Why is Umbreon the most expensive Eeveelution? Pokemon TCG values explained

The Pokemon TCG has been known for its high-value cards since the game first debuted in the 90s. From first edition, original Charizard cards to Alternate Illustration rares of modern sets, fans have been chasing lottery ticket pulls for decades. However, there is one card that is often set at a high value that doesn’t make a ton of sense: Umbreon.

When most Eevee fans think of popular Eeveelutions, Sylveon or the Kanto trio are probably the first that comes to mind. Sylveon has acted as something of an Eeveelution poster child since its X & Y debut, regularly appearing in the anime or on high-end merchandise for the franchise.

Flareon, Vaporeon, and Jolteon have been regularly added to new sets and hold a nostalgia factor similar to Charizard.

However, it is Umbreon that has captured fans’ hearts, leaving its release partner Espeon and all other Eeveelutions in the dust.

When did Umbreon debut in Pokemon?

The Pokemon Company/DeNA

Umbreon and its Psychic-type sister Espeon first debuted in the Pokemon series at the release of Gold and Silver in October of 2000. Neither Pokemon was particularly powerful, but it held a special love among fans as one of the first Dark-types introduced to the franchise.

To evolve Umbreon, players had to dedicate their time to an Eevee, raising its friendship level and then evolving it at night. It became an instant favorite among fans, especially when its Shiny form revealed stunning blue banding where its standard form is gold. Compared to the sickly green of Shiny Espeon, it’s no wonder it became a Johto darling.

Why is Umbreon coveted by Pokemon TCG Fans?

This question is a bit harder to answer, but the shorthand reason is that it has always been considered a rare card.

Appearing less than Charizard, but holding similar popularity and nostalgia, players are quick to jump on Umbreon expansions. Charizard has over 50 English release cards, while Umbreon has only 26.

In addition to this, the sets Umbreon has been included in are often limited releases, like Prismatic Evolutions in 2025. This makes getting booster packs more difficult and greatly increases the rarity of a highly sought-after pull like an Umbreon Special Illustration rare.

Our current theory is that the combination of deep love for the Pokemon, and the limited accessibility to cards that it has featured on, have created the perfect conditions to jam the value of any Umbreon release through the roof.

How the 2020 card shortage impacted Umbreon card values

Another important factor to consider when looking at card values for Umbreon is the sudden increase in popularity the Pokemon TCG franchise has seen since 2020.

From late 2020 through 2023, the TCG experienced popularity fueled by online streamers opening packs, a surge of interest sparked by Sword & Shield fans who had spent 2020 playing the games and the DLC, and a dramatic increase in YouTubers recording and sharing Shiny hunts and speedruns.

During this time, the values of older cards spiked, even if the cards themselves had never been worth much. Anything from older sets because a sought-after auction item and hype over new illustration rare cards from current expansions created a frenzy that left stores limiting customer purchases on TCG products.

As popularity soared, Pokemon TCG shortages became a normal and frustrating part of the hobby. Stores would sell out of products in minutes on launch days, and resellers were charging hundreds of dollars for products worth much less at MSRP.

During the peak of these shortages, the Sword and Shield Evolving Skies expansion was released. Like with Prismatic Evolutions, this set specifically focused on Eeveelutions, sporting a card list filled with stunning Special Illustration rares of VMAX cards.

In addition to this, the pull rates for these sets were absolutely terrible due to a 237-card list. The staggering number was filled with standard cards, making it very difficult to pull any of the Eeveelutions.

Of those hard-to-get cards, the Umbreon VMAX Special Illustration Rare was one of the most elusive. This drove the price of the card up, as well as the prices of all other Umbreon cards, and created a fever that has reignited with any new Umbreon card released.

What are the most expensive Umbreon Cards?

The Pokemon Company

Currently, the most expensive Umbreon card in existence is the Sword & Shield Evolving Skies Special Illustration Rare valued at $1,800 by TCGPlayer. This is just the Near Mint Holofoil, with graded cards soaring above $3,000.

This is followed by the Prismatic Evolutions Umbreon ex Special Illustration, currently valued at $1,600 on TCGPlayer and the Unseen Forces Umbreon ex currently priced at $400 on TCGPlayer.

As seen above, there is a fairly decent jump in price between the older Umbreon cards and the newer ones that have come out during card shortages.

The next most expensive Eeveelution is Sylveon, whose Prismatic Evolutions Special Illustration ex card is valued at $450.

In short, Umbreon’s value in the Pokemon TCG is a combination of nostalgic love, modern card-pull hype, and shortage difficulties. The mixture has taken an Eeveelution that has been loved for decades and turned it into a diamond everyone has wanted to fight for. While Umbreon cards are not dominating pro TCG decks, fans want them for their collections and all the bragging rights that such rare cards bestow on their holders.