diff --git a/openfut-adapter-fifa17/src/fut/catalog.rs b/openfut-adapter-fifa17/src/fut/catalog.rs
index 9c9363d..081b86a 100644
--- a/openfut-adapter-fifa17/src/fut/catalog.rs
+++ b/openfut-adapter-fifa17/src/fut/catalog.rs
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ pub struct Fifa17CardIdentity {
     pub asset_id: u32,
     pub version: u8,
     pub resource_id: u32,
+    /// FIFA wire `rareflag` (rare/special card TYPE). Carried so specials render
+    /// as specials; observed metadata, not a guessed label.
+    pub rareflag: i64,
 }
 
 /// The FIFA 17 numeric namespace policy for owned-item wire ids.
@@ -108,6 +111,14 @@ struct RawCard {
     asset_id: u32,
     #[serde(default)]
     version: u8,
+    /// Absent in a base-only catalog → default 1 (rare), preserving prior wire
+    /// behaviour; the production catalog carries the observed value.
+    #[serde(default = "default_rareflag")]
+    rareflag: i64,
+}
+
+fn default_rareflag() -> i64 {
+    1
 }
 
 /// A loaded, validated FIFA 17 card-definition identity catalog.
@@ -153,6 +164,7 @@ impl Fifa17CardCatalog {
                     asset_id: rc.asset_id,
                     version: rc.version,
                     resource_id,
+                    rareflag: rc.rareflag,
                 },
             );
         }
diff --git a/openfut-adapter-fifa17/src/fut/club_response.rs b/openfut-adapter-fifa17/src/fut/club_response.rs
index 311ac4f..b85f6d4 100644
--- a/openfut-adapter-fifa17/src/fut/club_response.rs
+++ b/openfut-adapter-fifa17/src/fut/club_response.rs
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ mod tests {
                 item_id: 100000001,
                 asset_id: 20801,
                 resource_id: 20801,
+                rareflag: 1,
             },
         )]));
         let items = vec![item(
@@ -157,6 +158,7 @@ mod tests {
                 item_id: 100000002,
                 asset_id: 158023,
                 resource_id: 158023,
+                rareflag: 1,
             },
         )]));
         // Synthetic club "Northgate United" has no FIFA team id.
diff --git a/openfut-adapter-fifa17/src/fut/item.rs b/openfut-adapter-fifa17/src/fut/item.rs
index 5c1fdf5..bd5f34c 100644
--- a/openfut-adapter-fifa17/src/fut/item.rs
+++ b/openfut-adapter-fifa17/src/fut/item.rs
@@ -59,6 +59,10 @@ pub struct Fifa17Identity {
     /// `resourceId`/`definitionId`, kept DISTINCT from `asset_id` so a versioned
     /// (special) card never collapses onto its base on the wire.
     pub resource_id: u32,
+    /// FIFA wire `rareflag` — the card's rare/special TYPE (e.g. 3=inform,
+    /// 21..=24 = special programmes). Drives the client's special-card art;
+    /// carried from the catalog, never hardcoded, so specials render as specials.
+    pub rareflag: i64,
 }
 
