What Set Is My Pokémon Card From? How to Check

Where is the set on a Pokémon card?

The set is printed along the bottom of the card, next to the card number. On cards from 2023 onwards it is a short text code in the bottom-left corner; on older modern cards it is a small picture symbol; on Wizards of the Coast cards from 1999 to 2003 the symbol sits at the bottom right of the artwork frame instead.

You need two things to pin a card down exactly: the set (code or symbol) and the card number. The same Pokémon appears in dozens of sets, often with the same name and similar art, so the name alone is never enough. The set and number together identify one card.

What do the letters like SVI, PAL or MEG mean?

They are set codes. From the first Scarlet & Violet set in 2023, English cards replaced the old picture symbols with a short code for the set and a second code for the language, so a card from 151 reads MEW EN. Look the code up in a set list and you have the set, with no symbol-matching needed.

PokéBeach reported this change when the first Scarlet & Violet set was revealed in December 2022, and Bulbapedia's Scarlet & Violet page says the same: expansion symbols were replaced by expansion codes and language codes. The TCGdex card database lists the official codes. A few examples:

Older sets also have abbreviations (TCGdex lists SIT for Sword & Shield: Silver Tempest and BS for the 1999 Base Set), but these are not printed on the cards. Collectors and sellers use them as shorthand in listings.

How do I identify a set symbol?

Before 2023, each English set had its own small icon. Note what the icon looks like and the set total after the slash in the card number, then compare them against a set list with pictures of every symbol. The total narrows it down fast, because few sets share both a symbol shape and a card count.

1. 1.

   Read the number first

   Write down the full number, such as 85/195. The figure after the slash is the number of cards in the main set, which rules out most sets straight away.

2. 2.

   Look closely at the symbol

   Use good light and a magnifier if you have one. Symbols are tiny, and similar-looking ones are easy to confuse.

3. 3.

   Match it in a set list

   Use a symbol chart in a card database (Bulbapedia, Bill's Archive for the Wizards era, or TCGdex) and find the set whose symbol and total both match.

4. 4.

   Confirm with the card itself

   Open that set's card list and check that the card at your number is the same Pokémon with the same artwork. If it is, you have the set.

Why is my card number higher than the set total?

A number above the total, such as 188/132, means the card is one of the set's "secret" cards, numbered after the main list. It is still part of that set. The Mega Lucario ex numbered 188 in Mega Evolution is an example: TCGdex lists the set as 132 main cards and 188 in total.

Secret cards are usually the higher rarities. Our rarity guide explains the symbols and what each tier means.

What is the letter in a box next to the set code?

That is the regulation mark, not the set. It is a single capital letter in a small box, printed on cards since the Sword & Shield era (2020), and it tells players which cards are legal in the Standard tournament format. It narrows down the date of a card but never identifies the set on its own.

For example, TCGdex gives Staryu 120 from 151 the mark G and Mega Lucario ex 188 from Mega Evolution the mark I. Many sets share each letter. Our guide to reading a Pokémon card covers the regulation mark and the other small print in more detail.

What about promo cards?

Promo cards come from boxes, tins, events and magazines rather than booster packs, so they have their own promo "sets". Wizards-era promos carry a black star in place of a set symbol and their own numbering. Modern promos carry a promo code instead of a set code; TCGdex lists the current Mega Evolution promos under MEP.

A promo number has no "/total" after it, which is the quickest tell. Some promos also have a stamp (for example a prerelease or set logo stamp) and are listed separately from the booster-pack version of the same card.

Is it a Japanese or other-language card?

Japanese sets are numbered and coded differently from English ones, so an English set list will not match. The Japanese version of 151, for instance, is listed by TCGdex under the code SV2a with a release date of 16 June 2023, three months before the English set. Use a Japanese set list, or see our Japanese vs English guide.

Where can I look up a Pokémon card set for free?

Free, reliable options are TCGdex (a card database with set codes and full card lists), Bulbapedia's set pages, Serebii's English set lists, and Bill's Archive for Wizards-era symbols. Search by set code or symbol plus number. Our own set pages cover recent and popular English sets with release notes and the cards we stock.

• TCGdex: every English set with its official code, card counts and release date, plus each card's regulation mark and illustrator.
• Serebii: English set lists with every card and its number, including the secret cards above the total.
• Bulbapedia: set histories, symbols and print variations, especially useful for older sets.
• Bill's Archive: a symbol chart that is handy for vintage cards.

I know the set. What next?

Once you know the set and number, check the condition and whether it is a holo, reverse holo or other variant, because those change which listing your card matches. Our condition guide explains the terms buyers use.

If you want to buy a missing card, our singles are listed by set and number, and every card is photographed as sold, so the card in the photo is the card you get. If you are clearing out a collection, our sell your cards page explains how to send us a list. Slabbed cards are on our graded page.