Learn How to Identify and Differentiate Pokémon Cards

Understanding a new and complex field like Pokémon cards can be a challenge. These cards have been evolving for more than 20 years, constantly creating new variations.

The goal of this guide is for the reader to acquire the ability to identify and differentiate the multiple characteristics of Pokémon cards, allowing anyone to catalog the particularities of their collection.

It is important to note that this article focuses exclusively on collecting characteristics. Therefore, aspects such as the different abilities, attacks, or hit points of the Pokémon, or the gameplay of the card game, will not be addressed. The main focus is on the distinctiveness and rarity of the cards for collection purposes.

 

 

Language and Region

Over the years, Pokémon cards have been printed in a wide variety of languages, including:

• Japanese
• English
• Korean
• German
• Spanish (recently divided into Latin American Spanish and European Spanish)
• French
• Italian
• Dutch
• Portuguese
• Chinese (Traditional and Simplified)
• Russian
• Polish
• Thai
• Indonesian

 

The original expansion is always launched first in Japanese. Subsequently, this is adapted and translated into English, which serves as the base for expansions and releases in the rest of the Western languages.

German, French, and Italian are also quite common, appearing in most collections. Spanish has been maintained in a large part of the oldest and most recent collections, although with less presence during the EX era. Recently, the Spanish language has been differentiated into two distinct linguistic regions for the game: Latin American Spanish and European Spanish.

Korea often presents an unusual collection landscape. It is essential to clarify that their collections usually come from the original Japanese expansions and not the English versions. Sometimes they are identical to the Japanese ones or a mix of several expansions, in addition to having quite a few promotional cards.

Chinese cards (both Traditional and Simplified) are gaining great popularity globally. The market, especially that of mainland China, has few years of official existence, and its collections often include unique illustrations and artwork not found in other regions, making them highly attractive to collectors.

Note: The back of the Japanese cards underwent a design change starting in 2001.

 

 

Name and Special Attributes

The name of the card is located in the upper left part. Depending on whether the card is a Pokémon, a Trainer, or an Energy, the name may be accompanied by a special attribute (such as VMAX or ex) and a distinctive visual style that differentiates it from standard cards.

 

Pokémon Cards with Special Attributes

These attributes indicate a type of rarity or specific game mechanic, and are identified by the series or expansion in which they were introduced:

 

Other secondary attributes are:

• Owner’s Pokémon
• Baby Pokémon
• Crystal Pokémon
• Dark Pokémon
• Light Pokémon
• δ Delta Species
• Pokémon Prime
• Pokémon SP
• Ultra Beasts
• Ancient Trait Cards
• Team Magma Cards
• Team Aqua Cards
• Team Plasma Cards
• Single Strike, Rapid Strike, Fusion Strike
• Ancient and Future cards

 

Trainer Cards

Trainer cards apply various effects in the game. Before the Diamond & Pearl series, any card that was not a Pokémon or Energy was considered a Trainer card.

Subsequently, Trainer cards were subdivided into the following categories:

• Item Cards
• Pokémon Tool Cards: Starting from Scarlet & Violet, Pokémon Tool cards are considered a separate category from Item cards.
• Stadium Cards
• Supporter Cards

 

 

Energy Cards

Energy cards are an essential component in the game, although less important in terms of colleting. They are divided into two main categories:

• Basic Energies: They represent the nine elemental types of the games.
• Special Energies: They provide and additional effect, in addition to the energy.

 

 

Card Numbering

The card identification number is located in the bottom corner, generally to the left or right, near the rarity symbol.

 

Standard Formats

The numbering is usually represented in the format XXX/YYY, although there are different styles that vary according to the language and expansion:

1. First number (XXX): Indicated the position or the individual number of that card within the set or expansion.
2. Second number (YYY): Indicates the total quantity of officially numbered cards in that set (the main collection).

 

 

Secret and Promotional Cards

On occasion, cards present numbers higher that the official total of the set (XXX>YYY). These cards are called “Secret Rare”. Secret Rare cards usually include cards of special rarity or alternative versions of existing cards, and are among the most valuable for collectors due to their low appearance rate.

 

 

Numbering Examples:

• Standard: 008/197 (Cards number 8 of a 197-card set).
• Number Only: 011 (Common in promotional cards or Japanese sets).
• Sub-Set: GGG17/GG70 (Indicates card 17 of a 70-card sub-set, such as the Trainer Gallery or Galarian Gallery).
• English/Global Promotional: SM103 (Promotional card number 103 from the Sun & Moon era).
• Japanese Promotional: 005/SV-P (Promotional card number 5 of the Scarlet & Violet series).

