The set symbol is the small mark that tells you which set a card was printed in. Match it here and you have the set’s name, when it came out and how many cards it holds.
Below are 198 English set symbols, oldest first and grouped by era, from Jungle (1999) to 30th Celebration (2026). Every image is a copy we keep ourselves, and we checked more than 40 of them against the symbol printed on our own card images. Release dates and card counts are as our catalogue records them on 29 September 2026. The card counts include every card we list for the set, secret rares included, so they are often higher than the total printed on the cards.
Where the set symbol is on your card
Base, Gym and Neo (1999–2002): on the right, just under the artwork, at the end of the bar with the Pokémon’s height and weight.
The EX series to XY (2003–2016): bottom-right, next to the card number.
Sun & Moon and Sword & Shield (2017–2023): bottom-left, before the card number.
Scarlet & Violet and Mega Evolution (2023 on): bottom-left, where a boxed set code such as PAL or PRE takes the place of a picture.
Base Set has no symbol
The first English set, Base Set (1999), was printed without a set symbol. That blank space is a quick way to tell a Base Set card from its Base Set 2 reprint (2000), which carries a symbol in the same spot. Here is the same Charizard from both sets, from our own card images.
Top: Base Set Charizard, with nothing at the end of the bar (this copy is a 1st Edition, hence the stamp on the left). Bottom: Base Set 2 Charizard, with the Base Set 2 symbol.
From pictures to letter codes
Scarlet & Violet changed the symbol. From the first Scarlet & Violet set (March 2023), English cards print a short set code in a box, such as SVI, PAL or PRE, followed by EN for English, instead of a picture. The Mega Evolution sets kept the system: MEG, PFL, ASC and so on. Each code is listed under its symbol below.
The letter in its own box just before the code (G, H, I or J on recent cards) is the regulation mark. It is used for tournament rules and does not identify the set.
Same symbol, different set
Some sets share a symbol with the set they came out alongside. The Trainer Galleries of Brilliant Stars, Astral Radiance, Lost Origin and Silver Tempest use their main set’s symbol, as do Crown Zenith’s Galarian Gallery, Shining Fates’ Shiny Vault and Celebrations’ Classic Collection, and 30th Celebration’s Classic Collection shares its 30C code. On those cards the number tells them apart: a Brilliant Stars Trainer Gallery card is numbered TG01/TG30, for example.
Black Star Promo sets share one design too: a black star with PROMO across it, from Wizards Black Star Promos (1999) to MEP Black Star Promos (2025).
The symbols, era by era
Within each era the sets are in release order; eras can overlap by a few weeks at the edges. The other small mark near the card number is the rarity symbol, which we cover in what each rarity symbol means.
Japanese sets have their own symbols and codes. This gallery covers English sets only.
Cardient is an independent app and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by The Pokémon Company International, Nintendo, Creatures or GAME FREAK. Card images are shown for identification.
Common questions
Where is the set symbol on a Pokémon card?+
It depends on the era. On Base, Gym and Neo cards (1999–2002) it sits on the right, just under the artwork, at the end of the height and weight bar. From the EX series to XY (2003–2016) it is bottom-right, next to the card number. On Sun & Moon and Sword & Shield cards (2017–2023) it is bottom-left, before the number. From Scarlet & Violet (2023) on, a boxed set code such as PAL or PRE sits bottom-left in its place.
Why does my Pokémon card have no set symbol?+
If it is a card from 1999, it is probably from Base Set, the first English set, which was printed without one. Its reprint set, Base Set 2 (2000), has a symbol in the same place. Cards from Scarlet & Violet (2023) onwards have no picture either: they print a boxed set code, such as PAL or PRE, instead.
What do letters like PAL or PRE on a Pokémon card mean?+
They are the set code, which replaced the picture symbol from Scarlet & Violet (March 2023) onwards. PAL is Paldea Evolved and PRE is Prismatic Evolutions, for example. The EN after the code means the card is English. The letter in its own box before the code (G, H, I or J on recent cards) is the regulation mark, used for tournament rules, not the set.
How many Pokémon sets are there?+
Our catalogue holds 201 English sets as of 29 September 2026, counting promo sets, McDonald’s collections, trainer kits and subsets such as Trainer Galleries alongside the main expansions. How many sets there are depends on what you count, so treat any single number, ours included, as the size of a particular list.
Do Trainer Gallery and Shiny Vault cards have their own set symbol?+
No. They use the symbol of the set they came with, and their numbering tells them apart: Trainer Gallery cards are numbered from TG01 and Shiny Vault cards from SV, instead of continuing the main set’s numbers.
Can’t place the symbol?
Scan the card in Cardient. It shows the set and the rarity. No account, ever.
