​Alternative Names: Four of Pentacles

Number: 67/4

Element: Earth

Astrological Association: Sun in Capricorn

Key Meanings: Security, self-improvement, and holding on to money

The Four of Coins in Tarot stands for possessiveness, control, and blocked change. The Four of Coins meaning in a Tarot reading is the desire to control, the desire to impose one’s will on another. A word of caution: Make sure your need for control doesn’t get out of hand. This can lead to a stifling of creativity and individual expression.

Upright Meaning: The upright Four of Pentacles shows the need for stability and establishing a firm foundation. If you have suffered past hardship, the Four of Pentacles shows the tough times are over, as now your work pays off. While this doesn’t indicate a huge windfall (look to the Ten of Pentacles for this), you will have enough money and acknowledgment to feel satisfied. The card also shows protection of assets and traditional values. Proving a strong foundation for a growing family may be important to you now, so you may consider moving to a new home or investing in a small business that will bring you future dividends. In work, you attain a position that is very secure, so if your work is temporary, for example, the Four of Pentacles can show you being offered a permanent contract.

An additional meaning of the card is the miser, as the male figure is clinging hard to his coin, but this money has come from hard work. You will value what you have achieved, and for now, want to keep it for yourself.

Reversed Meaning: When reversed, the Four of Pentacles reveals an overly materialistic individual, a would-be king—male or female—who holds too fast to status and possessions. If this is you, try to let go of insecurity, as this can take up much of your head space—and feed an ongoing belief that you will never have enough. In work, the card can reveal that you miss opportunities because your confidence is low, and changes to your role may leave you feeling disempowered. It’s therefore important to do well in any professional or educational tests now; you may need to put in more work than first anticipated.

The reversed Four of Pentacles can also suggest a person who is showy and even a little smug; in a position of power over you, you may find this individual controlling and self-centered.