The Ace of Pentacles card is the beginning of the Suit of Pentacles. This suit is represented by the element of Earth and symbolizes finances, luxury, success, and all monetary earthly things in life. It is often correlated with the Suit of Diamonds in a regular deck of playing cards. Earth is used in the imagery of the Major Arcana to symbolize stability. All Aces signify beginnings, which is appropriate for their position; this card shows where things are beginning within the confines of the Suit of Pentacles. The Ace of Pentacles in a typical tarot deck will show a single pentacle, which is sometimes seen as currency, cradled by the hand of the divine high in the sky.
Because all Aces encompass initiations and all pentacles represent riches, financial transactions, and possessions, the querent will always be in a position of beginning a journey in the realm of personal finances and banking when this card surfaces. This will be modified by surrounding cards, but it is very encouraging to find Aces in a spread as they foretell good fortune. Pairs of Aces in a tarot layout will show that there are two journeys happening simultaneously, and three Aces will reveal that there is good news about marriages or the birth of a child. If one is lucky enough to see all four Aces in their tarot layout, they will soon see great success. It is important to remember that although the Ace heralds new beginnings, there has to be an end in store to balance out the scales. Regardless of this, this particular Ace shows where the querent is starting out on a new investment venture or building up their finances in some way for the future.
The Ace of Pentacles in an Upright Position
When the Ace of Pentacles appears in its upright position, it indicates being at the top of one’s game. The querent may be receiving something of value on paper, but it isn’t money. Degrees, travel documents, licenses, and other valuable documents are on their way to the querent. Because of the correlation between the Suit of Diamonds and the Suit of Pentacles, the Ace of Pentacles may show where the querent is receiving a diamond. Due to this, the piece of paper may turn out to be an engagement announcement. There will be profit on the way, and the beginnings of the Ace here show initiating a journey towards or in luxury. Travel can be seen here too, but more for pleasure than work. One may also find themselves dealing with permits or work visas.
The meaning of all Minor Arcana cards can be modified by the cards that surround it. Court cards from the Minor Arcana (Pages, Knights, Queens, and Kings) all represent people. They have corresponding physical characteristics as well as their own astrological correspondences. If a court card should fall next to or near the Ace of Pentacles, it can show the one delivering the important document, signing for the document, or the one who is creating the document. It can also show who one will be entering into a contract with. Perhaps this is a travel partner or classmate in a degree program, but this will need to be determined by taking every card surrounding the Ace of Pentacles into account. There are other cards that can change the meaning of the Ace here slightly: Death can show an inheritance while the Ten of Cups makes the possibilities of marriage even greater.
The Ace of Pentacles in a Reversed Position
The reversed position of each card of the Minor Arcana is really as it states: an inversion of the card’s meaning. The Ace of Pentacles shows the divine hand dropping the pentacle instead of holding it in his hand. This can imply that an opportunity has slipped from the querent’s fingers, that there has been a careless mistake on an important document, or that a contract has become null and void before it has been started. The Ace of Pentacles shows a single coin, which in reversal could mean losing money, or it could be a warning of losing money. This may also show that one is carelessly spending what they do not have on luxury items they cannot afford. There is also a warning that the querent may lose an important document, so when travelling abroad, the querent should take great care in packing and carrying around his passport to prevent dropping it or losing it somewhere. This can also warn of losing the paperwork like a marriage license on one’s wedding day or show that the paperwork one receives has to do with divorce or other legal proceedings like a subpoena, custody papers, or a letter from a trustee, especially with swords near.
The pentacle looks to be slipping or falling out of the hand of the divine in the reversed Ace of Cups, so it is more of a possibility that the querent is losing something of monetary value or linked to finance through carelessness or due to being scattered brained. There is little evidence that this loss comes from theft, but as a mistake. The querent may also find he loses things from them falling out of his wallet, backpack, or pocket, so this would be a good time to close up small holes in these things. The querent may also find that he is losing possessions by them being misplaced or having fallen somewhere. This could include luggage, tickets for events or trips, receipts, and even credit cards. Being cautious will pay off, but if something is lost, it can be regained. The pentacle would simply be picked back up, and the journey could continue.
Key Terms
- Letters of good news
- Passports
- Engagement Announcements
- College or University Degree
- Acceptance Letter
- Losing important papers
- Legal Documents (Wills, Divorce, Bankruptcy)
- Contracts
- Licenses (Marriage, Drivers, Business)
- Careless Mistakes on Documents
- Possessions
- Misplacing travel documents
- Successful Starts