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How to read a card number

Updated: 2026-10-15

A Pokémon card's number is at the bottom and looks like number/total, for example 4/102: it's card 4 of a 102-card set. If the first number is higher than the total, it's a "secret rare". Next to the number, the set symbol or code tells you which expansion it's from. With those two things you can find the exact card and its price.

Number / total

In the example 4/102 (for illustration), 4 is the card's position in the set and 102 is how many cards are on the set's "official" list. Cards are usually ordered by type: Pokémon first, then Trainers and Energy.

Secret rares: number above the total

When you see something like 205/192, the card sits "outside" the main set list: it's a secret rare. These are usually full art, illustration and gold versions, and they're the hardest to pull. In recent sets, illustration rares are also numbered above the total. The rarity symbol fills in the rest: see the rarity symbols.

Subsets with a prefix

Some sets have parallel subsets with their own numbering:

Prefix	What it is
TG	Trainer Gallery (Sword & Shield sets), for example TG05/TG30.
GG	Galarian Gallery, from Crown Zenith.
SV	Shiny Vault, in sets like Hidden Fates or Shining Fates (not to be confused with the Scarlet & Violet era).
RC	Radiant Collection, in Generations and Legendary Treasures.

The set code

• Vintage and mid-era cards: the set is identified by a small expansion symbol, usually next to the artwork or near the number. The original Base Set has no symbol (see 1st Edition, Shadowless and Unlimited).
• Recent cards: besides the symbol, they have a letter code for the set and language printed next to the number. With that code you'll find the expansion without doubt.
• Regulation mark: modern cards have a letter in a small box (D, E, F, G, H…). It tells you which competitive format the card is legal in, not its rarity or set.

Promos

Promo cards have their own numbering, with no total. They carry the promo series code and a number, for example "SWSH050", or a number in the "SVP" series for Scarlet & Violet promos. The old Wizards-era ones were numbered as Black Star Promos. Always search a promo by that code, not by name.

Japanese cards

They also use number/total, but their sets and numbering don't match the English ones. The set code is different (combinations of letters and numbers such as SV2a), and a card can have a different number in each language.

Other games

Game	How it's numbered
One Piece	Set code and number, for example OP01-001. ST are starter decks, EB extra boosters and P promos.
Magic	Collector number, set code and a rarity letter (C, U, R, M) on recent cards.
Yu-Gi-Oh!	Set code, language and number, for example LOB-EN001.
Sports	Number on the back. Note: a stamped "/99" isn't the card number, it's the print run.

Why the number matters so much

There are dozens of Pikachu and Charizard cards. The name isn't enough to find the price: the number and set are. Searching by name alone is the fastest way to look up the price of the wrong card. And if the card exists in holo and reverse, the number is the same: you'll have to check the finish (see holo vs reverse holo).

Search by number in CardFolio

In the CardFolio app search you can type the number in any format ("charizard 4/102", "charizard 4 102" or the code "OP01-001") and the exact card comes up first. Or take a photo and the AI identifies it. If you only want prices, use the price pages.

Option	Price	What's included
No plan	€1.49	one analysis, no subscription
CardFolio Pro	€3.99/month	10 AI analyses a month
CardFolio Max	€9.99/month	50 AI analyses a month
CardFolio Élite	€19.99/month	up to 150 AI analyses a month

Your first analysis is free when you sign up. Prices in euros, VAT included. Cancel your plan anytime.

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