Xerneas and Yveltal have been printed as opposites since the day they debuted — one card built around life, the other around destruction, released in Japan as sister products rather than a single set. That pairing has repeated itself across four Japanese eras since 2013, from the original XY-EX debut through a GX rework to a matched 25th Anniversary reprint.
This guide walks through the notable Xerneas and Yveltal cards printed in Japan: the 2013 EX originals, the 2018 GX versions, the 2021 25th Anniversary Collection pair, and a handful of rarer inserts along the way. We ship Japanese singles and sealed product worldwide from Tokyo, including a PSA10 Xerneas EX from the 25th Anniversary promo line, currently listed at ¥7,736.
Ten notable Xerneas and Yveltal prints span 2013 to 2021 across Collection X/Y, Forbidden Light, Legendary Heartbeat, Shiny Star V, Shining Legends, and the 25th Anniversary Collection. Our PSA10 Xerneas EX 023/025 from the 25th Anniversary Promo Card Pack is currently listed at ¥7,736.
Our own price is a current listing as of August 2026. All other cards below are described for identification purposes; we do not publish external market prices for prints outside our own catalog.
Every Xerneas and Yveltal Print in This Guide
Ten prints across seven Japanese sets, from the 2013 debut through the 2021 25th Anniversary reprints:
| Card | Number | Rarity | Set | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xerneas-EX | XY1x 044/060 | RR | Collection X (XY1x) | 2013 |
| Yveltal-EX | XY1y 037 | RR | Collection Y (XY1y) | 2013 |
| Yveltal | SM3p 055 | R | Shining Legends (SM3p) | 2017 |
| Xerneas GX | SM6 064 | RR | Forbidden Light (SM6) | 2018 |
| Yveltal GX | SM6 055 | RR | Forbidden Light (SM6) | 2018 |
| Xerneas | S3a 029/076 | R (Holo) | Legendary Heartbeat (S3a) | 2020 |
| Yveltal | S4a 117 | Amazing Rare | Shiny Star V (S4a) | 2020 |
| Xerneas | s8a 012/028 | — | 25th Anniversary Collection (S8a) | 2021 |
| Yveltal | s8a 013/028 | — | 25th Anniversary Collection (S8a) | 2021 |
| Xerneas EX | S8a-P 023/025 | Promo | 25th Anniversary Promo Card Pack (S8a-P) | 2021 |
Two threads run through the list. The 2013 originals set the template — Xerneas and Yveltal launched as headline cards of separate, sister sets rather than sharing one product, a pattern that traces back to the X and Y video games themselves. The 2021 25th Anniversary era then paired them again, twice: once inside the main S8a set, and once more in a companion promo pack that our graded copy comes from. The sections below cover each era in turn.
The 2013 Debut: Xerneas-EX and Yveltal-EX
Xerneas and Yveltal made their Japanese TCG debut in 2013 as the cover EX cards of a pair of sister sets: Collection X (XY1x) and Collection Y (XY1y), released alongside the launch of the XY video games. Neither card shares a set with the other — each headlines its own half of the pairing, which set the pattern that later 25th Anniversary reprints would repeat.
Xerneas-EX (XY1x 044/060) is a 170 HP Fairy-type card illustrated by 5ban Graphics. Its attacks are Breakthrough, which does 60 damage plus 30 to one of the opponent’s Benched Pokemon, and Blast X, a 140-damage attack that can’t be used again the following turn.
Yveltal-EX (XY1y 037) is the Dark-type counterpart, also 170 HP and also illustrated by 5ban Graphics. Its attacks are Evil Ball, which does 20 damage plus 20 more for every Energy card attached across both active Pokemon, and Cyclone Y. Evil Ball in particular saw wide play across XY-era decks, a track record reflected in how often the card turns up in period deck lists rather than a claim about its current market standing.
For the wider context these two cards launched into, our XY-era Japanese Pokemon guide covers the set family in more depth.
The 25th Anniversary Collection Pair (2021)
Pokemon’s 25th anniversary brought Xerneas and Yveltal back together in October 2021, this time in a single set: 25th Anniversary Collection (S8a), released October 21, 2021. Both cards were illustrated by AKIRA EGAWA, giving the pair a matched look they didn’t have in their separate 2013 debut sets.
Xerneas (S8a 012/028) is a 120 HP Psychic-type card with the Ability Breath of Life, which lets you attach up to three basic Energy cards of any type from your deck to your Pokemon, plus the attack Aurora Horn for 100 damage.
Yveltal (S8a 013/028) mirrors it on the Dark side at 120 HP, with the attack Destructive Scream removing up to three Special Energy cards from the opponent’s Pokemon, followed by Dark Feather for 100 damage.
For the full set breakdown, see our S8a 25th Anniversary best cards guide.
Our Stock: Xerneas EX 023/025, 25th Anniversary Promo Pack
The graded card we currently carry is a step removed from both cards above. It’s a PSA10 Xerneas EX, numbered 023/025, and it comes from a companion promo product rather than the main S8a set: the Promo Card Pack, 25th Anniversary Edition (S8a-P), released alongside S8a in 2021.
