King of Pentacles Meaning: Upright and Reversed

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Thea Engst has been working with Tarot for six years. She has taken a course, worked with a mentor, and honed her skills on her own. Thea utilizes Tarot for her own personal guidance and to help friends and family through difficult times, as well as selling readings through Etsy and Instagram. Her favorite deck is the Motherpeace and she often uses oracle cards and a pendulum for clarity in difficult questions.

Upright and Reversed King of Pentacles Keywords

Upright Keywords:

Money/wealth
Discipline
Financial success
Wisdom
Financial stability
Business
Abundance

Reversed Keywords:

Unskilled in business
Poor money management
Stubborn
Greedy
Relentless

The Suit of Pentacles

Pentacles as a suit are associated with the element of earth. They correlate to earthly belongings, material gains, and both monetary concerns and gains. Pentacles can also be referred to as coins or discs, amongst other things depending on the deck, but they are all the same.

As an earth suit, Pentacles are therefore aligned with the earth signs of the zodiac or astrological calendar: Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn. If you pull the King of Pentacles, take a moment to consider if any of these earth signs are people you know who may be involved in your question. This king is associated with Taurus specifically.

Kings in Tarot Card Suits

Kings are all fathers with masculine energy. Just as Queens are not necessarily female, Kings are not necessarily male. It’s really about their masculine energy, not their sex. These people are leaders in their family, community, workplace, and/or friend group.

Kings are all strong, mature, and stable. They are the most evolved version of their respective suit. They are managers, they are overseers, they are very knowledgeable.

Kings easily care for others as they are financially and emotionally stable. They enjoy this work. They seek to make a positive impact on the world they will eventually leave behind. Their legacy is a focus now, as they’ve achieved their other goals.

Symbolism and Imagery of the King of Pentacles

The King of Pentacles is sitting on his throne: a place of authority and leisure but also responsibility. In his left hand, his receptive hand, he holds his pentacle or his coin. He receives financial stability from this pentacle. In his right hand, his projective hand, he holds his staff of authority. Both are yellow, more on that later.

The King of Pentacles is surrounded by bulls on his throne because he is associated with the earth sign Taurus in the astrological calendar. This makes him stubborn, ambitious, and confident. He says what he means and he means what he says.

The colors in the Tarot deck are very important. Green adorns the king with vines on his cloak and at his feet, growing up the side of his throne. This is another symbol of the earth element in this card. This king has his feet firmly planted: he is grounded, centered, stable.

Behind him, hints of blue representing the element of water pepper the background and the one armored foot we can see. Because of its association with water, blue represents the subconscious mind. Blue being present in this card signifies the King of Pentacles’ relationship with the subconscious mind as well as his relationship with earthly gains.

The king’s sky, like his pentacle and staff, is yellow. Yellow symbolizes growth. It is also associated with higher consciousness and the element of air.

Finally, the King of Pentacles is adorned with red grapes. Red is the color of the element of fire and therefore passion and sexual energy. Grapes remind us of a life of leisure, accomplishment, and relaxation. They are celebratory.

The presence of all these colors tells us that the King of Pentacles may be an earth sign, but he masters all the elements.

Behind him is his castle. He has built this himself and he has earned it. Now he wants to share it with his loved ones and help them achieve their goals as he has achieved his. His doors are open.

Upright King of Pentacles Meaning

The King of Pentacles upright is a very positive card as far as wealth and stability are concerned. This is a completion card: your hard work is over, your tasks are completed. Now, you sit and enjoy the fruits of your labors.

You are able to take care of yourself and others now. You have the wisdom to give but also financial stability. You are able to help others grow by offering monetary support and solid, informed advice. And what’s more? You want to!

Reversed King of Pentacles Meaning

The King of Pentacles reversed is all the energies this king possesses but blocked. You may find you’ve made poor business decisions. You may have invested in a bad venture or overspent when you should have been saving. Whatever the case, you are not financially stable at the moment. Your work isn’t coming to fruition because of your ineptitude in business.

If you pull this card reversed, I encourage you to look at the cards around it. What are they suggesting you do? The Taurus is stubborn, digging his feet into the ground and charging head-on into problems. But is this always the best approach? You should try something else.

Take a note from this wise king, he has accomplished wealth, knowledge, and balance. Seek advice from a King of Pentacles in your life and here’s the difficult part: listen to him and do what he says.

King of Pentacles Love Meaning

Pentacles are earth signs and do not usually have to do with matters of the heart as Cups are. If you pull the King of Pentacles in a love reading, this could be the object of your affection. Keep your eyes and heart open for a person of means, of accomplishment, a person who can take care of themselves and you.

