Dark Vaporeon · Legendary Collection, what to know.
About the Dark Vaporeon card
Numbered 9 of 110 in Legendary Collection, released in May 2002, Dark Vaporeon is a Rare Holo, a Stage 1 Water-type carrying 60 HP.
It evolves from Eevee, so Dark Vaporeon is a later-stage card that set-builders usually slot into a full evolution run rather than buy alone.
Team Rocket darkened Vaporeon under its control for the set's villain arc, a grittier repaint of the familiar Pokémon with an altered attack profile.
Illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita. Arita painted the Base Set Charizard and much of the early holo run, and his work has a painterly weight that set the visual tone of the Wizards era.
Printed on the card, the Vaporeon Pokédex entry reads: "A Pokémon capable of controlling water, so it is capable of creating giant whirlpools."
About Vaporeon in the Pokémon world
The Water Eeveelution. Aquatic, mermaid-like silhouette. Jungle holo Vaporeon is one of the three Eeveelution chase cards in the set. Strong collector demand.
What is Dark Vaporeon worth?
Dark Vaporeon is a holo rare, one of the cards that holds Legendary Collection'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, Legendary Collection holos range from the mid hundreds for the lesser cards up to the set's marquee chase; 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
Confirm the print and finish on Dark Vaporeon before pricing it, since variant and rarity set the market more than the card name alone.
Grading and condition
Expect the holo window to set the grade on Dark Vaporeon. Print misregistration and fine scratches in the water foil are the usual reasons a copy lands at a 9, and edge whitening against the frame is the next thing a grader notes.
If you are collecting Dark Vaporeon
For Dark Vaporeon, variant comes before condition. A 1st Edition and an Unlimited Dark Vaporeon are different markets for the same art, so settle the print before you negotiate. Demand a clear photo of the Dark Vaporeon holo for any raw purchase.
