At the center of the card is a king wearing a crown while seated on a stone throne on a hill overlooking a city in the background. Balanced on top of his crown is a coin and he holds one in the center of his body, with arms wrapping around it possessively, while his feet rest upon two more coins. He is clad in red with a black cloak.
The 4 of Pentacles

Overview and Common Meanings of The 4 of Pentacles

The 4 of Pentacles tarot card suggests themes of possessiveness, security, and control. Depicting a figure clutching four pentacles(coins) tightly, it symbolizes a strong attachment to material possessions and a reluctance to let go. This card urges individuals to find a balance between financial stability and the fear of loss. While it can indicate financial prudence and success, it also warns against becoming overly restrictive or closed off emotionally, as true abundance lies in sharing and embracing life’s flow.  Some alternate names in varying decks are Control, Security, the silence.

A wise person should have money in their head, but not in their heart.

jonathan swift

Common Meanings

When the 4 of Pentacles shows up, it is a reminder to pay attention to balance in your life.  Are you so focused on holding on to the wealth you have that you have accumulated, or are working to accumulate, that you have become its prisoner with no one with whom to share life’s many forms of abundance? 

In a work or financial related reading, the Four of Pentacles indicates a desire for security and stability in your work environment, rather than an ever changing dynamic, and is a strong indicator of contentment in that situation.  In finances, it is an indication of safe long-term investments and the gradual accumulation of wealth. 

In a relationship-oriented reading, the 4 of Pentacles can be a sign of a partnership in which there is an imbalance of power- one partner, coming from a place of lack and fear, exhibiting controlling behavior, which erodes the foundation of the relationship.  It is important to remember that control is not love, and love always allows space for individual growth and motivation. 

The underlying message and lesson of the 4 of Pentacles is to honor and respect money while still placing a priority on the sweet savor of friends, family, love, and joy. 

The Many Faces of The 4 of Pentacles

The shadow side – or reversal – of the Four of Pentacles can be a sign that you are being wasteful with the money that you do have, living beyond your means, and that it is slipping through your fingers. Sometimes the shadow side of the Four of Pentacles will shine a light on greed being a motivating factor in life.   The shadow side of the Four of Pentacles, like all reversals or shadows, is not always negative.  It can demonstrate one in the process of re-evaluating the importance of money, wealth, and status in their life and pondering what is truly important.  It can also highlight the metaphorical circling of the wagons we do when we are in self-protection mode and seeking for stability and security in our life.  It is easy to fixate on financial security to feel more in control of our life when we are really seeking deeper emotional and mental security.

Description

At the center of the card is a king wearing a crown while seated on a stone throne on a hill overlooking a city in the background.  Balanced on top of his crown is a coin and he holds one in the center of his body, with arms wrapping around it possessively, while his feet rest upon two more coins.  He is clad in red with a black cloak. 

Themes of The 4 of Pentacles

  • Control
  • Hard work as its own reward
  • Keeping money that you earn
  • Miserly, tight-fisted
  • Protection of assets
  • Scarcity
  • Security
  • Solid Foundation 
  • Stability
  • Self-Improvement
  • Traditional beliefs

The Number 4

Four is the number of stability, practicality and pragmatism; efficiency and strength; conservative development.  It denotes creativity, but the kind that builds a solid foundation.  Since Pentacles represent the physical, material qualities of life and can offer counseling on monetary, work, well-being, and protection issues, it is helpful to reflect on and look for themes of solidity, grounding, and manifestation while remaining practical and conservative.  This is not about getting rich quick, but rather nose-to-the grindstone, steady work.

Elements of the Card and Associated Symbolism

  • Stone throne – stable foundation
  • Elevation above city – rising socially and economically, but also separate and apart from interaction.
  • Red clothing – practical focus to create stability.
  • Black cloak – protection of assets/self to hold on to what he has achieved and accumulated.
  • Coin on crown – money is his mindset, at the center of his focus.
  • Coins on ground – his money grounds him
  • Coin held at his center – that money and finances are at his heart and center of his life. 

Herbs for The 4 of Pentacles

  • Almond – Knowledge, money, productivity, and success.
  • Basil – success, prosperity and peace, career, and business luck.
  • Blackberry – healing, money, protection
  • Bladderwrack – Protection, , attracts income and trade to your enterprise.
  • Nutmeg – good fortune, health, wealth, security, trustworthiness. 

Questions that The 4 of Pentacles asks us

  • Is my relationship with money motivated by greed, fear, or love?
  • How can I be the wisest steward of my financial health?

That is the 4 of Pentacles.  Wishing you a week in which you remember that, while it is wise to be prudent with your finances, also make space for the finer things in life that bring riches of a different sort.  Thank you for reading, and as always please reach out with comments, questions, or to schedule a reading.  Please join me next week for the 5 of Pentacles!