How to identify a Pokémon card (set, number, rarity)

June 22, 2026

Short answer: find the collector number (e.g. 025/165) at the bottom of the card, the set symbol and the rarity. The easiest way is to scan it with Poke - Deck, which reads all of this automatically — in English, French and Japanese.

What to look for on a card

Collector number. At the bottom (often left or right): number / set total, e.g. 025/165. Promo cards sometimes have no total.
Set symbol. A small logo identifying the expansion.
Rarity. A symbol (circle = common, diamond = uncommon, star = rare…) or an “ex”, “V” or “VMAX” label.
Language. English, French or Japanese text tells you the card’s market.

The Japanese-card case

Japanese cards use their own set numbers and symbols, and many expansions only release in Japan. A quick glance at the number isn’t always enough: Poke - Deck detects Japanese from the characters and identifies the card in a multilingual catalogue.

The fastest way: scan

Rather than decoding everything by hand, a scan reads the name, language and number in a second, then shows the exact card and its value.