Galarian Moltres V Alt Art Chilling Reign: price and market value

If you're looking for a card that combines a dark design, real rarity, and a legendary character from the Galar region, the Galarian Moltres V 177/198, the ultra-rare alternate art from the Chilling Reign series, ticks all those boxes. The Galarian Moltres V Alt Art price is regularly searched for by collectors who follow the movements of the physical Pokémon TCG market. This card, from a set that marked the Sword & Shield era, deserves a complete analysis: set number, artist, raw and graded market value, and investment outlook.

The Chilling Reign set: context

The Sword & Shield, Chilling Reign set (known in French as Épée et Bouclier, Règne de Glace) was released on June 18, 2021, simultaneously in France and the United States. It is the sixth set in the Sword & Shield series, whose official designation is SWSH06.

The set is made up of 198 numbered cards, but counting the secret cards, the total reaches 233 cards. It held the record for ultra-rare cards (secrets included) for its era, with no fewer than 97 cards in that category.

Inspired by the Crown Tundra DLC of the Pokémon Sword & Shield video games, the set introduces more than 70 new Battle Styles cards. Calyrex makes its TCG debut in both its forms (Ice Rider and Shadow Rider), and the Galarian forms of Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres round out the legendary cast.

For SWSH06 Chilling Reign, the hype was very strong right from release. Scalpers went hard, and the rapid product shortage led to high prices in just a few days. It's in this tense context that the Galarian Moltres V Alt Art emerged as one of the set's absolute chase cards.

The card in detail

The Galarian Moltres V card, bearing the number 177/198, was illustrated by Shibuzoh and is part of the SWSH Chilling Reign series. It is classified as a V Full Art Alternate (Ultra Rare) and was released in 2021.

Gameplay characteristics

• Type: Darkness
• HP: 220
• Ability, Dark Wings: once per turn, you may attach a Darkness Energy card from your discard pile to this Pokémon (a single use per turn).
• Attack, Aura Burning: deals 190 damage, but this Pokémon also does 30 damage to itself.

Shibuzoh's artwork

The alternate art of Galarian Moltres V highlights the Darkness type of Moltres's Galarian form with a deliberately restrained color palette. While Galarian Moltres is always intimidating, this Shibuzoh-signed artwork is especially menacing.

The graphic choice contrasts with the usual TCG illustrations: a dominance of midnight blues and blacks, the legendary bird's silhouette shot from below, an almost monochrome treatment that reinforces the Galarian form's mysterious aspect. It's precisely this restraint that sets this Alt Art apart from the other cards in the same set and gives it its special status in collections.

Market value analysis and current prices

⚠️ Data at the time of writing, April 2026. Check CardMarket (FR) and TCGPlayer / eBay sold listings (EN) for the most recent prices.

Raw prices (Near Mint)

The last recorded sale for the English version in Moderately Played condition dates to February 4, 2026, at $190. In strict Near Mint, the range sits slightly higher on the English-speaking secondary market, around $150 to $200.

For the French version, the price on CardMarket hovers around €80 to €130 in Near Mint, to be checked in real time on CardMarket.

PSA graded prices

A Galarian Moltres V 177 PSA 10 sold for $588 (buyer's premium included) at an auction in September 2025. The current range for an EN PSA 10 is around $400 to $600 depending on the platform and the moment.

For a PSA 9, recent transactions generally sit between $150 and $250 on the English-speaking side.

Summary table

The value drivers

The popularity of Galarian Moltres

Galarian Moltres is a regional form of the original Generation 1 legendary bird. The Galarian Moltres V Pokémon card, number 177 of the Chilling Reign series, is a prestigious card highly coveted by collectors and players. The combination "iconic legendary + Galarian form + dark, pared-down artwork" creates a strong and lasting appeal.

Rarity and drop ratio

The set contains 233 cards, of which 74 are alternate, Full Art, secret, and Gold cards. Alternate arts are among the hardest rarities to pull from booster packs, with particularly low ratios. The Galarian Moltres V 177/198 is recognized as the flagship card of Chilling Reign, the most coveted in the set.

The artist Shibuzoh

Shibuzoh is an illustrator whose work is well regarded in the TCG community. Their signature style, minimalist and high-impact, is especially appreciated for Darkness-type cards. Other cards illustrated by Shibuzoh have held their value well over time, which reinforces the signature value of this Alt Art.

Print status

Chilling Reign is a Sword & Shield set whose production will not be restarted. With 97 ultra rares in total, demand is high and the supply of cards in very good condition is gradually shrinking on the secondary market.

Competitive use

The Dark Wings Ability allowed you to re-attach a Darkness Energy from the discard each turn, which made it a very effective ramp tool in Darkness decks in Standard at the time of release. The card is now in Expanded format, which keeps a player interest alive, even if it's the collection aspect that drives its main market value.

Should you buy this card?

Arguments for

• Timeless design: Shibuzoh's monochrome aesthetic will age well, an illustration that clearly stands out in a collection.
• Gen 1 legendary: Moltres benefits from the nostalgia capital of collectors who grew up with Generation 1.
• Permanently closed set: no reprint planned for Chilling Reign, which freezes supply on the secondary market.
• Raw / PSA gap: the price differential between a raw NM and a PSA 10 remains significant, which leaves room for those who grade.

Points to temper

• The EN market value has undergone a slight correction since the 2021 - 2022 peaks: short-term swings are possible in either direction.
• The FR version sells for less than the EN version at equivalent condition, an entry opportunity for French-speaking collectors.
• The PSA grading market is more developed in North America than in France, which complicates direct comparisons.

Practical tip on condition

If you're buying raw, aim for strict Near Mint. SWSH-era Alt Arts are known for their sensitive edges: inspect the corners and edges carefully before any purchase. For a long-term investment, a graded PSA 9 minimum is the recommended baseline, with a value better defended over time.

Conclusion

The Galarian Moltres V Alt Art 177/198 from Chilling Reign is one of the rare cards of the Sword & Shield era that combines all the qualities sought by a demanding collector: signature artwork by Shibuzoh, a Gen 1 legendary Pokémon in its Galarian form, Ultra Rare alternate-art rarity, and a permanently closed set. Its raw market value sits in an accessible range compared to other Alt Arts from the same period, which makes it a reasonable entry for a diversified physical collection portfolio.

To track the evolution of this market value in real time, manage your collection, and identify the best buying or selling opportunities, head to PokeItem, the reference app for physical Pokémon TCG collectors.