Pentacles Suit
Get to know more about the Tarot - Choose from the menu below ↓↓
The Pentacles Suit
Pentacle people are grounded, practical, kind and career minded. They are very tactile and like to experience tangible things. They like to seek pleasurable experiences and can tend to be very indulgent.
Earth represents grounding, being tactile and practical. It is stable, supportive and helps nurture growth. A feminine energy flows through this suit that is receptive and uses its energy to sustain life.
The card meanings cover business, money, material possessions and trade. The positives of the suit represent manifestation, realisation and prosperity.
The negative aspects can be possessive tendencies, greed, materialism, being driven by career or money over love and overindulgence.
A card spread heavy in Pentacles normally suggests that the querent wishes to know about career and business matters, seeking solutions to material struggles and mastering financial matters.
When cards are selected and any appear upside down, this is known as a reversed card. This has a completely new meaning to that card and generally is the opposite to what the upright card signifies.
This is when the negative aspect of the Pentacles comes into play. There are some upright cards that also represent negative attributes as described above.
Here is a quick reference to each card including the reversed version. But know that they do have various meanings and can change dependent on what card surrounds them in the card spread. This is especially so if they are trumped by a Major Arcana card. A brief description of each individual illustration is included, in this instance from the Rider Waite Tarot deck:
Ace of Pentacles
Illustration
As with the other Aces, a hand reaches out from a divine cloud holding a large coin that represents abundance, financial opportunity and the possibility of an amazing new career. The coin, coming out of nowhere, is for the taking and it is up to the querent to make the most of it and grab it while they can. The beautiful gardens lead to a foliage covered archway promising an opening to new and exciting opportunities. There may be challenges ahead depicted by the mountains, but if the querent is willing to go for what they want, success is in the offing.
Meaning
Abundance. New career/money opportunity. Manifestation. New beginnings. Prosperity. Achieving ambitions. Law of Attraction. Love and happiness.
Reversed
Hesitation in moving forward. Job/money/loan could fall through. Unnecessary delays. Business planning.
Two of Pentacles
Illustration
A man is juggling two coins and with the addition of the infinity symbol depicts that he has the ability to handle unlimited problems as long as he remains focused and committed to the job at hand. The ships in the distance bob up and down reflecting the ups and downs of life that can be faced as long as the man stays attentive to his goals.
Meaning
Juggling priorities. Time management. Encouraging downtime. Maintaining balance.
Reversed
Overcommitment. Stress. Over-investing at the expense of others. Reassessing priorities.
Three of Pentacles
Illustration
A stonemason is working on a cathedral and is checking with the other two figures, the architects, if everything is going to plan. All are a specialist in their own field but respect each other for their valuable contributions. Collaboration appears to be key in this illustration.
Meaning
Working as a team. Collaboration. Synergy. Making things happen. Following a schedule. Encouragement of right direction.
Reversed
Lack of harmony with others. Lack of planning. Dead end job. Wanting to go it alone.
Four of Pentacles
Illustration
A man sits holding tightly on to a coin. The one atop his head is blocking his spiritual connection and intuition. He has two coins firmly anchored by his feet. He wants no one to take his coins away. He sits away from civilization representing that he has no one to consult or speak to. He finds himself stuck completely fixated on his wealth.
Meaning
Frugality. Overspending. Investments. Savings plans. Not enjoying accumulated wealth.
Reversed
Re-evaluating what’s important. Decluttering. Overindulgence. Greed. Control over home environment.
Five of Pentacles
Illustration
A man and a woman walk through a snowstorm destitute and impoverished. The man is on crutches and the woman has only a thin blanket to keep her from the freezing cold. There is a church offering warmth, security and spiritual comfort but they are too fixated on their plight to see the help that is available to them.
Meaning
Financial loss. Temporary situation. Swallowing pride. Self-isolation. Self-sabotage. Fear of loss.
Reversed
End to difficult times. New opportunities. Seeing a way forward. Changing mindset. Law of Attraction.
Six of Pentacles
Illustration
A man is handing coins to two beggars showing how generous he is with his wealth; he holds a scale in his left hand to represent fairness and equality. He is willing to share his wealth with others in order to help them. Likewise, he is also open to receive gratefully. This illustration is all about giving and receiving graciously as he never knows if his wealth will run out and he will need help.
Meaning
Generosity. Charity. Giving and receiving. The giving of oneself. Financially supporting loved ones. Receiving loans. Plans for self-sufficiency. Gratitude. Financial harmony.
Reversed
Need for self-care. Self-appreciation. One-way relationships. Putting oneself first. Debt. Being taken advantage of.
Seven of Pentacles
Illustration
A man leans on his hoe admiring the crop that he has nurtured from seed. He is somewhat weary however from the effort and now needs to take a rest and enjoy the fruits of his labour. He may have been doing far too much and exhausted himself in the process.
Meaning
Sustainable investments. Long term planning. Good results form hard work. Frustrated delays. Gratitude.
Reversed
Questioning investments. Bad choices. Assessing goals. Wasted effort in a relationship. Failing to progress.
