Zekrom ex
Quick take
- One of only two Black White Rare cards in print, paired with Reshiram ex from White Flare
- TCGPlayer market around $409 raw, PSA 10 graded copies above $800
- Pull rate roughly 1 in 360-450 packs, rarest standard rarity in the modern Scarlet & Violet era
- Generation V Tao trio dragon completion alongside rsv10pt5-173 Reshiram
Collector's readWhat it means for your master set
Set landscapeWhere this card sits in Black Bolt
VariantsCard variants
Holofoil 172/86 · $611.19 — 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 Black Half of the Tao Dragon Pair
Black Bolt and White Flare are the modern era's deliberate callback to Pokemon Black and White (2010-2011), released as a paired special expansion tied to the 30th anniversary roadmap. The Black White Rare rarity is the headline mechanic. The treatment uses a vertical bichrome split, black on one side, white on the other, with the Pokemon dominating the foiled half. Zekrom sits on the black side of Black Bolt. Reshiram sits on the white side of White Flare.
“One of only two Black White Rare cards in print, paired with Reshiram ex from White Flare”
The rarity tier is closed to this set pair. No other release in the modern Scarlet & Violet era will use the Black White Rare treatment. Community pull rate estimates put the rarity at roughly 1 in 360-450 packs, rarer than any standard SIR. Each set has exactly one Black White Rare slot. Zekrom in Black Bolt. Reshiram in White Flare. That's the entire tier.
Zekrom itself is the Yin half of the Tao trio. Generation V's electric dragon, the ideals-aligned mirror to Reshiram's truth. Pokemon Black's box art legendary, ridden by N in the climactic battle. The Tao trio narrative weight gives both Black White Rare cards a permanent collector base independent of the rarity novelty.
By the numbersMarket analysis
Around $409 raw on TCGPlayer at last sync. Slightly above Reshiram ex Black White Rare from White Flare (~$365), unusual for paired cards which typically trade at similar levels. PSA 10 graded copies trade in the $800-1,000 range in early secondary sales.
Stable since release. The closed rarity treatment provides a structural floor. Black Bolt sealed product moved faster than White Flare at launch, which has resulted in slightly tighter supply for Zekrom relative to Reshiram. The pair trade closely but not identically.
Solid fundamentals on the rarity side. The Black White Rare slot is closed. The Tao trio dragon pair has structural demand from collectors who specifically target the Yin/Yang narrative. PSA 10 graded copies are the cleanest long hold. Main risk is broader Scarlet & Violet era softening, but the rarity tier scarcity provides a durable floor.
PSA 10 around 2-2.5x raw. The bichrome split is forgiving on centering relative to dark-background SIRs but the black half exposes any print inconsistency. Centering on the horizontal split line is the main grading variable. Submit only on copies with 55/45 or better centering on both axes.
Roughly 1 in 360 to 1 in 450 packs based on community early-pull data. With Zekrom being the only Black White Rare in Black Bolt, that's the per-card rate. The rarest standard rarity in the modern Scarlet & Violet era.
Direct pair with Reshiram ex Black White Rare from White Flare (rsv10pt5-173). Rarer than any SIR or MHR in standard sets. The Black White Rare treatment is closed to just these two cards. No other Pokemon will receive the rarity in any other set.
ArtworkWhy the art matters
takuyoa is a contemporary Japanese illustrator with multiple Scarlet & Violet era credits. The takuyoa style favours dramatic poses and dynamic backgrounds. Other notable takuyoa work spans the modern alt art and SIR rotation.
Zekrom dominates the black half of the card in full pose, electrical energy crackling along the body and tail turbine. The white half hosts typography and energy symbols in black-on-white inverse. The two halves meet down a clean vertical line, the visual hook of the Black White Rare treatment.
Black White Rare with textured holofoil exclusively on the black half. The white half is matte. The contrast between the two surfaces is what makes the rarity treatment visually distinctive in person versus standard SIRs that use foil edge-to-edge.
