The old man caped in the robes with grapevines and coat of arms as the signs of abundance and status is sitting in the foreground. Two hounds are a clear indication of his status. He is rich and wise man in his old age. He is gazing towards two persons and a child, clearly the family, his successors. This scene has a strong sense of inheritance, the old generation is leaving its legacy for younger generation to work on their foundations. The castle, the hounds and the wealth will be owned by the people that maybe have nothing to do with their acquisition. Here again we see the reminiscence on the former cards in the suit. In the Nine of Pentacles we see an accomplished and successful person in her prime. But what now with all that wealth? We can't just give it away, that is clearly suggested by re-appearence of the libra that we see for the first time in the suit in the Six of Pentacles. The logic conclusion of this card is to build and to protect, and when time comes, give to someone who will build upon your achievement for the benefit of all. We see that the child's hand is already on one of the dogs. Inheritance can be knowledge or any kind of accomplishment. The metaphor of dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giants is a good example what this card is all about. This is in the core of advancement of the human species. This essence is further accentuated by positioning the pentacles in the form of the kabbalistic Tree of Life.

Positive: ancestral, inheritance, prosperity, family ties, satisfaction through work of the others before you.

Negative: dissipation, financial problems, family quarrels over money, lousy management.

   A man and woman beneath an archway which gives entrance to a house and domain. They are accompanied by a child, who looks curiously at two dogs accosting an ancient personage seated in the foreground. The child's hand is on one of them. Divinatory Meanings: 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, by A.E. Waite