Dark Donphan · Neo Destiny, what to know.
About the Dark Donphan card
Dark Donphan is card 3 of 113 in Neo Destiny, released in February 2002, a Rare Holo. It is a Stage 1 Fighting-type with 60 HP.
As a Stage 1, it evolves from Phanpy, which places Dark Donphan deeper in its line and means most collectors hold it alongside the cards it evolves from.
Team Rocket darkened Donphan under its control for the set's villain arc, a grittier repaint of the familiar Pokémon with an altered attack profile.
Illustrated by Shin-ichi Yoshida.
The card's flavor text gives Donphan a line of lore: "The larger its tusks, the higher its status in the herd."
About Donphan in the Pokémon world
A Ground-type armored elephant Pokémon. Steady tournament play in Generation 2 keeps graded survivor counts low.
What is Dark Donphan worth?
Dark Donphan is a holo rare, one of the cards that holds Neo Destiny's value. The print variant decides most of it: a 1st Edition copy in high grade commands a large premium over a Shadowless or Unlimited one. In top-grade 1st Edition, Neo Destiny holos range from the mid hundreds for the lesser cards up to Shining Charizard at the top; raw and Unlimited copies trade for a fraction of that. The live market price above shows the current figure by grade.
Print variants and how to spot them
Neo Destiny produced 1st Edition, Unlimited, Shining prints. For Dark Donphan, the print variant can change the price several times over, so identify it before you buy.
Grading and condition
On a holo like Dark Donphan, surface is the grade cap. The fighting foil shows hairlines under raking light, and the print reveals scratches that flat scans miss. Centering on the left and right borders is the second thing to check.
If you are collecting Dark Donphan
Buying Dark Donphan well means pricing the exact print and grade, not the card name. The 1st Edition Dark Donphan trades above the Unlimited copy, so confirm the stamp before you agree a number. Always see the holo surface in good light first.