The bichrome treatment commits to the Tao trio's design philosophy. Black for Zekrom (Yin, ideals), white for Reshiram (Yang, truth). The split colour scheme on each card mirrors the trio's narrative structure rather than fighting it. Most rarity treatments chase more foil and more shine. Black White Rare chases contrast, which suits the Tao theme.
BackgroundAbout Zekrom ex
Zekrom debuted in Pokemon Black (2010) as the box art legendary of the Yin half of the Tao trio, paired with Reshiram (Yang) and Kyurem (Wuji). National Pokedex #644. Dragon/Electric typing. Signature ability Teravolt. Zekrom represents ideals and absolutist conviction in the Black and White storyline, the dragon N rides in the climactic battle against the player. The Tao trio is one of the most lore-heavy legendary groupings in the franchise, with the dragons originally being one before splitting into truth (Reshiram) and ideals (Zekrom).
- ›Tao trio narrative weight as one of the most-discussed legendary stories in the franchise
- ›Distinctive vast-black design with the turbine tail mechanism
- ›N storyline made Zekrom synonymous with the moral complexity of Black and White
- ›Generation V nostalgia for players who grew up with Black and White (now late-20s/early-30s)
- ›Pokemon Master Set inclusion as a Gen V headliner across multiple eras
- ›Box art legendary of Pokemon Black (2010)
- ›Cover legendary of Pokemon White 2 (2012) alongside Kyurem-White fusion
- ›Featured prominently in the Pokemon Adventures Black and White manga arc
- ›Multiple TCG appearances across Black and White (2011), Plasma (2013), Cosmic Eclipse (2019), and now Black Bolt (2026)
- ›Pokemon Masters EX synced pair with N
Zekrom has held fringe-OU presence in Smogon for most of its existence via Teravolt + Bolt Strike hitting hard but speed limiting consistency. The Black White Rare TCG card has playable stats but is universally a display piece at this price tier.
Own it wellCollector guide
The black half hides surface marks well. The white half exposes them. Centering on the vertical split line is the main variable, drift either direction is immediately visible. Inspect under angled light for waviness in the textured holofoil on the black side.
Grade clean copies. PSA 10 premium runs 2-2.5x raw, substantial money. Verify centering at 55/45 or better on both axes, especially the horizontal split. Submit alongside Reshiram from White Flare if you have both, the Tao dragon pair grading is common practice now. Read the grading guide →
Perfect-fit sleeve on pull, rigid top loader or magnetic case for raw. Graded slabs are the cleanest long-term storage at this price point. Body oil on the white half leaves visible marks, handle carefully. See the storage guide →
Direct purchase only. The 1-in-400 pull rate makes sealed product irrational at this scale. TCGPlayer Direct is the cleanest English channel. eBay works for graded copies, inspect comp history and centering photos. Pair with Reshiram ex Black White Rare from White Flare for the Tao dragon collection display. See the singles buying guide →
At this price tier, authentication matters. Counterfeit Black White Rares are appearing given the novelty of the treatment. Verify weight, foil texture, and the exact gold/silver tone of the rarity stamp against a known authentic copy. Graded slabs from PSA, CGC, or BGS eliminate most of the risk for raw purchases.
Protect your card
High Chase Score — protect and consider grading. · Amazon affiliate links · Storage guideWord on the streetCommunity sentiment
Consistently positive across collector communities, mirroring the White Flare Reshiram reception. The Black White Rare treatment landed as one of the most-discussed new rarity tiers of the era. Zekrom's art rendition got significant social pickup on Twitter and Reddit alongside Reshiram. Pair collectors specifically target both cards.
- ›Recent TCGPlayer market around $409 raw
- ›Early PSA 10 graded copies in the $800-1,000 range based on first-week eBay comps
Heavy. Pull videos featuring this card become release-window content. The bichrome split visually distinguishes the card in thumbnails. Side-by-side comparisons with Reshiram from White Flare are the dominant social treatment, the two cards are being framed as a single chase target rather than independent pulls.
Good to knowFrequently asked questions
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