If you have read our other tarot guides, you may have noticed some themes. The Minor Arcana cards of the King across the four suits are in some way connected to maturity, leadership, and an expression of mastery, while the Pentacles suit is broadly connected to the element of Earth.
This guide will focus on the last card in the deck—the King of Pentacles—which is the cross-section between these two themes, and in some ways epitomizes these messages of success. Not only will this guide look at the upright position and reversed position meanings, but also when the King is paired with other tarot cards from the Rider-Waite tarot deck.
King of Pentacles Keywords
Upright card (keywords)
Abundance, prosperity, security, ambitious, safe, kind, patriarchal, protective, businessman, provider, sensual, reliable
Reversed card (keywords)
Greed, materialistic, wasteful, chauvanist, poor financial decisions, gambler, exploitative, possessive
The King of Pentacles Tarot Card Description
The King of Pentacles is one of the most visually striking and noisy illustrations of the entire deck. It pictures an older King sitting on his throne, wearing a very elaborate robe with grape and vine decorations.
He appears to be authoritative, which is backed up by his crown, while his expression is confidently neutral. Over his shoulder is some bull imagery, which represents strength and the element of Earth.
Like other Pentacles cards, the vines represent a sense of fertility and abundance, while the castle on the right is a show of establishment and security. The garden appears to be blooming, with the throne sitting on top of fertile earth.
The King of Pentacles Upright Meaning
The Suit of Pentacles King tarot meaning, which is expressed quite overtly through its imagery, is grounded in stability. The King has accumulated material success, that much is clear, but it is the security that’s at the forefront of the King’s message.
This security has been born out of self-discipline and personal growth; the material world hasn’t been handed to him, but he has instead taken time, perhaps through business acumen and pragmatism, to finally be in a position of stability.
The upright meaning of the King is also about patience, and it tells you that achieving your goals takes time. There’s a difference between being rich and being wealthy, and the King is the latter. This means his wealth and material possessions are sustainable and long-lasting.
Love Meaning
Good things come to those who wait. The upright King of Pentacles suggests that you will find your stable life partner not by rushing into things, but by being careful in who you trust. For those in a relationship, the King of Pentacles upright is a champion of traditional values, meaning that you must prioritize being reliable and committed, and be a generous provider of financial security for it to last.
Career Meaning
Professional achievement is important to you, and recognition is just as important as remuneration. You’re likely becoming a leader, or having leader-like qualities, and it’s worth leaning into any opportunities to become a mentor to others. The King is a proponent of calculated risks and long-term thinking, as this will better facilitate your work ethic.
Finances Meaning
Hard work isn’t enough to achieve financial stability. The King indicates that wise investments and a sustainable approach to your financial situation are necessary. Perhaps you’re earning enough money because of your strong work ethic, but it’s important to research how to protect and grow this wealth.
The King of Pentacles Reversed Card Meaning
The reversed King of Pentacles means there’s an imbalance in the King’s grounded stability. This may have grown out of a desire for material wealth for its own sake, as opposed to being a vehicle for financial security, as well as being excessively stubborn. Perhaps worst of all, greed is getting the better of you and is leading to a misuse of your power.
Love Meaning
In a love tarot reading, the reversed position of the King has a message about materialism within relationships, and how it can lead to a devaluing of your partner. Your love life will struggle to be fruitful when using money as a means of control, as you’ll have a hard time creating lasting bonds. Workaholism, too, can undermine your relationship, and placing too much of a desire on providing for your partner can actually end up pushing them away.
Career Meaning
The King doesn’t suggest that a lack of leadership is a problem, but rather poor leadership. This means that you may take advantage of your authority, such as turning up late to work or overdelegating. Career stagnation can come after a period of success, if that success was driven by being unethical or through luck, rather than a calculated strategy. Fear or greed are your biggest concerns when it comes to work, and it’s creating imbalance.
Finances Meaning
In a financial context, the reversed King suggests that you may be taking too much risk, potentially through a get-rich-quick mindset, and believes that gambling is not going to lead to stability. Gambling may be literal, or it may be figurative regarding taking out debts and other poor financial decisions. Within financial matters, a hyperfocus on material wealth, ironically, can lead to the opposite.
Other Cards With The King of Pentacles
The King is a good omen and its assertive authority is an interesting tarot card to pair with others, as it provides an opportunity for a more deep and nuanced message. Here are five of the King’s most important pairings.
The King of Pentacles and The Nine of Pentacles
The King and the Nine from the Suit of Pentacles create a combination that is even more driven by self-sufficiency. The Nine is centered around luxury and financial independence—there is an outward appearance of beauty and the finer things in life. So when paired with the King, there’s an even stronger message of unified efforts towards achieving security. The nine, however, is a reminder to enjoy the rewards of your wealth more.
The King of Pentacles and The Tower
The Tower is a Major Arcana card that’s all about danger and destruction. This is a challenging pairing as it challenges the stability in your life, suggesting that a stark but inevitable change will happen. While this is daunting, its inevitability should liberate you to some degree, to know that all you can do is continue being methodical like the King is, as this will be the path towards rebuilding.
The King of Pentacles and The Empress
The Empress’ maternal care brings some well-needed nurturing energies to the King’s authority. This is a well-balanced pairing that suggests you can be both a leader and a provider. Your patient and strategic efforts can indeed be a platform for growth, and the Empress’ creativity means that your career efforts needn’t be ruthlessly pragmatic, but can also be directed towards something more artsy or inspiring.
The King of Pentacles and The Fool
This is a contrasting pairing on first appearance, with The Fool representing spontaneity and a more carefree spirit than the King. Together though, this middle ground helps keep the King open-minded and adventurous. Perhaps you’ve been penny-pinching and doing overtime at work. The Fool introduces a sense of organized chaos to these practical matters and it may be needed for you to see things in a different light; be it finding a new line of work or making a financial move, like moving to a new home, that can snap you out of your routine.
The King of Pentacles and The Ace of Wands
The Ace of Wands pairing is highly dynamic. This is a little bit like The Fool pairing in that the Ace brings new potential to the table, be it a new business or relationship. However, this pairing is driven more by inspiration and combining your practical skills with more innovative ideas.
If you’re an entrepreneur, this is vital, as your successful business ventures depend on creative vision. But even for students and blue-collar workers, exploring new skills is important for stability, which is something the King lacks messaging on alone; you need to continue learning in order to stay at the top of your game.
The King of Pentacles Card and Its Astrological Sign
Like all cards in the Rider-Waite deck, there are astrological connections. As already touched on, the King of Pentacles is associated with the element of Earth. It’s commonly connected to the astrological sign of Taurus, in part because of the bull imagery, as well as being steadfast and reliable. There are also some secondary associations to both Capricorn, because he’s ambitious and disciplined, and Virgo, because of his mastery.
Conclusion
After reaching the end of this comprehensive guide, you will have learned all about the King’s messages on stability and financial abundance. Initially, you may see the bull and think of a bull in a china shop—but this couldn’t be further from the case. Hopefully these messages from a mature man about security will prompt you to ask yourself some deep questions.
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