Every Pokémon card carries a small block of print at the bottom that tells you exactly what it is. Once you can read it, finding the right card, the right set, and the right price becomes easy. Here is what each part means.
The collector number
Look at the bottom corner for something like 025/198. This is the collector number.
- The number before the slash (
025) is the card’s position in its set. - The number after the slash (
198) is how many cards are in the main set.
That second number is a handy fingerprint. If you know a set has 198 cards in its main run, a /198 card likely belongs to it. Combine it with the card name and you can narrow almost any card to a single printing.
When the first number is bigger than the second
Sometimes you’ll see a card like 215/203. That is not a typo. Sets include secret rares, extra cards numbered beyond the printed total. They tend to be among the most valuable cards in the set, so a number that overshoots the total is a good sign worth a closer look.
Promo cards
Promos use a different format, often a set code plus a number (for example, letters followed by digits) with no total. They can be tricky to find by number alone, so name plus artwork matters more here.
The set symbol
Next to the number, you’ll see a small set symbol. Each expansion has its own icon. It is the quickest visual way to confirm the set once you’ve narrowed it down, and it helps with older sets where several expansions share a similar total.
Modern cards also show a set code (a short string of letters) near the number, which is even more precise.
The regulation mark
On recent cards there’s a small letter in a box, such as D, E, F, or G, near the collector number. This is the regulation mark, used to decide which cards are legal in official tournaments. It also tells you roughly how new the card is, which is useful for dating a modern card at a glance. Older cards don’t have one.
The rarity symbol
The collector number is usually followed by a rarity symbol:
| Symbol | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Circle | Common |
| Diamond | Uncommon |
| Star | Rare |
| Gold or special marks | Higher rarities (holo rare, ultra rare, secret rare) |
Newer sets also have extra rarity tiers like illustration rares, which look and price very differently from a plain star rare. The rarity symbol is a guide, not a price: a rare in one set can be worth less than a common in another.
Putting it together: a quick workflow
- Read the name at the top.
- Read the collector number and note the total after the slash.
- Confirm the set with the symbol (and set code on modern cards).
- Check the variant: normal, holo, reverse holo, or 1st Edition.
- Look up the market price for that exact printing and adjust for condition.
Let your phone read it for you
This is exactly what ScanDragon does when you point it at a card. It reads the name and the collector number printed at the bottom (like 025/198) and matches them to the right set, so you don’t need to memorize symbols to find the exact printing. If you’d rather work by hand, the five steps above will get you to the same answer.
Browse by set: find your card’s set in our Pokémon set browser to see every card number in the set.