Karen's Umbreon #91 from the Japanese VS set delivers a 755% ROI at PSA Value Bulk—nearly 7× the return of Umbreon VMAX from Evolving Skies. Vintage Japanese Umbreon cards dominate the grading arbitrage right now, with tight PSA 10 populations and massive price gaps between raw and graded. Modern Umbreons remain playable but crowded; the real money is in the trophy-era printings that hit PSA 10 less often.
The Scorecard: 8 Umbreon Printings Ranked by ROI
Numbers assume PSA Value Bulk at $25 per card:
| Card | Raw | PSA 10 | Gem Rate | Net Profit | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karen's Umbreon #91 | $1,898 | $16,431 | 26.6% | $14,508 | 755.6% |
| Umbreon #68 | $650 | $4,652 | 46.7% | $3,977 | 589.2% |
| Umbreon ex #161 | $1,400 | $5,754 | 29.8% | $4,329 | 303.8% |
| Umbreon & Darkrai GX #182 | $341 | $2,124 | 77.0% | $1,759 | 481.0% |
| Umbreon VMAX #95 | $2,215 | $5,105 | 85.5% | $2,865 | 128.0% |
| Umbreon VMAX #215 | $2,025 | $4,249 | 71.0% | $2,199 | 107.3% |
| Umbreon #17 | $86 | $380 | 57.0% | $269 | 242.2% |
| Umbreon Ex #176 | $39 | $165 | 63.0% | $101 | 158.2% |
Why Karen's Umbreon Crushes the Field
Karen's Umbreon #91 is a grading machine right now. At a 26.6% gem rate, you're passing on 7 out of 10 shots at PSA 10—but when you hit, the $14,508 net profit per card is life-changing arbitrage. The raw price sits at $1,898, so you need capital and conviction, but the math is unambiguous: 755% ROI on a card that's seen 3,480 total grades and moves 443 units per year in PSA 10 form.
The secret is scarcity at the top. Japanese VS-era Umbreons are 25–30 years old, graded in smaller sample sizes than modern bulk, and the PSA 10 population is tight. When you compare this to Umbreon VMAX from Evolving Skies—a card graded 28,009 times—the gem rate is higher (71%), but the PSA 10 price is just $4,249. You're competing with thousands of other copies in the market; the premium collapses.
The Mid-Tier Play: Prismatic Evolutions & Japanese Imports
Umbreon ex #161 from Prismatic Evolutions sits in a smart middle ground. At a 303.8% ROI with a 29.8% gem rate, it's the closest modern card to vintage-level returns. The raw buy-in is lower ($1,400 vs $1,898), and PSA 10 comps are $5,754—solid enough to justify grading if you can acquire raw stock. This card has moved over 1,700 units per year in PSA 10 form, meaning there's actual buyer demand.
Japanese Tag All Stars' Umbreon & Darkrai GX #182 offers a 481% ROI with an excellent 77% gem rate. Translation: you're likely to hit PSA 10 if the card is clean. At $341 raw and $2,124 graded, the profit per card is $1,759—good enough for a flip, though lower absolute dollar return than the trophy plays.
The Modern Trap: High Gem Rate, Low ROI
Umbreon VMAX from Evolving Skies and Japanese Eevee Heroes are easy to grade high—85.5% and 71% gem rates respectively—but therein lies the problem. Because so many copies grade PSA 10, the PSA 10 price gets compressed. Evolving Skies' VMAX Umbreon sits at just 107.3% ROI despite an easy pass rate. Eevee Heroes' VMAX is slightly better at 128% ROI, thanks to a lower gem rate (85.5%) and tighter overall population, but you're still paying $2,200+ raw for $2,865 net profit.
These cards appeal to high-volume graders with deep pockets who can absorb dozens of submissions. They're not arbitrage plays; they're volume plays. The 30th-anniversary hype and the upcoming Premium Deck Set Espeon & Umbreon launching September 16 may pump modern Umbreon demand short-term, but the economics haven't shifted yet.
How We Calculate This
EV = sum over all possible grades of P(grade) × PSA 10 price × (1 − 10% sell fee) − raw cost − $25 grading fee, based on live PSA population gem-rate data. Learn more at our grading profit calculator for any card or read the full methodology at Should You Grade's about page.
Which Umbreon Should You Grade?
If you have $1,900+ and are buying raw: Karen's Umbreon #91. The 26.6% gem rate means you'll fail more than half your submissions, but the 755% ROI justifies the swings. You'll want access to the top cards to grade right now, ranked by EV to catch other Japanese vintage cards before they trend.
If you're in the $1,200–$1,500 range: Prismatic Evolutions' Umbreon ex #161. It's the cleanest modern play at 303.8% ROI, with enough buyer volume to move inventory fast.
If you're under $400: Umbreon & Darkrai GX from Tag All Stars at 481% ROI and a 77% pass rate makes sense. Or stick to the ultra-budget Promo Umbreon Ex ($39 raw, 158% ROI, 63% gem rate) if you're testing the model with small position sizes.
Avoid Umbreon VMAX from Evolving Skies and Eevee Heroes unless you're running a high-volume grading operation. The game is supply-side; once 28,000+ copies are graded and PSA 10 prices collapse, you're left holding inventory at cost.
What's Next for Umbreon
The 30th Celebration set arriving September 16 as the first worldwide simultaneous Pokémon TCG release will likely include Umbreon reprints. Watch for a short-term bump in modern Umbreon PSA 10 prices as nostalgia buyers hunt graded copies—but veteran flippers know reprints eventually tank vintage comps by diluting the collector base. The play is now: lock in Karen's if you can, or make your peace with Prismatic's 304%.
To run this comparison yourself and scan the full Umbreon card list across all sets, check out the Best Pokemon Japanese VS cards to grade, ranked by profit and the Best Pokemon Evolving Skies cards to grade, ranked by profit pages for live, weekly-updated ROI screens.
The Bottom Line
Umbreon is a tale of two markets: vintage Japanese trophy cards delivering 750%+ ROI with low gem rates and high capital requirements, and modern bulk plays delivering 100–300% ROI with easy PSA 10 rates and high grading volume. The free tool on Should You Grade shows raw prices, PSA 10 comps, and gem rates for every Umbreon printing, but to rank all 69 Umbreon variants by net profit and ROI—or to scan 14,000+ other cards—you'll want Pro. The data refreshes weekly, so you can catch vintage printings before the market does.