Card Rarity, what is it and why does it matter?
Welcome back, Collectors!
You’re one in a million!
Card rarity is dictated on the production of individual types/species of Pokémon on the cards, and the cards that are currently in circulation. The Pokémon Company certainly helps to make collecting a worthy challenge - but don’t give up!
Our Rarity Guide is here to help you identify your Common Cards from your Ultra Rare Cards, and how to spot the highest rarity of all: Limited Edition/Promotional (can you hear the choir?). The rarity of a card can be determined by inspecting the symbol on the bottom left hand corner of the card next to the number that dictates the total number of cards in a set.
See the classification for card rarity below:
• Common cards: Black Circle
• Uncommon cards: Black Diamond
• Rare cards: Black Star
• Ultra Rare cards: Black or White Star, (these cards will be accompanied by extra powers or unique game changing mechanics)
• Secret Rare cards: Black or White Star with a number that is higher than the standard sets number (eg. 212/203)
However, not all Rare cards are made equal and it is dependent on a few additional factors: Holo, Ultra Rare, and Special Rare Cards.
Holo
Holo is a term that is used to describe a card with a shiny appearance. These cards can also bee known as Holofoil, Holographic, Shiny, or Foils. There a different types of Holo cards in a set, including Holo cards with only the image in holofoil; a Reverse Holo where only the image of the card is not holographic; and Full Art Holo, which is a card where both image and frame are completely holographic.
Ultra Rare Cards
Ultra Rare Cards, as previously mentioned, are accompanied by extra powers or mechanics. This has been introduced into sets over the years.
Examples of Ultra Rare Cards include:
• Pokémon GX: cards with “GX” after their name. These were first introduced in the Sun and Moon set.
• Pokémon EX: cards with“EX” after their name. These were first introduced in the Next Destinies set, and later appeared in the Black & White series sets and the XY set.
Common cards will have a Black Circle
Uncommon cards will have a Black Diamond
Rare cards will have a Black Star
Ultra Rare cards will have a Black or White Star, these cards will be accompanied by extra powers or unique game changing mechanics
Secret Rare cards will a Black or White Star as well as a number that is higher than the standard sets number (eg. 212/203)
Pokémon Prime: cards with unique designs of a holofoil border and Pokémon name, with a close up of the Pokémon’s face busting out of the window. These powerful cards can be found in the HeartGold & SoulSilver series sets.
Pokémon LEGEND: are special cards that come in pairs (top and bottom) with both pairs saying “LEGEND” after their name. These cards are found in the HeartGold & SoulSilver series sets
Pokémon LV.X: cards with “LV.X” after their name. These were first in the Diamond & Pearl series sets, and later seen in the Platinum series sets.
Pokémon Star: cards with a shiny star symbol after their name. These were first released in the EX Team Rocket Returns set, and later in EX series sets.
Pokémon ex: cards with “ex” after their name (shortened from “extra”). These cards have additional attack properties and can be found in any of the EX series sets.
Secret Rare Cards
Secret Rare cards are cards that are not part of the standard set and as such will have a number outside of the set number (eg. 213/203). Despite the name, Secret Rare cards are common knowledge for collectors purchasing a Trainer Box, and on the internet, where you can access the full Master Set check list.
The chances of collecting one of these cards in a single Booster Pack is very low: it’s estimated that there is 1 Secret Rare Card per 1-2 Boxes of Booster Packs (that’s 36-72 packs! Phew!). Secret Rare Cards are highly sought after by collectors due to their rarity, and accordingly hold a decent resell value if kept in excellent condition (did we mention our Accessories range in the store? Go check it out!)
We hope our Rarity Guide has helped, and as always…
Happy Collecting!
If you have any questions about Card Rarity, or any of the other articles, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us via email at info@gamecollectors.com.au