King of Pentacles Tarot Card Meaning: Upright, Reversed, Love & Yes/No

By The Mystica Editorial Team · Checked against our editorial standards · Updated 20 September 2026 · 6 min read

Steady leadership and wise choices bring stable results. Build on what already works.

Arcana	Minor Arcana, suit of Pentacles
Element	Earth
Court rank	King (Fire of Earth)
Astrology	Fire of Earth (Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo)
Yes or no	Yes
Upright	success, abundance, discipline, security
Reversed	materialism, stubbornness, poor financial choices

Pamela Colman Smith · Rider–Waite–Smith (1909)

King of Pentacles symbolism

A king sits on a throne carved with bulls, surrounded by grapevines heavy with fruit. He wears a robe decorated with grapes, holds a sceptre in one hand and a pentacle in the other, and a castle rises behind him. Everything around him speaks of abundance built over time.

The descriptions on this site refer to the Rider-Waite-Smith deck (1909), illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith and designed with Arthur Edward Waite, which is the reference for most modern tarot. Other decks may show different imagery with a similar meaning.

Upright meaning

• success
• abundance
• discipline
• security

The King of Pentacles is success, abundance and discipline. He has built wealth and stability through patience, good judgement and hard work, and he uses his resources responsibly.

The card favours business success, financial security and leadership in practical matters. It can represent a successful businessperson, a generous provider or your own ability to create lasting stability.

Reversed meaning

• materialism
• stubbornness
• poor financial choices

Reversed, the King of Pentacles shows materialism, stubbornness or poor financial choices. Wealth may be used to control, or status may matter more than substance.

Remember what the resources are for: security and wellbeing, not only status.

New to reversals? Our guide to reading reversed tarot cards explains the different ways readers interpret an upside-down card.

King of Pentacles in love and relationships

King of Pentacles as feelings

As feelings, the King of Pentacles means someone feels committed and wants to provide stability and security for you.

Career and work

At work, he favours business ownership, management, finance, real estate and long-term career success.

Money and finances

With money, he indicates wealth, stability and wise investments. It is one of the best financial cards.

Is King of Pentacles a yes or no card?

Number, element and astrology

The King of Pentacles belongs to the suit of Pentacles (also called Coins or Disks; Diamonds in playing-card terms), the earth suit that deals with money, work, the body, home and material security. Kings are court cards associated with outer mastery, authority and leadership. They can describe a person in your life, a role you are playing or an energy you need to adopt.

Kings are fire of their suit, and fire of earth is will applied to matter: enterprise, management and wealth-building. The bulls carved on his throne refer to Taurus, the sign most associated with material security.

Advice from King of Pentacles

Use your resources wisely and generously. Build for lasting security.

Example reading

This example is written by our editors to show how the card is read in context. It is not a real client's reading. See our tarot spreads for how positions change a card's meaning.

King of Pentacles in question readings

What King of Pentacles says when it lands in a specific position. These are the interpretations our free readings by question show for this card.

• As their feelings (Does my ex still love me?): This person may still feel protective and loyal toward you. Their feelings are steady and practical, grounded in a desire to provide and be dependable. They may still want to make sure you are okay, even if they would not say it directly.
• As what they are not showing (Does he like me?): What they are not showing is their long-term intentions. They may be quietly planning a stable future, even if they seem reserved or businesslike on the surface. Their reserve is careful planning, not coldness.
• As the outcome in a reconciliation reading (Will he come back?): Things lean toward stability. If reconnection happens, it would likely be solid, mature, and committed, built on reliability rather than passion alone. Whatever happens, this path favors security and grounded choices over drama, and it rewards patience and maturity from both sides.
• As what is coming in love (Will I find love?): A stable, successful, and generous partner may be ahead. This card points to someone grounded and dependable, and a relationship that offers real security. They are likely to offer steady, generous, dependable care.
• As the outcome for work (Will I get the job?): The outcome leans very favorable. Expect financial success, promotion, business growth, or a secure position. This is one of the strongest cards for material and career goals. Your discipline pays off.
• As advice (What should I do?): Choose with discipline and long-term thinking. Lead with steady, practical judgment and pick the option that builds lasting security for you and those who depend on you. Think like a steward.
• Reversed in a love reading (Will we get back together?): Reversed, control, stubbornness, or materialism may be the real problem. Someone may use money or power to hold on, and reconnection built on that leans unhealthy. Love is not something to be owned or managed.

Pulled King of Pentacles next to another card? See what they mean together with the tarot card combinations tool.

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