The card content is understood to be a reprint of the original Xerneas-EX — the same XY1x-debut card covered above — carrying 25th anniversary branding. Whether the printed artwork is identical to the 2013 original hasn’t been independently confirmed, so we’re not asserting that here; if you want to compare, the original Xerneas-EX 044/060 is pictured in the debut section above.
This promo card and the main-set Xerneas (S8a 012/028) both released in 2021 under the 25th Anniversary banner, but they are different products with different card numbers — 023/025 versus 012/028. Confirm the number printed on your copy before assuming which one you have.
Our copy is graded PSA10 and is currently listed at ¥7,736. At that price it also fits within our best PSA10 Japanese cards under ¥10,000 guide. For more on this specific promo product, see our S8a-P 25th Anniversary Promo Pack guide.
The GX Era: Xerneas GX and Yveltal GX (2018)
Both Pokemon were upgraded to the GX mechanic in Forbidden Light (SM6), released in 2018, with artwork by 5ban Graphics on both cards.
Xerneas GX (SM6 064) reaches 180 HP as a Fairy-type, with the attacks Dash In and Aurora Horn for 120 damage, plus the GX attack Sanctuary GX (サンクチュアリーGX), which moves all of your own damage counters onto the opponent’s Active Pokemon.
Yveltal GX (SM6 055) mirrors it at 180 HP on the Dark side, with a move that heals it for the damage it deals, the attack Evil Sonic for 100 damage, and the GX attack Death Count GX (デスカウントGX), which Knocks Out the opponent’s Active Pokemon if it has 4 damage counters on it.
More Xerneas and Yveltal Prints Worth Knowing
Yveltal (S4a 117) is an Amazing Rare from Shiny Star V (S4a), 2020, illustrated by Hasuno. At 110 HP Dark-type, it carries the attack Amazing Death, which requires multicolored Energy and knocks out the opponent’s Active Pokemon outright. The English-language counterpart to this print is Shining Fates #46.
Xerneas (S3a 029/076) comes from Legendary Heartbeat (S3a), 2020, illustrated by Kagemaru Himeno. At 130 HP Psychic-type, its attacks are Geo Hunt, which recovers one card from the discard pile, and Aurora Gain for 100 damage plus 30 self-healing. It’s illustrated at a lower rarity tier than the EX and GX versions above, which makes it a more accessible entry point for collectors building out a full run of prints.
Yveltal (SM3p 055) is from Shining Legends (SM3p), 2017, illustrated by Shin Nagasawa. At 120 HP Dark-type, its attacks are a bench-swap move and Death Wing for 90 damage, which recovers a Dark Energy card from the discard pile to the bench. This particular print saw competitive play, including in decks entered at a 2018 international-level event, per tournament records.
None of the three prints above are currently listed in our catalog. If you’re hunting a specific one, our Quick Order page is the fastest way to send a restock request — we source Japanese singles to order.
Where to Buy Xerneas and Yveltal Cards from Japan
We ship Japanese sealed product and singles worldwide from Tokyo with tracked delivery. For Xerneas and Yveltal specifically, the direct route right now is our graded promo-pack single:
Browse the wider graded lineup on our PSA10 collection, or use our Quick Order page to request other Xerneas or Yveltal prints — including the EX debut cards, GX versions, or the 25th Anniversary main-set pair — as a sourcing request alongside a mixed order.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the rarest Xerneas Pokemon card?
Among the prints covered here, Xerneas-EX (XY1x 044/060) and Xerneas GX (SM6 064) are both RR rarity, the highest rarity tier verified across this guide’s Xerneas prints. We don’t publish external market prices for prints outside our own catalog; our PSA10 Xerneas EX from the 25th Anniversary Promo Card Pack (S8a-P 023/025) is currently listed at ¥7,736.
What is the rarest Yveltal Pokemon card?
The Amazing Rare Yveltal (S4a 117) from Shiny Star V sits at a notably higher rarity tier than the other Yveltal prints in this guide, alongside Yveltal-EX (XY1y 037) and Yveltal GX (SM6 055), both RR rarity.
Are Xerneas and Yveltal from the same Pokemon card set?
Not originally. Their 2013 debut cards launched in separate sister sets, Collection X (XY1x) and Collection Y (XY1y). They were later paired together in a single set in the 25th Anniversary Collection (S8a) in 2021.
What’s the difference between the S8a Xerneas and the promo Xerneas EX 023/025?
They’re different products released the same year. S8a 012/028 is the main 25th Anniversary Collection set card. The 023/025 Xerneas EX comes from a companion release, the Promo Card Pack 25th Anniversary Edition (S8a-P), and reprints the original Xerneas-EX content under 25th anniversary branding.
Where can I buy Japanese Xerneas and Yveltal cards?
We ship Japanese sealed product and singles worldwide from Tokyo. Our PSA10 Xerneas EX 023/025 (25th Anniversary Promo Pack) is currently listed at ¥7,736. Other prints, including the EX debut cards and GX versions, can be requested through our Quick Order page.
Picked for this article
📩 Get member-only sale alerts & coupons
Sale alerts, coupons and restock notices by email — straight from Tokyo.
