(The above image is a copy of The Five of Pentacles card in a standard Rider-Waite Tarot deck. The 4 symbols pointed out above are explained below.)
Card Description
If the Four of Pentacles illustrated a miser, the Five of Pentacles illustrates two beggars. Deprived of material possessions, the beggars are lightened by the pentacles in the window of a church. This reveals the sense of self-worth spiritual possession can give regardless of how much physical possessions your have.
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For more information about The Five of Pentacles card, check out A. E. Waite’s description here.
Point 1 – LAME AND BLIND PERSONS
In the card, there are two figures, a blind man and a lame man. This is an allusion to an old story were a blind and lame man overcome their disabilities by pooling their resources together. Given that allusion, the card becomes an image of unity during adversity.
Point 2 – BELL ON LAME PERSON’S NECK
On the lame person’s neck, there is a small bell. This bell is known as a plague bell and it signals to other people that this man is sick. While the bell signifies the person’s otherness, it can also be viewed in a positive light; the bell declares the person’s existence. We can emulate the bell and be proud of what makes us different.
Point 3 – SNOW
The card illustrates a snowstorm and further reveals the adversity the two figures face in life. The snow in this card bears a resemblance to the snow in The Hermit card, another image of adversity. The white snow contrasts with the black church to make a yin yang symbol, further illustrate the complimentary nature of the two figures.
Point 4 – GLASS MOSAIC/PENTACLES
In juxtaposition with the dark pentacles of the Three card and the ultra-materialist pentacles of the Four card, the pentacles in this card shine light into the darkness from a church. With the window being a divine mosaic, the pentacles form a union of the spiritual and material.
Tarot Reading
Upright
An Upright Five of Pentacles suggest that you are going through a tough time financially. Perhaps you lost your job or are facing substantial medical bills. An Upright Five of Pentacles encourages you to seek support from your friends and family. The card also emphasizes your worth independent from material possessions.
Reverse
A Reverse Five of Pentacles suggests that financial hardships are soon to be over. Perhaps you are going to get a new job or will receive a raise. A Five of Pentacles encourages you during difficult times to keep fighting for a better tomorrow. The card also emphasizes your own worth independent of money and tells you to seek material sustenance as a means rather than an end.
For more Tarot Card Meanings, check out our blog here.
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About the author: Jim Daley and his wife Natalie are the owners of Joker’s and Fools in Lake Wales, Florida, where they serve the Central Florida tarot community with a thoughtfully curated selection of Tarot and Oracle cards. Jim holds a B.A. in History from Tufts University and brings both academic insight and a deep appreciation for the symbolic tradition of the cards to his work.
