It’s time for your Pokemon to grow to phenomenal sizes, as we check out the most valuable VMAX Pokemon cards!
The Nintendo Switch games, Pokemon Sword and Shield, introduced a process called Dynamaxing, which temporarily transforms your Pokemon into kaiju-sized creatures! Also known as Gigantamaxing (or Eternamaxing, which only affects the Legendary Pokemon Eternatus), Dynamaxing was brought into the Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG) with the arrival of VMAX Pokemon.
VMAX cards arrived alongside Pokemon V cards, and evolve from their respective V forms; for example, a Pikachu VMAX evolves from a Pikachu V. It’s worth noting that, even though VMAX cards tend to be incredibly powerful and have extremely high HP, they do come with a built in risk for their trainer: when Knocked Out, a VMAX card earns its opponent three Prize Cards!
With the overall, standard victory condition for winning a Pokemon game being to collect six Prize Cards, being able to get hold of half of them in one fell swoop is pretty spectacular. Still, regardless of that risk, you’ll often see VMAX cards hitting the table, and you’ll quite often notice just how beautiful they look too; The Pokemon Company really go the extra mile when it comes to VMAX cards, making them highly sought after by both players and collectors.
Given that many of them are so highly sought after, which are the most valuable VMAX Pokemon cards overall though? We took a look at the sales data compiled by TCG Player to uncover the highest average selling prices for VMAX cards. But which ones made the cut? Let’s find out!
1. Umbreon VMAX (Alternate Art) – Evolving Skies ($960)
The undoubted Holy Grail of all VMAX cards at the moment is this incredible, alternate art version of Umbreon VMAX. A Secret Rare, full illustration card (which you’ll see a lot of, on this list!), Umbreon VMAX has seen some phenomenal price rises in recent months, with the current average being an astonishing $960!
So, why is Umbreon VMAX such a popular card? In this instance, we believe it’s all about the art, which fans have taken to calling ‘Moonbreon’. As you can see, that’s because the art, by Keiichiro Ito, depicts the enlarged, Dark type, evolved form of Eevee (or ‘Eeveelution’, because us Pokemon fans love our cute portmanteau nicknames) wrapped around a building’s roof, pawing at the moon.
Though you are extremely unlikely to find this particular variant in anyone’s deck, it’s worth taking a look at what Umbreon VMAX can actually do in-game. First up is the Dark Signal ability, which allows you to switch out your opponent’s Active Pokemon with one of their Benched Pokemon on the turn that Umbreon VMAX is played.
Then there’s Max Darkness, which costs 1 Darkness and 2 Colorless Energy to use; though it doesn’t have any special effects, it deals a decent 160 HP of damage. The Umbreon VMAX itself has an impressive 310 HP, so it’s a pretty good card to have on your side!
Several other variants of this Umbreon VMAX do exist, with the cheapest one selling for an average of around $5.50, so if you do want to actually play with one of these, it’s best to go for that one, and not the one that could net you close to $1000 if it’s in good condition!
2. Rayquaza VMAX (Alternate Art) – Evolving Skies ($460)
Despite the fact that some witty Pokemon fans have dubbed the Evolving Skies set ‘Evolving Cries’, on account of the fact that its booster pack pull rate feels particularly low, both the ‘Moonbreon’ card and this Rayquaza hail from that very set.
This particular Rayquaza VMAX is an alternate art Secret Rare; when a card is classed as a Secret Rare, it means that its card number exceeds the stated number of cards in a set; for example, the number of this card is 218/203. So if that had ever confused you, now you know why that’s the case!
This card is another that features truly striking art, in this instance by Anesaki Dynamic. Just like Umbreon before it, as well as just about all of the cards on this list, the artwork does seem to be the major factor in just why the current price is so high; in this case, it’s an average of $460 that you’re looking at!
Of course, that aforementioned bad pull rate is also a big facet here; because it’s so hard to actually find these cards in Evolving Skies boosters, naturally the price has gone sky high for the special rares in the set.
Gameplay-wise, Rayquaza VMAX, a Dragon type Pokemon, has a few tricks up its sleeve. The Azure Pulse ability lets you discard your hand and draw another three cards, once per turn. Then its Max Burst attack (costing 1 Fire and 1 Lightning Energy to play) deals 20 HP damage, plus an extra 80 HP of damage for every Fire and/or Lightning Energy you discard from the Rayquaza VMAX itself, which can be devastating when timed correctly!
