Darkrai Pokémon Cards Hit $1,000 as 'Abyss Eye' and 'Pitch Black' Ignite Demand

Q: A new Darkrai card hit $1,000, but why is a 2012 version now worth over five times more?

Because the 2012 card is a scarcer, older collector piece in top condition, while the new $1,000 Darkrai is being driven mainly by fresh-release hype and low pull rates. The new card’s surge comes from the 2026 Darkrai boom. Mega Darkrai cards from Japan’s *Abyss Eye* set, especially the gold “mega hyper rare” version, have reportedly crossed $1,000 as collectors chase new Mega Evolution cards tied to Darkrai’s renewed prominence in the TCG and related game content. Those prices reflect strong demand, but they are still for a newly released card with more copies likely to surface over time. The 2012 card is different. The key example is **Darkrai EX #107 from *Dark Explorers***. An ungraded copy is around **$370**, but a **PSA 10** has reached about **$5,500**, and elite grades can go far higher. That gap is driven by age, survival rate, and grading scarcity: many 2012 cards were played, stored poorly, or never preserved well enough to earn gem-mint grades. Truly pristine copies are now limited. Darkrai’s current popularity has also lifted older cards across the board. Collectors who miss the new chase card often move into earlier Darkrai releases, and that has pushed up prices for cards such as Darkrai VSTAR, Umbreon & Darkrai GX, and older Japanese and promo issues. In short, the new card created momentum, but the 2012 version commands much more because it combines nostalgia, proven scarcity, and extreme rarity in top condition.

3 articles · Updated · Wargamer · Jun 9

$1,000 Darkrai sales have emerged after the new Pokémon TCG releases, with the gold Mega Darkrai “hyper rare” listed at that level on eBay and Mega Darkrai SAR reaching about $600 in Japan.
The spike is tied to Darkrai headlining 'Abyss Eye' and the upcoming 'Pitch Black,' a pattern that often sends collectors chasing older cards featuring the same Pokémon.
Darkrai VSTAR from Crown Zenith has climbed from about $50 in March to $120, while Umbreon & Darkrai GX has risen from roughly $115 at the start of 2026 to $260.
Some listings may be inflated by multi-card lots, and several older Darkrai cards had already jumped in mid-2025, suggesting demand was building before the latest set releases.