Pokémon TCG Rarity Guide
Every rarity tier in the Pokémon Trading Card Game, from the humble Common to the modern Mega Hyper Rare — with real card examples, era-by-era history, and the actual pull rates you'll see in our pack simulator.
- Reading rarity symbols
- Common, Uncommon, Rare
- Holo Rares & reverse holos
- Ultra Rares through the eras
- EX (classic, 2003–2007)
- Lv.X, Prime, LEGEND (2007–2011)
- Mega EX & BREAK (2014–2017)
- GX (2017–2019)
- V, VMAX, VSTAR (2020–2022)
- ex (modern, 2023–present)
- Special Illustration Rare (SIR)
- Hyper, Rainbow, Secret & Gold
- ACE SPEC
- Mega Hyper Rare
- Pokémon TCG Pocket cards
- Pull rates by rarity
- Frequently asked questions
How to read a Pokémon card's rarity
Every Pokémon card prints its rarity symbol in the bottom-right corner (or bottom-left, on older cards). The symbol tells you the card's base rarity tier; foil treatment, alternate art, and tier modifiers are applied on top of that.
From Sun & Moon onward, the symbol scheme expanded to include silver-foil stars, gold-foil stars, and finally the new shapes introduced in Scarlet & Violet (2023+) — where modern ex cards use a double-star and Special Illustration Rares use a triple-star with a unique gold border.
Common, Uncommon, and Rare
These three tiers form the backbone of every booster pack. A modern English-language pack contains, on average, six commons, three uncommons, one reverse holo, and one rare-or-better slot.
Commons show a black filled circle and are the easiest to find — every pack ships with several. Uncommons show a black diamond. Rares show a black star and were originally always non-holographic on plain cardstock; the very first sets also had a holographic version of every star-rarity card, which is what most collectors mean today when they say "Holo Rare."
Commons and uncommons aren't worthless — base set Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle commons routinely sell graded for hundreds of dollars in mint condition. But within a single sealed pack, they're the high-volume slots.
Holo Rares and reverse holos
Holo Rare
A Holo Rare is a star-rarity card with foil applied to the artwork window — the part where the Pokémon is illustrated. The rest of the card (text box, attacks) is matte. From WotC era through Sword & Shield, every booster pack guaranteed exactly one rare card, and that rare had a small chance of being the holo version. Modern packs from Scarlet & Violet onward upgraded this — every pack now has at least one Holo Rare in the rare slot.
Reverse Holo
A reverse holo takes any rarity (common, uncommon, rare, or holo rare) and inverts the foil pattern — the artwork stays matte while the card frame, text box, and background sparkle. It's a print finish, not a separate rarity. Modern English packs guarantee one reverse holo per pack.
Reverse holos became standard from EX Sandstorm (2003) onward and have appeared in nearly every English set since. They were originally introduced to give common and uncommon cards collectible value.
Ultra Rares through the eras
"Ultra Rare" is a catch-all term for cards rarer than a Holo Rare. The actual mechanics and visual style of Ultra Rares have changed dramatically every few years — each era of the Pokémon TCG introduced its own signature ultra-rare card type.
EX cards (classic, 2003–2007)
The first Pokémon-ex cards arrived in EX Ruby & Sapphire (2003). They used lowercase "ex," appeared as full-art cards with elaborate backgrounds, gave up two Prize cards when knocked out, and could not evolve. Iconic chase cards from this era include Charizard ex, Mew ex, and the legendary trio cards.
This era's sets — EX Ruby & Sapphire through EX Power Keepers — are highly collectible today. Browse them in our sets index under the EX series.
EX returns (2011–2014)
After a five-year hiatus, Pokémon-EX returned in Black & White: Next Destinies, this time with a capital "EX." The mechanic was similar (worth 2 Prizes, can't evolve) but the design language shifted to the darker, full-bleed art that defined the BW and XY eras.
Lv.X, Prime, and LEGEND
The Diamond & Pearl through HeartGold & SoulSilver eras (2007–2011) experimented with several signature ultra-rare formats.
Pokémon Lv.X (2007–2009)
Lv.X ("Level X") cards were a new top tier you could play on top of an existing Pokémon already in play, leveling it up rather than replacing it. They were the rarest pulls in DP-era sets like Diamond & Pearl base, Mysterious Treasures, and Stormfront.
Prime cards (2010)
Prime Pokémon were ultra-rare evolved Pokémon with a distinctive bordered silver foil treatment. Mew Prime, Magnezone Prime, and Yanmega Prime were chase cards in Triumphant, Undaunted, and Unleashed.
LEGEND cards (2010–2011)
LEGEND cards were unique: each one was printed across two cards that you assembled side-by-side to play. Pulling one half from a pack was already a chase moment; assembling the full LEGEND from two packs was the goal. They appeared in Triumphant, Undaunted, and the Call of Legends sets.