Eight of Pentacles
Illustration
A man is working very hard on etching Pentacles into his coins. He is working very diligently and faces away from his town so as not to encounter any distractions. He has worked exceptionally hard, eager to be the best he can at his craft which is improving with each coin that he works on.
Meaning
Apprenticeship. Study. Mastering your craft. Commitment to change. Encouragement of your actions. Working on the self. Pursuing your goals.
Reversed
Personal development. Unnatural need for perfection. Lack of success. Shifting focus.
Nine of Pentacles
Illustration
A well-dressed woman serenely stands in her garden of abundance. Her right hand sits on one of her many coins depicting her wealth, her fingers are entwined in a grape vine representing a healthy relationship with money. The falcon that sits on her left hand signifies spiritual and intellectual self-control. She is enjoying the fruits of her labours and no doubt owns the beautiful home in the background. She represents everything that is abundant and financially sound.
Meaning
Luxury. Abundance. Self-sufficiency. Independence. Indulgence. Seeking financial advice. Encouragement to live luxuriously. In harmony with nature.
Reversed
Reflection of self-worth. Under charging. Self-investment for happiness. Stop and smell the roses. Dependence on material wealth.
Ten of Pentacles
Illustration
A white-haired man sits in a luxurious robe, his two faithful dogs at his feet. Close by are a couple with their child. The man has established everything that he needs both materially and on the home front. The symbols on the house represent the strength and ancestry of a family united in love and stability. He sits back and is exceptionally pleased with the legacy that he has created.
Meaning
Financial security. Completion. Hard work paying off. Lasting foundations. Breadwinner. Family love and security. Legacy.
Reversed
Re- evaluation of material needs. Struggling to maintain high standards of living. Challenges/ setbacks with family/ finances/ job. Regaining self-worth.
The Court Suit
The Page of Pentacles
Illustration
The Page examines the coin that he holds in his hand intently in order to see how he can manifest even more abundance. He is surrounded by fertile land with flowers in bloom signifying prosperity, the ploughed field signifying an abundant harvest. The mountain signifies challenges that will come about on his way to manifesting abundance.
Meaning
New beginnings. Financial abundance. Manifestation. Focused intent. Realistic goals. Learning something new. New business venture.
Reversed
Brainstorming. Business concepts. Bad planning. Daydreaming. Learn from past mistakes.
The Knight of Pentacles
Illustration
The knight sits on his horse making no effort to move forward. He is examining his coin and making sure that everything is planned to precision before he takes action. The ploughed field in the background shows that he is ready to put the hard work in to grow his concept and reap the harvest in the future.
Meaning
Effort. Hard work. Careful planning. Mundane tasks gladly undertaken. Routine. Keeping focused.
Reversed
Greater self-discipline. Establish routine. Self-development. Feeling stuck in the daily grind. Self-isolation. Perfectionism affecting others.
The Queen of Pentacles
Illustration
The Queen sits on a throne adorned with goats, angels, and fruit trees signifying material success and sensual pleasure. She leans over her precious coin acknowledging her wealth and success. She is surrounded by nature showing how connected she is to the earth and Mother Nature. A rabbit is in the foreground signifying fertility and that she is in flow with the Universe.
Meaning
Working parent. Financial independence. Comfortable home environment. Down to earth. Teacher, counsellor or mentor. Nurturing and caring for others.
Reversed
Self-care. Creating financial independence. Work/home imbalance. Seeking home help.
King of Pentacles
Illustration
The King sits on a throne adorned with bulls showing his link to the sign of Taurus. His robes display grapes and vines signifying wealth and abundance. In his right hands he holds a scepter of power. In his left hand he holds a coin symbolic of his material influence and status. The King has not only accumulated wealth and prosperity he has found a way to sustain it. He sits amongst even more abundance shown by the vines and plants around him. His impressive castle looms in the distance representing all that he has built. He has mastered financial success and is passionate in showing off his wealth and possessions.
Meaning
Business acumen. Wealth. Financial abundance. Father figure. Self-worth. King Midas. Finality of a business venture. Rich both financially and spiritually. Stick to what you know.
Reversed
Lack of respect for finance. Unnecessary spending. Prioritizing money over love/relationships. Bragging. Stubbornness. Stuck in a rut.
As can be seen, a major part of the pentacles suit is about money. However specifically in the reversed cards, relationship difficulties are highlighted quite regularly.
If the relationship is in need of attention, you may find this particular Pentacle card trumped by a Major Arcana card such as The Lovers, or by a Cup (emotion/relationship) card in the Minor Arcana. By looking at what cards neighbour each other, a clearer picture of where the narrative is going will form. This will then give the querent a clearer message on what that particular card means.
As always, studying the illustrations of each card will really help the querent remember their definitions. Regular study and self-readings will lead to a more proficient understanding of this suit and the others.
The more you put in, the more you get out!
What is QR Tarot?
Scan QR Codes with your Smartphone in a world-first Tarot Learning experience.
Take your QR Tarot journey now...