 

 

Identifying the Expansion (Set)

Pokémon continuously releases new cards organized in expansions or sets. Currently, there are more than 100 sets in different languages, and this number continues to grow annually.

 

Location and Identification

The expansion to which each card belongs is identified in the bottom corner, either to the left or to the right of the card’s text. The expansion varies according to the language and series, and can manifest in the following ways:

• Symbol: In most expansions before the Scarlet & Violet series, the expansion is identified with a specific graphic symbol.
• Abbreviation or Code: Starting from the Scarlet & Violet [SVI] series, the expansion is identified by an alphanumeric code or a three-letter abbreviation.

 

 

Differentiation by Language

Expansions are grouped geographically in terms of content and release:

• Cards in English and European languages (Spanish, German, French, and Italian) usually belong to the same global expansion and are released simultaneously.
• Cards in Japanese and Korean correspond to different expansions, with distinct content and release timelines from the global ones.

This division is because the cards are released first in Japan (the country of origin of the game). Months later, these cards are localized into English (which serves as the base) and other languages for distribution in the global market.

 

List of expansions in English.
List of expansions in Japanese.

 

 

Identifying Rarity

The rarity of a card represents the difficulty of obtaining it within an expansion and is a key factor in its collector’s value. The rarity indicator is located in the bottom corner of the card, near the identification number.

The indicator varies significantly according to the series and language. English cards (Global Market) generally use a graphic symbol, while Japanese cards usually employ an abbreviated code.

 

Rarity of English Cards (Graphic Symbol – from least to most rare):

 

 

Rarity of Japanese Cards (Abbreviated Code – from least to most rare):

 

 

Other Types of Variations

There are cards that, despite sharing the same name, expansion, collection number, and printed rarity, have a different physical appearance. These variations are crucial for collecting and value. The most common reasons for these differences are:

 

Holofoil Finishes (Holo and Reverse Holo)

Most Pokémon card collection have different version of printing finishes, often called “Holo” (shiny) or “Non-Holo” (standard):

• Standard (Non-Holo): The card does not have shiny parts. When tilted, the light is reflected uniformly across the entire surface.
• Holo (Foil): Only the Pokémon’s illustration is shiny and reflect light when rotated from different angles. This is the traditional shiny finish.
• Reverse Holo: The exterior part of the illustration (the text, the card border, and sometimes the background) is shiny. The Pokémon’s illustration, in this case, remains matte.

 

 

Reprints

Throughout the history of the TCG, reprints of cards have been released with the same name and the same tat or game effects, but in different expansions. These reprints are important for the collector because:

• They may feature new or different art than the original.
• They may appear in special formats (e.g., Holo where it was previously Non-Holo).
• Their existence makes the original version of the card generally more valuable than the reprints.

 

 

Stamps

Stamps are seals or logos printed directly on the card’s illustration. These seals are crucial indicators of a card’s provenance. Stamps are often logos of events (e.g., Pre-Release), official leagues (Pokémon League), or special promotions.

Cards with stamps are usually significantly rarer and more valuable than their unstamped versions from the same set, as it confirms their origin and limited edition.

 

 

First Editions (1st Edition)

This is a distinctive mark of historical rarity for the first Pokémon card collections. The First Edition represents the first print run of a set. They are identified by a circular stamp with the stylized number “1” and the word “EDITION” printed on the border of the card, near the image. 

Since there are fewer of these cards in circulation, these specimens are, in almost all cases, the most valuable of the set, surpassing the unstamped editions.

 

 

Shadowless Cards

This type of card is exclusive to the Pokémon Base Set. They represent the brief print run that occurred after the First Edition, but before the publisher added the drop shadow behind the illustration box. They are rarer than standard versions with shadows (Unlimited), but less rare than the 1st Edition ones.

 

 

Jumbo (Oversized) Cards

Jumbo cards are cards that are significantly larger than the game’s standard size, generally issued as promotional items in collection boxes. They are not suitable for play and their value is purely ornamental.

 

 

Metallic Cards

Metallic cards are a modern and premium variant aimed exclusively at the collector. Manufactured from metal or a similar material, they are not legal for play and their value resides in their rarity as an exhibition piece and their association with limited editions of products (e.g., Ultra Premium Collections).

 

Important Warning about Counterfeits: The market is flooded with counterfeits of cards with metallic or gold finishes. These unofficial, low-quality imitations are not authentic Pokémon TCG products and lack collector’s value.