Mega EX and BREAK Evolution
Mega EX (2014–2017)
Mega Evolution arrived in XY (2014). M [Pokémon] EX cards were the chase pulls — Mega Charizard EX (X and Y variants), Mega Rayquaza EX, Mega Gardevoir EX. Like regular EX cards they cost two Prize cards when knocked out, but Mega Evolving ended your turn immediately, balancing their power.
BREAK Evolution (2015–2016)
BREAK cards introduced in BREAKthrough were a horizontal-orientation evolution that boosted your Pokémon with new attacks while preserving its existing ones. They had a distinctive gold foil treatment.
Mega-EX and BREAK cards both appeared as chase pulls in sets across the XY block — explore them in BREAKthrough, BREAKpoint, and Fates Collide.
Pokémon-GX (2017–2019)
GX cards anchored the Sun & Moon era. They worked similarly to EX (give up 2 Prizes, can't evolve naturally, with a few exceptions) but introduced the GX attack — a powerful one-per-game attack you could only use once. Tag Team GX cards (two Pokémon on one card) gave up three Prizes when knocked out and were the era's chase pulls.
Notable GX-era sets: Team Up, Unbroken Bonds, Cosmic Eclipse.
V, VMAX, and VSTAR (2020–2022)
The Sword & Shield era replaced GX with a three-stage progression:
- Pokémon V — the basic ultra-rare. Like EX, gives up 2 Prizes when knocked out. Modern full-art design.
- Pokémon VMAX — a "Dynamax" evolution of a V card. Gives up 3 Prizes when knocked out. Massive HP, massive attacks.
- Pokémon VSTAR — introduced later. Gives up 2 Prizes (like V), but unlocks a one-time-per-game "VSTAR Power" — either a powerful attack or an ability. Replaces VMAX as the late-era chase.
Radiant Pokémon appeared in late SwSh sets (Astral Radiance onward) — a special foil treatment with a unique etched look. They sit between Holo Rare and V in pull frequency. Trainer Gallery subset cards (TG numbering) added a parallel mini-set of alt-art chase cards starting in Brilliant Stars.
ex (modern, 2023–present)
Scarlet & Violet (2023+) reset the system. Lowercase ex returned as the main ultra-rare type — replacing V/VMAX/VSTAR. The current SV scheme:
- Double Rare (ex) — every Pokémon ex prints first as a Double Rare with the standard ex frame.
- Ultra Rare — full-art version of the same ex card.
- Special Illustration Rare (SIR) — alternate-art version with the Pokémon depicted in a unique scene.
- Hyper Rare — gold-bordered "rainbow" treatment of the ex card.
Open packs of any SV-era set in our simulator to see how the modern ex tiers play out — try Obsidian Flames, Paldean Fates, or Surging Sparks.
Special Illustration Rare (SIR / SAR)
Special Illustration Rare cards — sometimes called SIR in English or SAR in Japanese sets — are the modern era's flagship chase rarity. Where a normal ex card shows the Pokémon in a fixed art frame, a SIR depicts it in a unique scene that breaks the frame: Pikachu surfing on a wave, Charizard mid-flight over a city, the trainer riding their starter through a forest.
SIRs and the regular Illustration Rare (IR) tier debuted in Scarlet & Violet base. IRs are non-ex Pokémon in similar alt-art style; SIRs are reserved for ex and Trainer cards. Top SIRs from sets like 151, Obsidian Flames, and Twilight Masquerade regularly trade for hundreds of dollars.
Hyper, Rainbow, Secret, and Gold rares
These are all secret rare classes — cards numbered above the set's listed total (e.g. card #235/198 in a 198-card set). The naming has shifted across eras but they all describe alt-printed versions of cards already in the set.
Rainbow Rare
SwSh-era treatment — full-rainbow holographic foil with pastel gradient artwork. A Rainbow Rare Charizard VMAX or Pikachu V is a card whose price chart you can spot from orbit.
Hyper Rare (Gold)
Gold-foil treatment with metallic borders and gold-tone artwork. Modern Hyper Rares in SV sets replace SwSh's Rainbow Rares — every set has a small handful of Hyper Rare ex cards as the rarest "regular" pulls.
Gold Trainer / Gold Energy
Many sets across all eras have included gold-bordered Trainer cards (Professors, items) and gold-bordered Energy cards as ultra-rare slot fillers. They have practical use in deckbuilding while also being collectible chase cards.
Secret Rare
"Secret Rare" is the umbrella term for any card numbered beyond the set total. It includes Rainbow Rares, Hyper Rares, Gold cards, alt-art Trainers, and shiny variants.
ACE SPEC cards
ACE SPEC are extremely powerful Trainer cards with one defining limitation: only one ACE SPEC may be in your deck. They first appeared in the Black & White era (Boundaries Crossed, 2012) and made a comeback in the Scarlet & Violet era starting with Paldean Fates.
Modern ACE SPECs use a distinctive silver-frame border treatment. They sit at a similar pull tier to Ultra Rares — common enough to be expected as the chase from a few boxes, but rare enough to drive secondary-market prices.