I’d be very surprised to see this particular card turn up in a deck, considering its value, but you may well see one of its less extortionately priced versions in the wild; Rayquaza VMAX cards with the same ability and attack can be found for around $5 if you’re not looking for a card that features this exact artwork!
3. Gengar VMAX (Alternate Art) – Fusion Strike ($400)
You may recognise this card from our most valuable Gengar cards list, where it managed to rank higher than even the very first Gengar cards ever printed, in terms of its price. Which is a great demonstration of just how highly valued VMAX cards are these days; who would have ever thought that the value of iconic, 90s Pokemon cards could be eclipsed by more modern card designs? Yet here we are!
Of course, this particular Gengar VMAX is another full art, Secret Rare, much the same as many other cards we cover here. It’s from the Fusion Strike set which, like Evolving Skies, was released in 2021. This Gengar VMAX doesn’t have an ability, but it does have two attacks: Fear and Panic, and G-Max Swallow Up.
Fear and Panic’s base HP damage is 60, though as this is then multiplied by the number of V and GX Pokemon your opponent has in play, it can be particularly powerful. It’s also pretty cost effective, as you’ll only need two Dark Energy to use it.
G-Max Swallow Up deals a huge 250 HP of damage, though when you use it, Gengar VMAX is unable to attack at all on the next turn. These two excellent attacks, coupled with that very impressive art (credited as being by ‘sowsow’), explains the high value of this Gengar VMAX card, which currently sells for around $400. It does have a more standard variant, which still has pretty striking artwork; you’ll be able to find this card (157/264 is the set number) for around $8.
4. Charizard VMAX – Prize Pack Series ($410)
Another card you may recognise from one of our lists, in this case the most valuable Charizard cards, unlike Gengar VMAX it couldn’t outdo the more classic, decades-old Charizard cards in terms of its value. Still, with its current average selling price at $410, it’s hardly a cheap card to get hold of!
This Prize Pack card is a reprint of a card from 2020 set Darkness Ablaze; so what makes it different, and therefore more valuable I hear you ask? Well, this particular variant, despite having the exact same artwork (by ‘aky CG Works’), is from a Prize Pack. These packs are given to participants and winners of Pokemon organised play events, so they’re much rarer than standard cards.
You can identify a Prize Pack card from the black, white and red Pokemon Trainer silhouette logo just above the first attack, on the middle right of the card. Without that logo, the Darkness Ablaze version of the card sells for an average of $23, which is, of course, a huge difference!
Two attacks: Claw Slash, which deals 100 HP damage (and costs 3 Colorless Energy to use), and G-Max Wildfire (costing 3 Fire Energy and 2 Colorless), which deals 300 HP damage but also requires you to discard 2 Energy from Charizard VMAX, add to the appeal of this card.
5. Blaziken VMAX (Alternate Art) – Chilling Reign ($360)
The devil is in the details with this Blaziken VMAX card, which shows a group of regular sized Pokemon on a rooftop, hilariously outmatched by the enormous Blaziken VMAX they’re up against. Another card released in 2021, Blaziken VMAX hails from the Chilling Reign set, though has been subsequently reprinted in 2022 set Silver Tempest.
This alternate art and, yes, Secret Rare card is the one which commands the highest price, however, with an average value of $360. The standard, Ultra Rare version from Chilling Reign sells for an average of just $1.50; so if you want it in your deck, that’s probably your best option!
It’s a decent card mechanically too, with the Clutch attack, costing 1 Fire Energy, dealing 60 HP of damage and blocking the Defending Pokemon from retreating on the next turn. It also has Max Blaze, which costs just two Colorless Energy, deals 130 HP of damage and allows you to attach an Energy card from your discard pile to up to 2 of your Benched, Rapid Strike Pokemon.
6. Leafeon VMAX (Alternate Art) – Evolving Skies ($315)
Yet another card from Evolving Skies, and also another Eeveelution, Leafeon VMAX is a Grass Energy type Pokemon. Another Alternate Art, Secret Rare card, it features a lovely illustration (credited to Hyogonosuke), depicting Leafeon VMAX rolling a bale of hay.
