Ah, Umbreon ex #161. Elusive, expensive, and egregiously overpriced, this Prismatic Evolutions Pokémon card has remained that expansion's most prized jewel since its launch in January 2025. That's due to a healthy dose of hype bubble chaos, low stock, people holding sealed products making it harder to find, and Umbreon VMAX from Evolving Skies still being absurdly pricey. But no longer! Sorry, Umbreon, but your time in the sun (or moon?) is over: a new Prismatic Evolutions card has arisen to steal its throne of cash and toploaders.
OK, so I'm not quite comparing apples to apples here, because that wild new top selling success is technically a limited edition tournament promo - the extra rare kind that can end up in our list of the most expensive Pokémon cards of all time. Such cards do tend to blow up in value due to their extreme rarity - but it's worth me reporting on it here because:
- Umbreon ex has been so expensive for so long that any card knocking it off its pedestal is positively delicious.
- The card that's done it is just a silly little guy!
You know that adorable little plant-type, Budew? It's one of the cutest Pokémon in my opinion, and Budew #4 from Prismatic Evolutions usually goes for a measly $1 - or around $6, if you manage to score a Master Ball version of the card. As it turns out, this leafy little pipsqueak is the card that dethroned Umbreon - albeit in league promo form.
As noted by PokéBeach, Budew [Premier Ball League Judge] #4 is a special promo variant of Prismatic's Budew, limited to under 150 copies, and was given to judges due to their support of the Premier Ball League tournament in three countries. That's why it goes for high prices, due to its rarity, going for just over $1,600 in a recently sold listing on eBay.
And despite that rarity making its high price all but inevitable, Umbreon ex losing its pole position is still a big deal. With an average Ebay price of around $1,100, Umbreon ex #161 is wildly valuable for a new, in print card you can (theoretically) go out and buy in a booster pack right now. Few cards from the Scarlet & Violet era have held their value as well over the last ten months, as new Pokémon sets have come and gone.
While I don't think it deserves such a high asking price, there's no doubt Umbreon ex #161 is a fairly gorgeous card, and I get why it's the major chase of the set (even if the other Eeveelutions are more to my taste). And sure, it's still the top dog when it comes to regular Prismatic Evolutions chases - but it's no longer officially the priciest Prismatic card there is; plucky little Budew gets that honor now.
If you're looking to add Budew [Premier Ball League Judge] #4 to your collection, I imagine some will occasionally pop up on eBay, so your best bet is to keep an eye on listings for that (and other Premier Ball League Judge prints). Expect to pay a lot of money, as there are so few out there that it's going to be asking for a hefty price.
I can't promise that we will be sharing regular updates on these types of promo cards, but if there's a good deal on, I can promise that we'll share the best deals for the Pokémon TCG and other tabletop greats on our Wargamer Discord, so make sure to join our community for bargains, or just to chat with like-minded trainers.