Mega Hyper Rare (the new top tier)
Introduced in 2025's Mega Evolution sub-set series, Mega Hyper Rare is the rarest pull in current English Pokémon TCG. They are gold-foil Mega Pokémon ex cards with extra etching, holographic stamps, and a unique stippled background pattern. There is typically only one or two Mega Hyper Rares per set, making them the chase cards of chase cards.
Pokémon TCG Pocket cards
The mobile Pokémon TCG Pocket game uses its own digital-only rarity system. Cards are tiered:
- ♦ One diamond — Common
- ♦♦ Two diamonds — Uncommon
- ♦♦♦ Three diamonds — Rare
- ♦♦♦♦ Four diamonds — ex (TCGP equivalent of modern ex)
- ★ One star — Full-art rare
- ★★ Two stars — Special art / Pokémon Crown
- ★★★ Three stars — Immersive Rare (the TCGP signature: animated holographic 3D artwork)
- 👑 Crown — Crown Rare, the rarest TCGP pulls
Pocket-exclusive sets like Genetic Apex, Mythical Island, and the latest TCGP releases are browseable in our sets index under the TCG Pocket series.
Pull rates by rarity
Approximate per-pack rates for an English Scarlet & Violet booster pack. Real-world pulls vary by set and language; our pack simulator uses these baselines for SV-era sets.
| Tier | Per-pack chance | Avg. packs to pull one |
|---|---|---|
| Common | ~67% per slot, 6 slots | Every pack |
| Uncommon | 3 per pack guaranteed | Every pack |
| Reverse Holo | 1 per pack guaranteed | Every pack |
| Holo Rare | ~70% (rare slot) | ~1.5 packs |
| Double Rare (ex) | ~16% (rare slot) | ~6 packs |
| Ultra Rare (full art ex) | ~7% | ~14 packs |
| Illustration Rare | ~5% | ~20 packs |
| Special Illustration Rare | ~1% | ~100 packs |
| Hyper Rare | ~0.5% | ~200 packs |
| Mega Hyper Rare | <0.2% | ~500+ packs |
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Open a pack →Frequently asked questions
What's the rarest Pokémon card rarity?
In modern Scarlet & Violet sets, the rarest pulls are Hyper Rare (gold-bordered cards) and Special Illustration Rare (full-art alternate scenes). The newest 2025 Mega Hyper Rare tier in Mega Evolution sets is rarer still — typically one or two per set with extreme pull rates.
In older eras, the equivalents were Secret Rares, Rainbow Rares, Gold Rares, and unique formats like LEGEND cards in the HGSS era.
What's the difference between EX and ex?
Lowercase ex appeared from 2003–2007 (e-Series sets) and returned in 2023 with Scarlet & Violet. Modern ex cards replace V/VMAX/VSTAR as the main Ultra Rare type.
Uppercase EX appeared from 2011–2017 (BW and XY eras). Mega EX cards in XY were the era's chase pulls.
Both share core mechanics: when knocked out, they give the opponent two Prize cards. The capitalization is the easiest way to tell them apart visually.
What is a reverse holo?
A reverse holo is a print finish where the foil is applied to everything except the Pokémon's artwork — the card's frame, text box, attacks area, and background sparkle, while the central illustration stays normal. It's a print variant, not a separate rarity tier.
English packs guarantee one reverse holo per pack, and any rarity (common through holo rare) can appear with this treatment.
What's a Special Illustration Rare?
Special Illustration Rare (SIR or SAR) is a modern alternate-art rarity introduced with Scarlet & Violet in 2023. SIRs depict the Pokémon in a unique scene that breaks beyond the card's normal frame — think of Charizard mid-flight over a city skyline, or Pikachu running through a meadow.
SIRs are reserved for ex Pokémon and Trainer cards. The non-ex equivalent is the regular Illustration Rare (IR) tier.
How can I tell which set a card is from?
Modern English cards print the set symbol in the bottom-right corner next to the card number (e.g., 47/198). The symbol tells you the set; the number tells you the card's position. In our sets index you can browse every set's symbol and full card list.
Are first-edition cards a separate rarity?
No — "1st Edition" is a print run marker, not a rarity. Original Base Set cards from 1999 came in two print runs: 1st Edition (with a small "1" stamp on the left side of the artwork) and Unlimited (no stamp). Both runs included the same rarity distribution; collectors pay a premium for 1st Edition due to the smaller print quantity.
What does "shadowless" mean?
Shadowless cards are an even earlier print variant of Base Set, made before Wizards of the Coast added a drop shadow on the right side of the artwork frame. Shadowless cards are rarer than 1st Edition and command higher prices. The progression is: Shadowless → 1st Edition → Unlimited (cheapest).
Why do some old cards say "Pokémon Tool" or "Stadium"?
Those are Trainer card subtypes, not rarities. Trainer cards include Items, Supporters, Stadiums, and Pokémon Tools — all printed at Common or Uncommon rarity unless they're specifically secret-rare alt versions.