What is an Art Rare? Pokemon TCG explained

If you’re interested in collecting Japanese Pokemon cards, it’s important to have a good understanding of the different kinds of rare cards that exist within the game.

Rare cards range in aesthetic appeal and value significantly, jumping from standard Uncommons and Rares to intriguing Double Rares and Super Rares. Out of the bunch, Art Rares stands out as one of the most visually interesting – and potentially valuable – rare categories.

Recent expansion sets like Night Wanderer and the upcoming Stellar Miracle have firmly planted Art Rares as some of the most important cards for collectors to chase, thanks to memorable artists and unique full art pieces that focus on Pokemon in mesmerizing scenes.

As shown above, Art Rare cards are marked with the letters ‘AR’, which is why you may see them being referred to as AR cards. Art Rares can only be found in Japanese Pokemon card expansion sets. The equivalent to an AR card in an English set would be an Illustration Rare as of the Scarlet & Violet era.

How to tell if you have an Art Rare Pokemon card

Identifying whether you’ve pulled an AR or another type of rare card can take time, especially if you’re a newer collector. Here are a few things to check to help you successfully identify Art Rares in your Pokemon card hauls:

1. Is there an ‘AR’ mark in the bottom left-hand corner? This is the most important question to answer. If your card doesn’t say ‘AR’ on it, you have not pulled an Art Rare and are dealing with another kind of full art card instead.
2. Does the card feature full artwork? Every AR card is a full art card. If the artwork is contained to the standard box, you may be looking at a Double Rare card instead.
3. Is the card from an authentic Booster Pack or product? This can take a little practice to get the hang of but identifying whether your card is legit can help to categorize it properly. Fake AR cards may not have the rarity symbol or set symbol in the correct location, for example.

If you’re still unsure about what you’ve pulled, it’s worth checking out a site like Bulbapedia for more information on the card you’ve pulled. Finding digital versions of your card to crosscheck information can be a handy way to verify how rare it is and whether it’s authentic, too.

For those who are planning to sell their Art Rare cards, make sure to check out our grading guide for further information. Getting a card graded can help make the resale process smoother.

If you’re looking for further card rarity information, have a look at our guides to Special Illustration Rares and Special Art Rares side-by-side to see the differences between the two categories. SIR and SAR cards are similar but not the same, which is worth knowing as a collector.