The Three of Pentacles displays a young apprentice who works in a cathedral. In front of him, there are two others, a priest and a nobleman of some sort, that are holding plans of the cathedral on a piece of parchment. We can tell from the way the apprentice has raised his head that he is discussing his progress on building the cathedral. The two others are keenly listening to him in order to more clearly understand what is needed of them and how they can provide guidance. Despite the apprentice being less experienced, the two others listen to him because they know his ideas and his experience are fundamental in the successful completion of the whole building. The Three of Pentacles, therefore, represents the coming together of different kinds of knowledge in order to build something together.

Upright Meaning Guide
Three of Pentacles Upright Tarot Card Key Meanings:
Apprenticeship, learning, studying, growing, hard work, commitment, building on success, collaboration, teamwork, determination, goals, dedication, quality, attention to detail, tradesperson, achievements, recognition, reward, hard work paying off, effort, motivation​

General Meaning and Interpretation (Upright)

In a general context, the Three of Pentacles is a positive card to get in a Tarot spread. It represents learning, studying and apprenticeship. It also signifies hard work, determination, dedication, and commitment so whatever you are doing at the moment, you are likely to be giving it 100%. It also signifies building on success or foundations. You have worked hard to overcome your challenges and the effort you have put in should be paying off. This Minor Arcana card can also indicate that you may be collaborating with others to achieve your goals.

Love & Relationships (Upright)

In a love Tarot reading, if you are in a relationship, the Three of Pentacles indicates that you are committed to the relationship and are putting the effort into it to make things work. If you have been having issues in the relationship, it can be a sign that you may seek the help of a relationship counselor to overcome your issues. You and your partner are growing together and learning about each other. If your relationship is relatively new, the Three of Pentacles can represent a time in the relationship where you are learning all about each other and figuring out how to share your lives with each other. If you are single, the Three of Pentacles can indicate that someone you like has noticed you too. It can also mean that you may meet a potential partner through work or study.

Money & Career (Upright)

In a career Tarot spread, the Three of Pentacles indicates is a great work ethic, commitment, and determination. You will be putting a lot of effort into your career or business and building on previous successes when this card appears in your Tarot reading. You may be learning in your job or studying to improve your qualifications. Your hard work, dedication, and attention to detail will not be going unnoticed either as the Three of Pentacles represents achievement, recognition, and rewards. The Three of Pentacles can also indicate that you may need to collaborate with others to complete a project. If so, the collaboration should go well as you all combine your various skills and come together as a team to achieve a successful outcome. If you have recently started a business, the Three of Pentacles can represent growth and come through the initial challenges successfully. For a tradesperson, the Three of Pentacles is a sign of good workmanship. In a financial context, the Three of Pentacles is a good omen as it indicates that you will soon be rewarded for your efforts. Any financial struggles should soon be a distant memory as your hard work and determination pay off.

Health (Upright)
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If you have been trying to improve your health or fitness, the Three of Pentacles Tarot card is a great omen to get as it indicates that all of your hard work and determination will be starting to pay off and you should be feeling the benefits soon. Keep trying until you reach your goals, you can do it.

Spirituality (Upright)

In a spiritual context, the Three of Pentacles indicates that you will be learning or studying new spiritual practices. It is also a sign that if you put the effort into your spiritual development you will reap the rewards.

Reversed Meaning Guide
Three of Pentacles Reversed Tarot Card Key Meanings:
Not learning from mistakes, unwillingness to learn, lack of growth, poor work ethic, lack of commitment, mistakes, lack of effort, lack of teamwork, apathy, no determination, no goals, no dedication, no motivation, poor quality work

General meaning and interpretation (Reversed)

In a general context, the Three of Pentacles reversed is not a great card to get in a Tarot spread as it indicates that you are not learning from your mistakes or are unwilling to do so. You may be overwhelmed with the sense that you do not know what you are doing. However, you are not putting effort into learning! This card signifies a poor work ethic and a lack of effort, determination or commitment. You may be lacking the concentration and dedication required to achieve your goals or you may not have even set yourself any goals. It can signify feeling apathy toward the various areas of your life and just not giving things your best efforts. Everything just seems lackluster and there is no motivation or growth. This Minor Arcana card can also indicate delays caused by conflict within a team or a lack of team spirit.

Love & Relationships (Reversed)

In a love Tarot reading, if you are in a relationship, the Three of Pentacles reversed can indicate that a third party may be causing friction in your relationship. It can also indicate a lack of commitment or growth. It can signify that you and your partner are not putting the effort in to make the relationship work and that there is a feeling of apathy towards each other. If you are single, the Three of Pentacles reversed can indicate that you are not putting your best foot forward in terms of relationships. You may be feeling apathy towards the idea of dating or are just not prepared to put the effort into meeting someone. It can also be a sign that you are not learning from your past mistakes and as such are repeating relationship/dating patterns that have not worked for you in the past.

Money & Career (Reversed)

In a career Tarot spread, the Three of Pentacles reversed is not a great omen as it can indicate that you have lost your motivation, dedication or commitment and the quality of your work is suffering greatly as a result. When this card appears, it does not mean you lack ability. It usually means that you are not putting enough effort in or not applying yourself. You may be unwilling to learn or reacting defensively to constructive criticism or you may not have gained the qualifications needed to further your career. The Three of Pentacles reversed can also represent poor quality workmanship. If you are involved in a team project, it can be a sign that the collaboration will not go well. If you have recently started a business, the Three of Pentacles reversed can represent a lack of growth and lack of motivation to put the work into making it a success. In a financial context, the Three of Pentacles reversed indicates that you need to put the effort in if you want financial security. Don’t expect a cash windfall or for finances to just magically work out if you do not have a good work ethic.

Health (Reversed)

In a health context, the Three of Pentacles reversed tells you that you have to put the effort in if you want to see results. If you have been having health issues, this card advises you that you need to take proactive steps to help yourself if you want to improve your health.

Spirituality (Reversed)

In a spiritual context, the Three of Pentacles reversed indicates that you need to open and willing to learn if you want to make progress on your spiritual path. If you are finding that you are reluctant to move forward, you need to examine why. You will need to work on developing your spiritual gifts and find the motivation to do so.

Reference:
Labyrinthos, 2019, 11/14/19, (https://labyrinthos.co/blogs/tarot-card-meanings-list/three-of-pentacles-meaning-tarot-card-meanings?_pos=10&_sid=18b5a7f6f&_ss=r)
Lisa, 2019, 11/14/19, (https://www.thetarotguide.com/three-of-pentacles)