Umbreon ex
Quick take
- Rare Holo ex, number 112 of 115, the top printed rarity in the main set
- Demand is driven by Umbreon's fanbase, not by scarcity
- Often bought as a pair with Espeon ex from the same set
- Not a Gold Star and not a secret rare, this is the accessible vintage Umbreon ex
Collector's readWhat it means for your master set
Set landscapeWhere this card sits in EX Unseen Forces
VariantsCard variants
Holofoil 112/115 · $500.50 — the only variant this card was printed in (no reverse holo or special pattern), so a master set needs just this one copy.
The storyThe dark Eeveelution that vintage collectors actually finish their sets for
Umbreon ex sits in the back half of EX Unseen Forces, the 2005 set built around the Johto starters and a heavy Eeveelution theme. It is a Rare Holo ex, the top printed rarity for the main set, number 112 of 115. Espeon ex is its light-side twin in the same set, and the two get bought together constantly.
“Rare Holo ex, number 112 of 115, the top printed rarity in the main set”
What makes this card matter is the subject more than the slot. Umbreon is one of the most collected Pokemon in the franchise, and demand for any clean Umbreon card tends to outrun supply. Stack that on a twenty-year-old EX-era holo with a shrinking pool of high-grade copies, and you get a card that holds attention long after the set itself faded from packs.
This is not a Gold Star and not a secret rare. It is the standard ex holo. That distinction matters for buyers who see the word Umbreon and assume every old one is a four-figure grail. The ex holo is the accessible vintage Umbreon. The 2007 Gold Star from POP Series 5 is the truly expensive one.
By the numbersMarket analysis
Sits near the top of EX Unseen Forces for value, in the company of Espeon ex and the Johto legendary exes. Raw near-mint copies trade in a healthy three-figure range. Graded gem examples push well past that.
Steady to firm over the long run. Umbreon demand provides a floor that most EX-era exes do not have, so dips tend to get bought back up rather than drifting.
One of the more defensible vintage exes to hold. The character demand is structural rather than a hype spike. The main risk is condition. EX-era holos warp and chip, so a raw copy that looks fine in a photo can grade poorly.
Graded gem copies command a large premium over raw, and the gap widens sharply at the highest grades because EX-era cards rarely come back clean. A mid-grade slab carries a much softer premium.
EX-era boosters held nine cards, and a Pokemon-ex like this one was the premium hit you hoped to open rather than a near-guaranteed pull. Unseen Forces carried a full slate of ex cards, so even when a pack delivered an ex, the odds it was specifically Umbreon were long. In practice you opened a lot of packs before this one surfaced. Worth being clear on what this card is not. It is not a Gold Star. Gold Stars from this era, a Pokemon with a gold star next to its name printed between 2004 and 2007, ran far scarcer, roughly one per two booster boxes, around one in seventy-two packs, with shiny alternate-color art. Umbreon does have a Gold Star, but that is the 2007 POP Series 5 card, not this Unseen Forces ex.
Among the exes in Unseen Forces, Umbreon sits at the top of the desirability ladder alongside Espeon ex, driven by character demand rather than scarcity. Plenty of these were printed. What is scarce now is a copy that still grades high.
ArtworkWhy the art matters
Ryo Ueda illustrated a broad run of Pokemon-ex cards through the EX era. The style runs to dramatic creature poses set against atmospheric backgrounds. Ueda's ex work from this period is well regarded among vintage collectors.
Umbreon is posed mid-motion against a dark, moody backdrop, its yellow rings glowing against the deep tones of the holo. The composition leans into Umbreon's nocturnal identity, all shadow and light rather than busy detail.
Standard EX-era holofoil pattern across the illustration window with the ex-style border. No alternate-color or shiny treatment here. This is a normal-color holo, which separates it cleanly from Umbreon's Gold Star printing.
It is the definitive vintage Umbreon ex that most collectors can realistically own. The art reads instantly as Umbreon and frames the character the way fans want to see it, dark and glowing.
BackgroundAbout Umbreon ex
Umbreon debuted in the Gold and Silver generation as the Dark-type Eeveelution, evolving from Eevee when leveled up at night with high friendship. It quickly became one of the most beloved members of the Eevee family and a fixture on best-Eeveelution lists ever since.
- ›Eevee family loyalty, one of the strongest collecting fandoms in the hobby
- ›Sleek dark design with glowing rings that translates well to card art
- ›A long line of desirable Umbreon chase cards across many sets
- ›Cross-generational appeal that keeps new collectors entering the market
- ›EX Unseen Forces (2005), this Rare Holo ex paired with Espeon ex
- ›POP Series 5 Umbreon Gold Star (2007), the high-end vintage Umbreon grail
- ›Modern Eeveelution chase cards that keep Umbreon demand at the front of the hobby
Long retired from organized play. The Darker Ring Poke-Power and the Black Cry and Darkness Fang attacks are a snapshot of 2005 EX-era design, not a current deck piece. Today this is a collector card, not a tournament card.
Own it wellCollector guide
EX-era holos are condition traps. Watch the holo window for scratching and the front border edges for whitening, since the dark border shows every nick. Centering is commonly off on this print run, and the foil can show light surface warping. Inspect under angled light before buying.
Worth grading if the copy is genuinely clean, because the high-grade premium on a twenty-year-old Umbreon is significant. Assess centering and surface honestly first. A raw copy that grades mid is often worth more left raw than slabbed at a low number. Read the grading guide →
Sleeve in a penny sleeve inside a top loader or a graded-style holder, kept out of direct light and humidity. Vintage holo foil warps with heat and moisture, so a stable shelf beats a windowsill. See the storage guide →
For any serious money, buy graded from a reputable grader so you are paying for verified condition rather than a flattering photo. For a raw display copy, demand multiple sharp images of all four corners, the centering, and the holo under light. Cross-check the seller's recent sold history. See the singles buying guide →
EX-era cards are among the more counterfeited vintage Pokemon. Do the light test by holding the card to a bright source. A genuine card shows the dark inner core layer and stays opaque, while many fakes glow through. Check the back swirl, it should be a smooth blue gradient with no blurring or off-color tone. Feel the front for the correct linen-style surface texture, and confirm the holo behaves like real foil rather than a flat printed sparkle. When in doubt, buy it already graded.
Protect your card
High Chase Score — protect and consider grading. · Amazon affiliate links · Storage guideWord on the streetCommunity sentiment
Vintage and Eeveelution collectors hold this card in consistently high regard. It is treated as a staple target for anyone completing EX Unseen Forces or building an Umbreon run, and as the accessible alternative to the much pricier Gold Star.
Umbreon cards reliably draw attention in collector communities, and this ex shows up often in Eeveelution and EX-era set discussions. The recurring theme is that clean, high-grade copies are getting harder to find.
Good to knowFrequently asked questions
Keep collectingRelated cards
Plan your Other EX Unseen Forces master set
Track every card, see what you're missing, and lay out your binder page by page.