 /// Supplies the FIFA numeric identity for a Core item. Returning `None` means
@@ -119,7 +123,7 @@ pub fn shape_item(
         "definitionId": id.resource_id,
         "cardsubtypeid": 0,
         "itemType": "player",
-        "rareflag": 1,
+        "rareflag": id.rareflag,
         "rating": item.rating,
         "preferredPosition": item.position,
         "nation": nation_id,
@@ -172,6 +176,7 @@ mod tests {
                 item_id: 100000001,
                 asset_id: 20801,
                 resource_id: 20801,
+                rareflag: 1,
             },
             &ent,
         );
@@ -204,6 +209,7 @@ mod tests {
                 item_id: 100000030,
                 asset_id: 101490,
                 resource_id: 101490,
+                rareflag: 1,
             },
             &ent,
         );
@@ -213,6 +219,7 @@ mod tests {
                 item_id: 100000031,
                 asset_id: 101490,
                 resource_id: 101490,
+                rareflag: 1,
             },
             &ent,
         );
@@ -240,12 +247,20 @@ mod tests {
                 item_id: 100000384,
                 asset_id: 176580,
                 resource_id: 117617092,
+                rareflag: 3,
             },
             &ent,
         );
-        assert_eq!(it["resourceId"], 117617092, "versioned resource id on the wire");
+        assert_eq!(
+            it["resourceId"], 117617092,
+            "versioned resource id on the wire"
+        );
         assert_eq!(it["definitionId"], 117617092);
         assert_eq!(it["assetId"], 176580, "base asset id preserved");
         assert_eq!(it["cardassetid"], 176580);
+        assert_eq!(
+            it["rareflag"], 3,
+            "special rareflag carried, not hardcoded 1"
+        );
     }
 }
diff --git a/openfut-adapter-fifa17/src/fut/squad_projection.rs b/openfut-adapter-fifa17/src/fut/squad_projection.rs
index 568796c..f45da7a 100644
--- a/openfut-adapter-fifa17/src/fut/squad_projection.rs
+++ b/openfut-adapter-fifa17/src/fut/squad_projection.rs
@@ -288,6 +288,7 @@ mod tests {
                 item_id: 100000042,
                 asset_id: 20801,
                 resource_id: 20801,
+                rareflag: 1,
             },
         )]));
         let input = one_slot_input(&owned, SquadExtInput::Fresh(fresh_ext()));
@@ -361,6 +362,7 @@ mod tests {
                     item_id: 100000030,
                     asset_id: 101490,
                     resource_id: 101490,
+                    rareflag: 1,
                 },
             ),
             (
@@ -369,6 +371,7 @@ mod tests {
                     item_id: 100000031,
                     asset_id: 101490,
                     resource_id: 101490,
+                    rareflag: 1,
                 },
             ),
         ]));
diff --git a/openfut-adapter-fifa17/tests/squad_projection.rs b/openfut-adapter-fifa17/tests/squad_projection.rs
index c9904ed..d818b2f 100644
--- a/openfut-adapter-fifa17/tests/squad_projection.rs
+++ b/openfut-adapter-fifa17/tests/squad_projection.rs
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ fn oracle_tables() -> (HashMap<String, CoreOwnedItem>, TableIdentity) {
                 item_id: wire as u32,
                 asset_id: asset,
                 resource_id: asset,
+                rareflag: 1,
             },
         );
     }
diff --git a/openfut-import-fifa17/src/lib.rs b/openfut-import-fifa17/src/lib.rs
index ff8064a..97ac2d2 100644
--- a/openfut-import-fifa17/src/lib.rs
+++ b/openfut-import-fifa17/src/lib.rs
@@ -280,6 +280,10 @@ pub struct ObservedDefinition {
     /// pace, shooting, passing, dribbling, defending, physical (index 0..=5).
     pub attrs: [i64; 6],
     pub rarity: &'static str,
+    /// Observed FIFA wire `rareflag` (the card's rare/special TYPE, e.g. 3=inform,
+    /// 21..=24 = special programmes). Carried verbatim from the profile — the raw
+    /// integer, never a guessed marketing label — so specials render as specials.
+    pub rareflag: i64,
     /// Wire ids of the owned copies of this exact resourceId (preserved).
     pub wire_ids: Vec<i64>,
 }
@@ -508,6 +512,7 @@ pub fn plan_definitions(
             team_id,
             attrs: attrs6.unwrap(),
             rarity: tier(rating),
+            rareflag: f.rareflag.unwrap_or(1),
             wire_ids,
         });
     }
@@ -899,12 +904,12 @@ pub fn emit_content(
     let content_pack = content_dir.join("fifa17-production-cards.json");
     write_json_pretty(&content_pack, &defs)?;
 
-    // ---- PUBLIC: host identity catalog {card_id: {asset_id, version}} ----
+    // ---- PUBLIC: host identity catalog {card_id: {asset_id, version, rareflag}} ----
     let mut cards = serde_json::Map::new();
     for d in &report.definitions.supported {
         cards.insert(
             d.card_id.clone(),
-            serde_json::json!({ "asset_id": d.asset_id, "version": d.version }),
+            serde_json::json!({ "asset_id": d.asset_id, "version": d.version, "rareflag": d.rareflag }),
         );
     }
     let catalog = serde_json::json!({
diff --git a/openfut-utas-host/src/lib.rs b/openfut-utas-host/src/lib.rs
index 758c72d..5b9e5b2 100644
--- a/openfut-utas-host/src/lib.rs
+++ b/openfut-utas-host/src/lib.rs
@@ -552,6 +552,7 @@ impl ItemIdentityResolver for Fifa17IdentityResolver {
             item_id: wire as u32,
             asset_id: ident.asset_id,
             resource_id: ident.resource_id,
+            rareflag: ident.rareflag,
         })
     }
 }