Tarot · Pentacles · Earth
Pentacles tarot cards and their meanings
Pentacles are the suit of earth. They cover the things you can touch and count: money, property, a job that pays the bills, skills, health and the daily routine. In a reading they come up around a salary or a promotion, buying a home or a shop, savings, a family business, or simply the question of whether a plan is practical.
The numbered cards follow effort as it turns into results. The Ace is a solid opportunity, the Two juggling demands, the Three skilled teamwork and the Four holding on tight. The Five is hardship, the Six giving and receiving, the Seven waiting for a crop to ripen. The Eight is practice and craft, the Nine comfortable independence and the Ten wealth that lasts across generations. The Page is a careful student, the Knight slow and dependable, the Queen a generous provider who runs a warm home, and the King someone who has built security through experience.
What these cards speak about
- Money, savings and practical planning
- Work, skills and steady progress
- Home, property and family security
- Health, rest and care of the body
The Earth signs, each with a page on its cards: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
The 14 cards
Pentacles at a glance
| Card | Upright | Reversed | Yes or no | Astrology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ace of Pentacles | New opportunity, Solid start, Prosperity | Missed chance, Delay, Shaky plan | Yes | Earth |
| Two of Pentacles | Balance, Juggling, Adaptability | Overwhelm, Overcommitment, Poor balance | Maybe | Capricorn · Jupiter |
| Three of Pentacles | Teamwork, Skill, Craftsmanship | Poor teamwork, Ignored advice, Shoddy work | Yes | Capricorn · Mars |
| Four of Pentacles | Holding on, Security, Control | Letting go, Generosity, Loosening control | No | Capricorn · Sun |
| Five of Pentacles | Hardship, Financial strain, Feeling left out | Recovery, Finding support, Accepting help | No | Taurus · Mercury |
| Six of Pentacles | Generosity, Fair exchange, Charity | Strings attached, Unequal giving, Debt | Maybe | Taurus · Moon |
| Seven of Pentacles | Patience, Long-term growth, Review | Impatience, Poor return, Giving up too soon | Maybe | Taurus · Saturn |
| Eight of Pentacles | Skill building, Practice, Diligence | Perfectionism, Boredom, Sloppy work | Yes | Virgo · Sun |
| Nine of Pentacles | Self-reliance, Earned comfort, Independence | Over-dependence, Isolation, Overwork | Yes | Virgo · Venus |
| Ten of Pentacles | Family, Legacy, Long-term security | Family disputes, Property quarrels, Instability | Yes | Virgo · Mercury |
| Page of Pentacles | Study, New skill, Practical learning | Procrastination, Lack of progress, Unrealistic goals | Maybe | Earth |
| Knight of Pentacles | Hard work, Reliability, Patience | Stagnation, Boredom, Stubbornness | Maybe | Earth |
| Queen of Pentacles | Practical care, Nurturing, Abundance | Self-neglect, Smothering, Work-home imbalance | Yes | Earth |
| King of Pentacles | Wealth, Business sense, Stability | Greed, Rigid control, Materialism | Yes | Earth |
When several of these cards come up
Many Pentacles in a spread bring the question down to earth: time, money, work and the body. They favour slow, measured steps. If someone asks about leaving a job to start a business and draws the Two, Seven and Eight of Pentacles, the cards are commonly read as advice to keep both going for now, to be patient with early results and to build the skill first. A Pentacles card about money is a prompt to look calmly at the numbers, not to decide on a hunch. A card about health is a reason to see a doctor, never a diagnosis.
The other groups
Major Arcana · Wands · Cups · Swords · All tarot card meanings