Fusion Strike Chase Cards: Is the $1,027 Gengar VMAX Alt Art Worth Grading?

Fusion Strike Chase Cards: Is the $1,027 Gengar VMAX Alt Art Worth Grading?

Fusion Strike (SWSH08) is the English Sword & Shield set that released on November 12, 2021, and its top card is the Gengar VMAX alternate art 271/264, which sells for $1,027.32 raw in our catalog as of October 19, 2026. The Espeon VMAX alt art is second at $341.35. This guide prices the set's chase cards and says which ones deserve a grading fee.

Fusion Strike Raw Prices on October 19, 2026

Two cards carry this set: the Gengar and Espeon VMAX alt arts add up to $1,368.67, and nothing else in our catalog tops $102.56. Prices below are TCGplayer market prices from the ZeroPop catalog, pulled October 19, 2026, for the 20 Fusion Strike cards that have a published page.

According to Serebii, the set has 284 cards: 264 in the numbered main run and 30 secret rares. Our catalog holds 296 rows for it. We did not pull graded sale prices, so the grading column weighs raw price against the fee, not a PSA 10 comp. Current fees are in our PSA grading cost breakdown.

Gengar VMAX Alt Art: Three Times Espeon, Ten Times Mew

At $1,027.32 raw, the Gengar VMAX alternate art costs 25 times the regular Gengar VMAX from the same set ($41.12) and about 3 times the Espeon alt art. The artwork is a giant Gengar with its mouth open, spitting a pink stream past berry bushes under a crescent moon, credited to sowsow on the card.

Every one of the six Gengar VMAX scans we found in the community feed reads 9.5, and none reads 10. That is a small sample and it mixes the alt art with the regular VMAX, so treat it as a hint rather than a population count. The pattern fits what the card looks like: a glitter texture covers the whole frame, so a scratch has nowhere to hide.

At $1,027 raw, a grading fee is a small slice of the card, so a clean copy is an easy submit. Check centering before you pay, because the art runs to every edge and a lopsided print shows at a glance (method in card centering explained). A copy with a visible scratch in the glitter is a sell-raw card.

Espeon VMAX Alt Art: The $341 Card That Keeps the Eeveelution Crowd Buying

Espeon VMAX alt art sells for $341.35 raw, which is 4.5 times the Celebi V alt full art at $75.45. Three of the four Espeon VMAX scans we found read 9.5 and one reads 9.

The sky behind Espeon is a pale blue and the whole card is light, which is the opposite of the Gengar problem: white corner wear hides against the pastel border, so the damage that costs you a grade is easy to miss without a lamp. Scan front and back before you submit. At $341 a clean copy still pays for a fee with room to spare.

Mew V and Celebi V Alt Full Arts: The Middle of the Set

Mew V alternate full art 251/264 is $102.56 raw and Celebi V alternate full art 245/264 is $75.45. They are the only two cards between the VMAX alts and the bulk, and the gap to the next card down (Gengar VMAX at $41.12) is small enough that a fee changes the answer.

All four Celebi V scans we pulled read 9. The Mew V is the better submission because it costs more and the same grading risk applies to both. Grade the Mew V only if the scan shows even borders and clean corners, and sell the Celebi V raw unless you already own a flawless one.

Skip These: Gengar VMAX, Inteleon Alt Art and the Rest

The regular Gengar VMAX 157/264 is $41.12 raw and the Inteleon VMAX alt art 266/264 is $26.98. A fee costs most of either card, and we have no graded comp to prove a premium, so the call is no.

This is the card people confuse with the alt art: same Pokemon, same name line, a $41 price against $1,027. Check the number in the bottom left corner before you list or submit anything (157/264 is the cheap one, 271/264 is the alt art). Mew VMAX ($15.50), Gengar V ($11.41) and the secret Flaaffy ($7.69) belong in a binder.

Should You Grade Fusion Strike Cards? The Verdict

Grade two cards: a clean Gengar VMAX alt art and a clean Espeon VMAX alt art. Add the Mew V alt full art only if it scans flawless. Everything else priced in our catalog is $75.45 or less, and from the Celebi V down a fee eats the margin.

This set follows the same shape as other Sword & Shield alt art sets, one or two cards that matter and a long tail. Compare it with Evolving Skies, Silver Tempest, Lost Origin and Crown Zenith, or browse the wider Pokemon cards worth grading list.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Fusion Strike come out?

English Fusion Strike released on November 12, 2021, per Serebii and our catalog. It is the eighth set in the Sword & Shield numbering, hence SWSH08.

What is the most valuable Fusion Strike card?

The Gengar VMAX alternate art, 271/264, at $1,027.32 raw in our catalog on October 19, 2026. The Espeon VMAX alt art is second at $341.35, a gap of about $686.

How many cards are in Fusion Strike?

284 per Serebii: 264 numbered cards plus 30 secret rares. The alt arts are numbered past the printed total, so the Gengar VMAX alt art is 271/264.

Is the Gengar VMAX alt art worth grading?

Yes, if the card has even borders, clean corners and an unscratched glitter surface. All six Gengar VMAX community scans we found read 9.5, so a 10 is not something to count on.

Is the regular Gengar VMAX worth grading?

No. The 157/264 version is $41.12 raw, so a fee costs most of the card. Check the card number first, because only 271/264 is the $1,027 alt art.

Which Fusion Strike cards should I sell raw?

Everything below the Mew V alt full art at $102.56, plus the Celebi V ($75.45) unless it scans flawless. The Inteleon VMAX alt art ($26.98) and Mew VMAX ($15.50) are the two people hope on and should not.