Special Illustration Rare, Hyper Rare, and Crown Rare.
The new system is printed in the lower-left corner of the card, below the set number.
Common
CScarlet & Violet replaced the old ● symbol with a printed letter 'C' in the lower-left of the card. Function is identical — most abundant, printed in every pack.
Uncommon
UPrinted 'U' replaces ◆. Same slot as before — 3–4 per pack.
Rare
RPrinted 'R'. Foil / non-foil Rares at the base level.
Double Rare
RRTwo stars or 'RR' — the ex Pokémon tier. Replaces V cards from Sword & Shield. Appears ~1 per pack in the rare slot.
Grading note: High pull rate means high pop counts. Grade premium strongest on chase ex cards.
Illustration Rare
IRNew in Scarlet & Violet. Full-art illustrations with a distinctive frame that bleeds to the card edges on one or two sides. Features trainer or Pokémon artwork by notable illustrators. Roughly 1 in 3–4 packs at the rare slot.
Grading note: Moderate pop counts. IRs of popular Pokémon like Iono and Nemona command significant premiums in PSA 10 due to collector demand for the artwork.
Special Illustration Rare
SIRThe premium full-art tier in S&V. Cards feature illustrated backgrounds that extend fully across the card with no frame — depicting Pokémon in real-world settings. Equivalent to the Alternate Full Art of Sword & Shield era. Pull rate roughly 1 in 4–6 booster boxes.
Grading note: Lower pop counts than IRs. PSA 10 SIRs of Charizard ex and popular trainers regularly sell for 5–10× raw prices. Strong grading ROI when card is near-mint.
Hyper Rare
HRGold-etched foil with a textured pattern across the entire card surface. The Hyper Rare tier replaces the Gold Secret Rares of Sword & Shield. Includes golden ex cards and golden full-art cards. Pull rate roughly 1 in 8–12 booster boxes.
Grading note: Gold etching is highly sensitive to surface wear and is very difficult to achieve PSA 10 on. Population counts are low — a clean PSA 10 HR commands extreme premiums for chase cards.
Crown Rare
CRIntroduced in the Stellar Crown expansion (2024). The rarest symbol tier in the modern Pokémon TCG — a crown icon printed on the card. Crown Rares depict Tera Pokémon in dazzling foil treatments and appear at roughly 1 per case (12 booster boxes).
Grading note: Extremely low pop counts at launch. PSA 10 Crown Rares of Arceus, Umbreon, and Espeon ex have already sold for over $1,000 raw, making grading ROI analysis critical.
How Rarity Affects PSA Grading ROI
Rarity is one of the strongest predictors of grading ROI — but it's not the only factor. The relationship between rarity, population, and grade premium is nuanced:
High rarity + low pop = strongest ROI signal
SIRs, HRs, and Crown Rares with a PSA 10 population below 50 typically command the highest grade premiums. When the supply of graded 10s is limited and demand is high (popular Pokémon, strong illustrator), the spread between raw and PSA 10 can be 5–20×. AgentGRaiL shows PSA pop data on every card to help you evaluate this before you submit.
Common/Uncommon: only worth grading for vintage sets
Modern C/U cards have enormous print runs and high PSA pop counts — grading ROI is usually negative after submission fees. The exception is high-demand vintage commons (1999 Base Set, Legendary Collection) where condition survivors are genuinely scarce.
Foil surface matters more than the symbol
Gold-etched Hyper Rares and full-art Special Illustration Rares are harder to achieve PSA 10 on than their rarity code suggests — the foil treatments are extremely sensitive to handling scratches. A flawless pack-fresh pull is worth far more than a picked-up copy. Always check the foil surface under bright light before submitting.
Where to Find the Rarity Symbol
On classic-era cards (1999–2022): look at the bottom-right of the card, just below the card name in the HP/type bar. The symbol appears as a small black icon (●, ◆, or ★). On Holo Rares, the card back features a foil pattern — the symbol is still ★ on the front.
On Scarlet & Violet cards (2022+): the rarity code (C, U, R, RR, IR, SIR, HR, or ★★★ for Crown) appears in the lower-left corner of the card, below the collector number. Example: "052/198 R" means card 52 in the set, Rare tier.
If you see a number higher than the set total (e.g., "199/198") on a classic-era card, that's a Secret Rare — beyond the printed set count. These typically have gold or rainbow treatments.
AgentGRaiL reads rarity from card titles automatically.
When you scan or search a Pokémon card, our AI identifies the rarity tier from the listing title and uses it alongside the PSA population report to calculate grading ROI in the "Worth Grading?" panel. Low-pop SIRs and HRs are flagged as high scarcity candidates.