Ten of Pentacles: Modern RWS tarot Card Meanings
‘The Ten of Pentacles’, Rider Waite Smith tarot deck.
Upright Ten of Pentacles Meanings
Keywords
Legacy, Wealth, Family, Inheritance, Stability, Tradition, Long-term Success
Generally
The Ten of Pentacles represents the ultimate manifestation of worldly success, security, and familial contentment. It signifies a lasting legacy, inherited wealth, and the stability that comes from strong family foundations. The card depicts multiple generations—an old patriarch, a happy couple, a child, and dogs—all coexisting peacefully within a prosperous estate. This is the culmination of a lifetime of work, resulting in abundance that can be passed down and enjoyed by future generations. It's about permanence, tradition, and the profound security of home and heritage.
In a Love Context
In a love reading, this card is a sign of long-term commitment, marriage, and building a stable family life together. It points to a relationship that is not just a partnership between two people, but the foundation of a lasting family unit. It speaks of family harmony, shared values, and the creation of traditions. This is the "happily ever after" card, representing a secure and enduring connection that has the full support of the wider family.
In a Money/Career Context
This is one of the most auspicious cards for finance and career. It signifies long-term financial security, the success of a family business, or receiving an inheritance. It can represent reaching the pinnacle of your career, leading to a comfortable retirement and a lasting professional legacy. Your hard work has created a solid foundation of wealth and stability that will endure for years to come.
In a Spiritual Context
Spiritually, the Ten of Pentacles points to a deep connection with your ancestry, heritage, and traditions. You find spiritual fulfillment in your family and community, and in passing down wisdom and values through the generations. It is about understanding your place in a long lineage and creating a spiritual legacy that will outlive you.
In Common Spread Positions
As Advice
Think about the long-term. Build something that will last. Honor your family and traditions. Secure your financial future.
As (Ultimate) Outcome
You will achieve lasting success and stability. A strong and happy family life. Financial security for generations.
As Obstacles
A rigid adherence to tradition is preventing progress. Family obligations are holding you back. An excessive focus on material wealth.
As Hidden Energy
A deep, unacknowledged desire for family, stability, and a sense of belonging to something permanent.
As Resources/Alliances
The support of your family. Established traditions. Inherited wealth or long-term investments.
‘The Ten of Pentacles’ Reversed
Keywords
Family Conflict, Financial Loss, Instability, Broken Traditions, Inheritance Disputes
Generally
Reversed, the Ten of Pentacles signifies instability, family conflict, and a breakdown of tradition. The secure foundation is crumbling. This often manifests as disputes over money or inheritance, leading to feuds and estrangement. It can represent a loss of financial security, a failed family business, or the burden of family debt. There is a feeling of being disconnected from your roots and a lack of long-term stability.
In a Love Context
In a love reading, this card reversed can indicate serious conflict within the family unit. There may be disapproval from family members about your partner, or arguments about finances and long-term security. It can point to an unstable home life or the decision to break away from family traditions, which causes strife.
In a Money/Career Context
This can mean a significant financial loss, the failure of a family business, or legal battles over an inheritance. It warns against risky financial ventures and a lack of long-term planning. You may feel that your career is unstable or that you are not building anything of lasting value, leading to a sense of profound insecurity.
In a Spiritual Context
Spiritually, this card reversed suggests a feeling of being disconnected from your roots and traditions. You may feel like an outcast from your family or community due to your spiritual beliefs. It can represent a painful break from the past or the struggle to find a sense of spiritual belonging without a traditional foundation.
In Common Spread Positions
As Advice
Re-evaluate your definition of wealth and success. Address family conflicts directly. Be prepared to break from traditions that no longer serve you.
As (Ultimate) Outcome
Financial instability and family conflict. A breakdown of a legacy. A painful separation from your roots.
As Obstacles
Family feuds are the primary hindrance. A dispute over inheritance is blocking progress. A refusal to adapt to changing times.
As Hidden Energy
A secret financial instability. Deep-seated resentment within the family. A fear of not having a lasting legacy.
As Resources/Alliances
The freedom that comes from breaking away from restrictive family expectations or traditions.
Additional Notes on The RWS ‘Ten of Pentacles’
Waite’s Divinatory Meanings of The Ten of Pentacles
"Gain, riches; family matters, archives, extraction, the abode of a family. Reversed: Chance, fatality, loss, robbery, games of hazard; sometimes gift, dowry, pension." (The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, 1911)
RWS Ten of Pentacles Symbolism
A.E. Waite’s Ten of Pentacles is rich with symbolism of legacy and generational wealth. An elderly patriarch, draped in an ornate robe, sits in the foreground, watching over a younger couple and a child. Two white dogs, symbols of loyalty and domesticity, are at his feet. The scene takes place within the archway of a great estate, suggesting security and permanence. Ten pentacles are arranged in the pattern of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, signifying the culmination of a long journey and the manifestation of material and familial success in the physical world.
Meditations On The Ten of Pentacles
Am I building something of lasting value in my life?
What family traditions do I want to honor, and which are it time to let go of?
Continue Reading About The Minor Arcana
Next Card: The Knight of Pentacles
Previous Card: The Nine of Pentacles
