Reverse holo cards explained
A reverse holo shines on the background instead of the artwork. Here is how to spot one, how it differs from a regular holo, and what to know if you want to collect them.
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- A reverse holo shines on the background instead of the artwork. Here is how to spot one, how it differs from a regular holo, and what to know if you want to collect them.
You open a booster and one card sparkles, but not the way you expected. The artwork is plain and matte, while everything around it shimmers. That's a reverse holo. It sounds complicated, but it's actually very simple.
What exactly is a reverse holo?
On a regular holo, only the artwork of the Pokémon shines. The border and the rest of the card are matte. A reverse holo flips that around. The artwork stays matte, but the background, the border and the text boxes get a glossy foil layer.
The easiest way to tell is to tilt the card in the light. A reverse holo catches the light everywhere except in the picture of the Pokémon itself.
How often is there one in a pack?
In most modern sets, every booster contains at least one reverse holo, sometimes more. That's why it doesn't feel like a jackpot. It's a standard part of the pack, not a rare pull.
Almost every card in a set exists in both a regular and a reverse holo version. That goes for commons, uncommons and many rares. Cards that are already special, like the rarest illustrations, usually don't have a reverse version.
Are reverse holos worth more?
Usually not by much. Because they show up often, most reverse holos are only a little more valuable than their regular version. For a popular Pokémon or a card from a beloved set, that can be different.
For collectors, though, a reverse holo has a different kind of value. If you want to finish a master set, you often need the reverse version of every card too. Some sets even have special patterns in the foil, like a Poké Ball or Master Ball. Those are extra variants to hunt for.
Protect your shiny cards
The foil layer on a reverse holo shows scratches and fingerprints quickly. Slide such a card into a sleeve right away. If you want to keep one long term, a toploader is even better.
A quick tip when checking a card: tilt it under a lamp. You'll see right away whether there are already scratches in the foil, before you put it away.
Ready to find one yourself?
Now that you know what to look for, opening a pack gets a lot more fun. Take a look at a few boosters from our shop below and see which cards shimmer for yourself.