2016 Pokémon XY Fates Collide Alakazam EX Secret Rare #125 – PSA NM-MT 8
This is a card I like much more than the PSA 8 grade might initially suggest. You have the 2016 Alakazam EX Secret Rare #125/124 from XY Fates Collide, graded PSA NM-MT 8. The card is secret-numbered beyond the standard 124-card set, and it comes from an era of Pokémon that I think is starting to become significantly more appreciated by collectors.
The first thing that stands out is the artwork. This is not just an Alakazam card. Umbreon is clearly featured behind Alakazam, and Lugia is also part of the artwork. That gives the card a crossover appeal that most Alakazam releases simply do not have. You effectively have three extremely recognizable Pokémon represented in one full-art composition.
The Umbreon appearance is especially important to me. Umbreon has become one of the strongest collector Pokémon in the entire hobby, and collectors actively chase cameo appearances on cards where Umbreon is not technically the named Pokémon. That doesn't magically make every cameo card valuable, but on an already desirable secret rare like this, it adds another reason for collectors to want the card.
Visually, this card is outstanding. The gold border, dark purple psychic theme, Alakazam in the foreground, and Umbreon's black silhouette create a much darker aesthetic than most modern Pokémon cards. Your photo also shows the foil catching red, green, and gold light across the top of the card. I think this is one of the better-looking Alakazam cards ever produced.
The 2016 release date is also becoming increasingly important. Fates Collide is now a decade old. This sits in the XY era, which is in an interesting position between true vintage WOTC cards and the enormous modern Pokémon boom. A lot of today's collectors either grew up during XY or missed these cards before Pokémon exploded in popularity. I think strong XY-era secret rares are becoming a legitimate collector category rather than simply being viewed as "older modern."
That is noticeably higher than I would have expected if I were looking only at the grade. The market is clearly showing that collectors want the card itself. This is exactly what I look for when evaluating lower-grade modern or semi-modern slabs: is the value entirely dependent on the PSA label, or does the underlying card have genuine collector demand? Here, the card absolutely has its own demand.
However, I think the combination of Alakazam, Umbreon, Lugia, secret rare status, XY-era age, and genuinely strong artwork is much more important to the investment argument than the PSA 8 population.
From the front photo, your card presents extremely well for an 8. The centering is slightly imperfect, but nothing about the front immediately screams "bad copy." The foil surface looks vibrant and the artwork displays beautifully. Without seeing the back and examining the surface under angled lighting, I can't identify exactly what kept it at an 8. I would not crack and resubmit it blindly, though.
But I think this Alakazam EX has the most interesting upside story.
Why? Because XY is aging into a more mature collector era, Umbreon cameo cards continue to attract attention, and this specific artwork is already becoming recognizable.
