Six of Pentacles Tarot Card Meaning

Six of Pentacles upright

A merchant-like figure weighs coins on a pair of scales and gives to the needy. Waite reads it as a sign of his own success and kindness, and lists presents, gifts and gratification — "now is the accepted time". Share what you can; accept help gracefully.

Six of Pentacles reversed

Waite reversed gives desire, cupidity, envy, jealousy and illusion. Check that giving is fair both ways.

A reversed card (What does Upright / reversed card mean?) is one drawn upside-down.

Is Six of Pentacles a yes or no?

Upright: Leans yes. Yes — especially for help given or received.

Reversed: Reversed, Six of Pentacles reads as a gentle no: envy, jealousy, strings attached.

The yes/no lean is BornClock’s reading convention drawn from the card’s meaning — Waite himself did not assign one.

Symbolism in the Six of Pentacles card

What appears in the 1909 Rider–Waite–Smith picture, as Waite describes it:

• Scales in his hand — fair, measured giving
• Coins given to the needy — Waite: his success and his kindness

In Waite’s own words (paraphrased)

Upright: presents, gifts, gratification; attention, vigilance; now is the accepted time; present prosperity.

Reversed: desire, cupidity, envy, jealousy, illusion.

Source: A. E. Waite, The Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1910, public domain). Some of Waite’s 1910 fortune-telling meanings are old-fashioned; the plain-English reading above is ours.