What Is an SIR Pokémon Card?
Not long ago, knowing the difference between a holo and an Ultra Rare was enough. Today there's a growing list of rarity names that leaves new collectors guessing — IRs, SIRs, SARs, alt arts. This guide covers what an SIR actually is, how it differs from the other illustration rarities, and which ones are worth the most right now.
What SIR Means
In the Pokémon Trading Card Game, SIR stands for Special Illustration Rare.
The term arrived in 2023 with the English launch of the Scarlet & Violet series. Before that, collectors spent years chasing what the community called alternate art cards — cards with unique, full-card illustrations. When Scarlet & Violet landed, The Pokémon Company made it official with two new tiers: Illustration Rare (IR) and Special Illustration Rare (SIR).
So what makes an SIR special? It comes down to the artwork.
Most Pokémon cards give the illustration a small window. The rest of the card belongs to attacks, stats and game text. SIRs do the opposite — the art stretches across almost the entire front, which gives the artist far more room. Instead of a Pokémon in a simple pose, you get one relaxing beside its Trainer, exploring its habitat, or interacting with other Pokémon.
Want to check whether a card in your binder is an SIR? Look at the rarity symbol near the bottom. An SIR carries two gold stars. Our rarity symbols guide walks through the full set of symbols if you're not sure what you're looking at.
SIR vs IR vs Alt Art
It's easy to see why these get mixed up. IRs, SIRs and alt arts all use artwork that fills nearly the whole card, so at a glance they look similar. The differences come down to the card type, the finish, and how Pokémon officially classifies it.
Which Pokémon Feature
IR and SIR debuted together, but they aren't interchangeable. Illustration Rares feature non-ex Pokémon — Bulbasaur #143 from Stellar Crown is a good example, and it runs about $105 raw. Special Illustration Rares are reserved for Pokémon ex and Supporter cards, so they're the premium illustration rarity for those types.
Finish and Texture
The finish separates them too. An IR is flat — no raised or textured surface. An SIR is the opposite: an intricate texture over an art holo finish. Run a fingertip across it and you can feel the difference.
Rarity Symbol
SIRs are marked with two gold stars. IRs have one. On Japanese cards the labels differ again — SIRs are printed as "SAR" and IRs as "AR".
Alternate art isn't an official rarity at all. It's the name collectors gave full-card illustrations during the Sword & Shield era, before Pokémon formalised IR and SIR. Because it was never an official tier, it follows no single set of rules — the symbol, finish and card types all vary by set. The one thing alt arts share is the full-card illustration.
Why SIRs Are Valuable
Plenty of SIRs carry serious price tags. Mega Charizard X ex #125 from Phantasmal Flames sits around $692 for a Near Mint raw copy and $2,000 in a PSA 10. Three things drive that.
They're Hard to Pull
SIRs have some of the lowest pull rates in modern Pokémon sets — well below commons, uncommons and ordinary rares. Few copies reach the market, so when a lot of people want the same card, the price follows.
They Feature Popular Pokémon and Trainers
Most SIRs feature fan-favourite Pokémon and Trainers, and that demand is steadier than it is for lesser-known characters. Lillie's Clefairy ex #280 from Ascended Heroes is a good example — it pulls in Clefairy collectors and Lillie collectors at once, and a raw Near Mint copy runs about $166.
The Artwork Carries Them
A lot of newer collectors aren't chasing nostalgia — they're buying the art. Freed from the usual illustration box, an SIR reads more like a miniature painting, with depth and a bit of storytelling. That pulls in buyers who don't care about the competitive side at all.
SIR Cards Worth Knowing
Some of the SIRs collectors chase hardest, with current market values from our card value checker. Prices move quickly, so treat these as a snapshot rather than a fixed number:
- Umbreon ex #161 from Prismatic Evolutions — about $1,496 raw, $5,400 in a PSA 10
- Mega Gengar ex #284 from Ascended Heroes — about $1,083 raw, $2,400 in a PSA 10
- Pikachu ex #276 from Ascended Heroes — about $1,070 raw, $2,550 in a PSA 10
- Mew ex #232 from Paldean Fates — about $1,018 raw, $3,100 in a PSA 10
- Mega Dragonite ex #290 from Ascended Heroes — about $696 raw, $1,665 in a PSA 10
- Mega Charizard X ex #125 from Phantasmal Flames — about $692 raw, $2,000 in a PSA 10
- Sylveon ex #156 from Prismatic Evolutions — about $510 raw, $1,650 in a PSA 10
- Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex #231 from Destined Rivals — about $503 raw, $1,255 in a PSA 10
- Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex #281 from Ascended Heroes — about $435 raw, $880 in a PSA 10
- Pikachu ex #277 from Ascended Heroes — about $369 raw, $1,116 in a PSA 10
You can browse every Special Illustration Rare by current value on our SIR card list, or see how they stack up against the all-time greats on the most expensive Pokémon cards page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I collect SIR cards or IR cards?
There's no wrong answer. If you're collecting for the artwork, both offer superb illustrations and IRs cost a fraction of the price. If you want the highest illustration rarity and the cards with the deepest collector demand, SIRs are the ones.
Are SIR Pokémon cards textured?
Yes. Genuine SIRs have a textured finish that adds depth to the illustration, and it's one of the quickest ways to tell a real SIR from an IR — IRs are completely flat.
Can every Pokémon ex card have an SIR version?
No. Only selected Pokémon ex cards get an SIR printing. Most ex cards appear only as regular ex or standard full-art versions.
What does SAR mean on a Japanese card?
SAR is the Japanese label for what the English game calls a Special Illustration Rare. Japanese IRs are labelled AR. The cards are equivalent — only the printed abbreviation changes.
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