Currently, this card’s average price is $315, and its not hard to imagine that the very appealing artwork, as well as it being a part of notorious set Evolving Skies, which has pushed that value sky high.
You’ll pay around $2.50 for the standard art version of the card, however, which features the same two attacks as the alternate art Leafeon VMAX: Grass Knot, which costs 1 Grass and 1 Colorless Energy, dealing 60 HP of damage for each Colorless symbol in your opponent’s Active Pokemon’s retreat cost, and Max Leaf, which costs 2 Grass and 1 Colorless Energy to deal 170 HP of damage, but also to heal 30 HP of damage from Leafeon VMAX itself!
7. Glaceon VMAX (Alternate Art) – Evolving Skies ($216)
It certainly seems as if the Eeveelution VMAX cards from Evolving Skies are amongst the hottest cards for collectors to get their hands on at the moment, because here we have yet another one!
Glaceon VMAX has an instantly appealing Ability too: Crystal Veil. This prevents damage from all opponent VMAX Pokemon, unless they happen to be Glaceon VMAX too (but what are the chances of that?). Though Glaceon VMAX only has a single attack, it’s a good one; Max Icicle deals 150 HP of damage for the cost of just 1 Water and 2 Colorless Energy, but also does 30 HP of damage to one of your opponent’s Benched Pokemon too.
The beautiful art, bykirisAki, sees Glaceon VMAX using its power to freeze a lake for other, regular sized Pokemon to play on; again, it’s undoubtedly a big reason why this particular card has an average selling price of $216. You’ll pay around $2 for its cheapest version, so if you want to make use of Glaceon VMAX in your deck, that’s the one to look out for!
8. Espeon VMAX (Alternate Art) – Fusion Strike ($216)
Yes, another Eeveelution card; this time it’s the alternate art, Secret Rare variant of Espeon VMAX, from the Fusion Strike set. This Psychic type Pokemon has a very interesting ability, in that it stops any effects to all of your Pokemon, as long as they have Energy attached!
Max Mindstorm is its only attack; this costs 1 Psychic and 2 Colorless Energy to use, but deals 60 HP of damage for each Energy attached to all of your opponent’s Pokemon; as you can imagine, this can be incredibly powerful. This variant sells for an average of $216, but has a standard art variant, which appears in the Evolving Skies set, and costs just $4 on average.
Of course, the alternate art variant, which sees Espeon adorably asleep against, and on top of, an entire house, is the one for all of you Pokemon collectors out there!
9. Sylveon VMAX (Alternate Art) – Evolving Skies ($200)
The final Eeveelution on this list, Sylveon VMAX is another example of a beautiful and highly sought after alternate art Secret Rare from Evolving Skies. This Psychic type Pokemon has a nifty, 1 Psychic Energy attack, which allows it to attach 1 Energy card from your hand to any of your Benched Pokemon, and heal that Pokemon by 120 HP too!
It also has Max Harmony, a 3 Colorless Energy attack that deals 70 HP of damage, plus another 30 HP per different type of Pokemon on your Bench. Though that’s trickier to use than some of the other, powerful attacks we’ve seen on other VMAX cards, in the right hands that could be extremely useful and effective.
So it’s no surprise to see this card’s value at $200, if you couple its card mechanics with the gorgeous, colourful artwork by Taira Akitsu. Though many of the variants of this card sell for $40+, there is a cheaper alternative that you can find for around $4 if you really want to use it in your deck!
10. Charizard (Rainbow Rare) – Champion’s Path ($164)
A special set released in 2020, Champion’s Path focused on the Gym Leaders of the Galar Region, which itself featured as the setting for Nintendo Switch game, Pokemon Sword and Shield. You’ll note that this particular Charizard VMAX’s stats and attacks are the same as the other Charizard VMAX we have on this list; even the artwork, despite the rainbow colouring and textured foil treatment, is based on the previous card, and is also credited to aky CG Works.
The Champion’s Path booster packs were not available individually (which, for special sets, is par for the course; the same thing also happened with sets such as Crown Zenith, for example), which also adds to the appeal and allure of this card, which was difficult to pull. Rainbow Rare cards tend to be pretty popular, and of course this Charizard VMAX has definitely proven to be highly sought after, with a current average value of $164!
