The 8 Most Valuable Evolving Skies Cards in September 2026, Ranked

The 8 Most Valuable Evolving Skies Cards in September 2026, Ranked

SWSH07: Evolving Skies released August 27, 2021, with 203 numbered cards and 34 secret rares, and five years later one card still carries it: the Umbreon VMAX alternate art at $2,214.79 raw. Below it, the alternate art V and VMAX cards make up the whole chase list. Prices are from the ZeroPop catalog as of September 29, 2026, and each entry says whether the card is worth a grading fee.

Honorable mention: everything numbered under 203

The $28.63 regular Umbreon VMAX (095/203) is the priciest non-secret card I found, and the alternate art of the same Pokemon costs 77 times as much. The Sylveon VMAX sits at $20.50 and the Glaceon VMAX at $9.23. None of them justify a submission. If you are pulling from old boxes, the money is above number 203.

#8 Noivern V alternate full art: $76.21

Noivern V (196/203) is the cheapest alternate art worth a look, and it only works if the copy is clean. At $76.21 raw, a 9.5 or better has to add real margin over the grading fee, or you are paying to hold a slab. Sell it raw unless a scan says corners and centering are both 9.5 or better.

#7 Glaceon V alternate full art: $156.66

The Glaceon V alt art (175/203) is the least glamorous of the Eeveelution alt arts and prices like it, $156.66 against $385.19 for Umbreon V. Icy pale artwork tends to show edge whitening more plainly than the dark cards do, so check the back edges first.

#6 Sylveon V alternate full art: $200.36

Sylveon V (184/203) trades at $200.36 raw on the catalog page. The gap between it and the Espeon at $239.44 is small enough that Sylveon is the better raw pickup if your copy is soft on corners, and the Espeon is the better submission if yours is not.

#5 Espeon V alternate full art: $239.44

Espeon V (180/203) is the card in this set where the scan matters most. The community scan below is a textured-foil card with a thin grey frame, and on a frame that thin, a few percent of centering drift shows immediately. Read how centering is scored before you decide.

The Espeon V page has the current price. At $239.44 it is a submit only if you can rule out both centering and surface scratches on the scan.

#4 Umbreon V alternate full art: $385.19

Umbreon V (189/203) at $385.19 is the affordable way into the Moonbreon family, and it costs about a sixth of the VMAX at $2,214.79. It is also the clearest case for grading in the lower half of the list. A gap that wide between the V and VMAX means buyers pay for the slab with confidence on the expensive card, and much less so here.

#3 Rayquaza V alternate full art: $488.29

The Rayquaza V alt art (194/203) sells at $488.29 raw, $27 under the Dragonite V and less than 40% of the Rayquaza VMAX. It is a dragon-collector card as much as an Eevee-collector one, which is why it holds a price without the Umbreon halo.

#2 Rayquaza VMAX alternate art: $1,255.44 (and Dragonite V at $515.55)

Rayquaza VMAX (218/203) is the second most valuable card in the set at $1,255.44 raw, and it is the one I would take over Umbreon on price per dollar of risk. The Rayquaza VMAX alt art page is the reference.

The Dragonite V alt art (192/203) fits here too, at $515.55, a hair above the Rayquaza V. The community scan below graded a 10, so a gem is achievable on this card.

#1 Umbreon VMAX alternate art: $2,214.79

Umbreon VMAX (215/203) is the most valuable modern Pokemon card in most price guides I have seen, and our catalog agrees at $2,214.79 raw, 76% more than Rayquaza VMAX. The four highest-graded Umbreon alt art scans in our community feed all read 9.5 and none read 10.

That is a small sample from an app, not a population report, so do not read it as a PSA pop count. What it does say: the dark night sky punishes edge whitening and centering, and a 9.5 in hand is a 9.5 before you pay anyone. Scan it with our grading walkthrough first. Because the raw price is already over $2,000, this is the one card where a bad submission costs real money.

What to submit and what to sell raw

Submit the Umbreon VMAX and Rayquaza VMAX if the scan shows 9.5 corners, edges and centering, and sell everything below $200 raw. Skip the Duraludon VMAX alt art at $15.84 and every regular VMAX: no grade covers the fee on those. If you own the newer Umbreon from Prismatic Evolutions, it is a different card on a different budget. For a wider screen of what else is worth the postage, see which Pokemon cards are worth grading.

Set details: release date August 27, 2021 and the 203 plus 34 card count come from Pokellector's Evolving Skies list, fetched September 29, 2026. Prices come from the ZeroPop catalog on the same date.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most valuable card in Evolving Skies?

The Umbreon VMAX alternate art (215/203) at $2,214.79 raw in our September 29, 2026 catalog. The next card is the Rayquaza VMAX alternate art at $1,255.44, so the top card is worth 1.8 times the runner-up.

How many cards are in Evolving Skies?

203 numbered cards plus 34 secret rares, 237 in total, according to Pokellector. The alternate arts sit in the secret range, numbered 175 through 220.

Is the regular Umbreon VMAX worth grading?

Not at $28.63 raw. The alt art costs about 77 times as much, and collectors who want the regular version rarely pay a premium for the slab.

Which Evolving Skies alt art is the cheapest?

Of the cards ranked here, Noivern V at $76.21. The Duraludon VMAX alt art is cheaper still at $15.84, but it is not worth submitting.

Do Evolving Skies alt arts grade well?

Our community scans show 9.5 on the Umbreon and Rayquaza VMAX and a 10 on Dragonite V. That is three scans, so treat it as a sighting rather than a rate. Centering and edges decide most outcomes on the dark cards.

Should I buy Umbreon V or Umbreon VMAX?

Umbreon V at $385.19 is the cheaper entry and needs less capital at risk if the grade comes back a 9. The VMAX at $2,214.79 is the card collectors chase, so it is the one that keeps its price when the market cools.