A Pokémon card has a fixed layout of fields that together tell you what kind of card it is, where it comes from and how rare it was meant to be. Being able to read them is the basis for identifying a card correctly before considering value or grading.
The front
At the top are the name, often with the stage (Basic, Stage 1 or Stage 2) and HP. Below the name come the artwork, then attacks, abilities and energy costs. At the bottom you find weakness, resistance and retreat cost. The card's type, such as fire, water or psychic, is shown by a symbol and often by the colour of the frame. Cards that are not Pokémon, such as Trainer and Energy cards, have different fields and text describing the effect.
The bottom: number, set and symbols
At the foot of the card is the card number within the set, often written as 25/165. The figure after the slash shows the number of cards in the main set. A number higher than the total usually indicates an extra-rare card outside the numbered run. Beside it sit the rarity symbol and, on nearly all sets after Base Set, a set symbol (its position has varied); see rarity symbols. The year, publisher and illustrator's name are printed here too.
The back
The back is the same across nearly all cards from a given period. It matters for grading, because edges and corners are easy to inspect against the dark back, and because centering and wear are judged there as well.
Edition markings and finish
Older cards may carry an edition mark, such as the "1st Edition" stamp on the earliest English sets; see first edition. Foil, patterns and glossy finishes are called holo and reverse holo and vary between cards; see holo and reverse holo. The period a card belongs to also determines the look of the frame and the typefaces; see eras.
For collectors who use a catalogue, these fields are also the key to finding the right entry. Searching by name alone often returns many results, while the card number together with the set name narrows it down quickly. If you are unsure which set a card comes from, the set symbol or the year of publication can help. Always carry these details with you when comparing prices across platforms.
Why it matters
Small differences in these fields can separate two cards with the same name. The same artwork can appear in several sets, with different numbers and different rarity, and the price follows the correct card, not just the name.
Last reviewed October 25, 2026. This article explains how the market works. It is not advice to buy or sell anything in particular.