This card could also be referring to you in this reading. Are you the breadwinner in your relationship? Do you take care of yourself, your partner, your pets, and/or your children? Pay attention to the cards surrounding this for more clues as to what the Tarot is trying to tell you. This is not a bad thing, the card is upright after all!

If this card is reversed in a love reading, your future partner or current partner is not this stable, caretaker of a king. The masculine energy is blocked, there is an inability or unwillingness to move forward. Do you feel as though your partner has more abilities than their ambition allows? Do you feel that maybe they’re just focusing their energy in the wrong places? Are they creative and talented yet terrible with money?

This card reversed begs you to ask these questions. This could be about your partner but it could also be about you. Are you carrying your weight in your relationship? Are you expecting others to take care of you?

King of Pentacles Career and Money Meaning

King

This is good news for you if the King of Pentacles is upright in a career and money reading! It should come as no surprise that this card promises wealth, success, and stability. If you’re looking for a promotion, it’s coming. If you’re about to journey out and start your own company, it’s a good choice! Whatever your venture is right now, it will pay off. Take the leap and stay the course!

Unfortunately, if this card is reversed, you’re not going anywhere right now. All your ambition is blocked, your financial ineptitude is hindering you. Your poor business and investment decisions are haunting you. This is not good for your career or your wallet.

Still, all that potential of the King of Pentacles is there with you. Stop what you’re doing and refocus your energy. Stop being a bull and try a different approach. If you have a King of Pentacles in your life, I’d strongly suggest going to them for advice and possibly money help at this time.

King of Pentacles Health Meaning

It shouldn’t surprise you that the King of Pentacles in a health reading is positive. Think really good health insurance. You may not be physically perfect when it comes to health, but you will get the best care available because of your financial status.

If this card is reversed in a health reading, expect unexpected hospital and/or doctor bills. You or a loved one may have a stint in the ER and you will be okay, but you will literally have to pay for it. Try to be careful and set money aside. Better to be over-prepared in these situations than be paying off hospital debt for the rest of your life!

King of Pentacles Home and Family Meaning

This king in your home and family reading will be pointing to a patriarch or patriarchal role. This might be something you are stepping into in your family and if so: congratulations! You have certainly earned the respect that being the King of Pentacles gives you.

You may be taking on more responsibility at home. You might be about to become a parent, you may have gotten a well-deserved raise that’s allowing you to take care of your family in a different way than before. Whatever the outcome: you earned it. Congratulations!

If you pull the King of Pentacles reversed in a home and family meaning, you may be feeling a void where a strong presence is needed. It might be time for you to get your finances and career in order so that you can take on this role. It might not be your responsibility though, so take cues from the cards before and after this king to fully understand what the reading is trying to tell you.

You probably feel uncertain of where your next paycheck is coming from. Your family may be in danger of losing their home or car because they can’t make the required payments. Whatever the situation, it could get very dire.

My advice to you is to go over your finances and make changes. See where you can cut back, see how you can save. This will not only help you immediately but will establish a good pattern for your entire life.

Remember that a bull rams into the same wall over and over again until it or the wall falls. A smart bull finds another way to get around that wall. You will need to put in the work to get through, over, or around the wall in front of you.

If you pull the King of Pentacles reversed in this reading, it is a challenge to do better. Time to wise up and get realistic!

King of Pentacles FAQs

Question: What does the King of Pentacles mean for someone who’s young and just getting started in their career?

Answer: You will achieve financial success! Wealth is just one way to measure success, but you will find stability in it. You will also become knowledgeable though, which is even more important. People will depend on you for advice but also monetary help.

Question: If the King of Pentacles is reversed, does that mean I won’t ever have money?

Answer: No. You need to take cues from the cards surrounding this reversed king. And remember that the potential within that card is also within you. You simply need to put in the work to make financially responsible decisions. It won’t be easy, but you can get there.

Question: Does the King of Pentacles have to be a male?

Answer: No. Just as the with the queen cards not needing to be women, kings do not have to be strictly men. It is about the masculine energy they bring to the table. Kings can be women, men, or non-binary people.

Question: Does pulling this card mean I’m done growing?

Answer: No one is ever done growing. This card just means you’ve achieved a level of success where you can enjoy the fruits of your labors. Eat those grapes, you earned them! But don’t stop reading, don’t stop traveling, don’t stop learning!

Final Thoughts

You worked hard to be here: enjoy it! You are a respected patriarch of your family, your friend group, and/or your own life. You have money, knowledge, and experience. Use your privileges now to leave a lasting and positive legacy.

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