Almost everyone born after the 1990s has heard about Yu-Gi-Oh.
It first started as a manga, then evolved into a trading card game, later became an anime, and soon after it took the form of videogames.
Two decades later after it all first started, people everywhere are still enjoying Yu-Gi-Oh games one way or the other. And it'll probably keep going for decades to come!
Everything in the Yu-Gi-Oh world revolves around the cards - that's what makes the trading card game the essential part of it all. And, more specifically, the most valuable element of it all.
That can make you wonder: how much are Yu-Gi-Oh cards worth?
The averageYu-Gi-Oh card is worth $0.16 (USD). A new booster box ofYu-Gi-Oh cards will contain 60 or 100 cards, with those cards typically being grouped intoCommons, Super Rares,Ultra Rares, andSecret Rares. The higher rarity rares will often be worth more than cards such as commons.
It is important to remember though, there's no fixed price for all cards. In fact, there's not even a fixed price range for them.
Here's the thing: depending on several factors (like rarity, demand, condition, and a few other things) a card can be worth as little as a couple of cents and as much as a couple of million dollars. Yes, you read that right!
There's something you need to keep in mind, though. Most cards will be worth somewhere from $0.1 to $200. Those cards are the ones you will find printed and reprinted every year - and the ones which usually see play in tournaments.
Price numbers start to go crazy the rarer the card is.
For example, a first edition Dark Magician Girl card could go for 50 cents or a dollar; compare that with the Japanese Lottery Edition Dark Magician Girl, which was sold for $50.000.
So, yes, there's a difference!
Are Yu-Gi-Oh Cards Less Expensive in Japan?
You are going to find competitive decks, individual cards, and other rarities cheaper in Japan than anywhere else. The reason why is fairly obvious, Yu-Gi-Oh comes from Japan!
Nearly every Yu-Gi-Oh related product is launched in Japan first.
By the time it gets released in the rest of the world, it's already old news down in Nippon. So, if you're lucky enough to be there, you'll probably find stuff cheaper there than you would back home.
Then again, you don't have to be in Japan to buy stuff from Japan. You can look them up online and get them delivered to your door.
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Oh, and, by the way, common and rare cards tend to be generally cheaper in Japan. However, the rarest ones are expensive everywhere, whether you're in Japan or Brazil.
It was not too long ago that a 1999 Edition Tournament Black Lust Soldier was sold for 9 million dollars - and it happened right here in Japan!
How Are Yu-Gi-Oh Cards Classified?
There are 10 types of Yu-Gi-Oh cards, and they range from Common to Duelist League. The further away from common your card is, the rarer and expensive it is.
- Common: Basic cards from the trading card game. The average, beginner cards everyone can get their hands on.
- Rare: Common cards that have a silver foil name. Ironically, rare cards aren't deemed rare by collectors.
- Super Rare: Cards with no foil on their name. Instead, they feature a holographic finish on their art image.
- Ultra Rare: A combination of rare and super rare cards' style; these cards have both a gold foil on their name and a holographic finish on their art image.
- Ultimate Rare: Cards that have a gold foil on their name, among other things such as foil accents throughout.
- Secret Rare: Cards that have a rainbow-colored foil on their name and a holographic finish on their art image.
- Ghost Rare: Similar to secret rare cards, these cards have a name featuring a rainbow-colored foil. They also have a 3D hologram as their art image.
- Starfoil Rare: Cards that feature a starburst-like pattern all throughout.
- Mosaic Rare: These cards feature a mosaic-like foiling on them.
- Duelist League: Promotional cards featuring different styles. You can only get them if you participate in different Duelist League tournaments.
There's an eleventh type of card, which is unofficial: special-occasion cards.
These are as valuable as or more valuable than Duelist League cards. They're often one-time cards printed for events or milestones. And they're really hard to find.
Which Yu-Gi-Oh Cards Are Worth More Money?
There are ten cards you can find on different online markets that are worth close to $200. Then, you have a few of the rarest cards that are worth ten times (or more than) that.
The top ten most expensive cards (that you'll easily find) are:
- Ten Thousand Dragon, worth $188
- Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier, worth $171
- Sengenjin, worth $107
- Triple Tactics Talent, worth $99
- Evil HERO Adjusted Gold, worth $97
- Black Lust Soldier - Soldier of Chaos, worth $87
- Lightning Storm, worth $85
- Magicians' Souls, worth $83
- Victory Dragon, worth $75
- Forbidden Droplet, worth $67
(All prices are in US Dollars)
But those are not the most expensive cards of all time. Other Yu-Gi-Oh cards are worth 10 or 100 times that much.
Some of the most expensive cards (of all time) are:
- Tournament Black Luster Soldier, worth $9.000.000
- Lottery Edition Dark Magician Girl, worth $50.000
- Amatsu Okami of the Divine Peaks, worth $18.800
(All prices are in US Dollars)
There are a few other cards that are worth well into the thousands of dollars. They are extremely rare - and you need both plenty of luck and money to get one of your own!
Also Read: 22 RAREST YU-GI-OH! CARDS - WHICH IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE YU-GI-OH CARD?
How Can You Tell If A Yu-Gi-Oh Card Is Valuable?
There's no way for you to know how valuable a card is by just looking at it.
You can only assess its condition by looking at it - and that's no minor thing because a card's condition will come into play to determine its full value.
If you want to know how much a card is worth, you need to look up its base value online. There are several websites dedicated to showing prices (and constantly update their information).
For example, you can check YuGiOhPrices.com and TCGPlayer.com to learn about Yu-Gi-Oh card prices and look up different values online. You should check different sources to make sure the price is right before you buy.
Once you know the price of the card you want to buy, you need to make sure the card is in perfect condition.
Why does condition matter?
Because the more used, rugged, or discolored a card is, the less value it has. Mint condition cards always go for more money than any other.
How Much Are Yu-Gi-Oh Cards From 1996 Worth?
This is a common question and mistake made by many people just getting started withYu-Gi-Oh Cards as you will find many cards with"1996 Kazuki Takahashi"printed on the bottom right of a card.
The truth is that the first official Yu-Gi-Oh Cards were actually printed in 1999 in Japan and then were later released to a Western audience in 2002.
Depending on how rare a card is, specific 1999-edition Yu-Gi-Oh cards can be worth thousands of dollars. That's not to say that every card printed back then is worth that much!
Certain cards from the 90s are worth a lot of money. But others are worth nothing but cents.
If you are looking for a valuable card, try to look for those that were never reprinted or, better yet, were tournament prizes.
What Is The Most Expensive Yu-Gi-Oh Card?
The most expensive card of all time is the Tournament Black Luster Soldier.
We've briefly talked about it before: it was sold for nine million US dollars a couple of years ago (we don't know exactly when because it was a private sale).
Why is it so expensive?
Well, there are but a few of these cards in existence.
They were awarded once, back in 1999, as a prize for a Japanese Yu-Gi-Oh tournament. In fact, we don't know if there are several cards like this or only one.
The way it was printed is also special. The card is made of stainless steel, probably the only one of its kind.
Since it was sold for nearly ten million dollars a couple of years ago, we can only guess that its value will increase over time.
Will Yu-Gi-Oh Cards Be Worth Something In The Future?
As long as there's a demand for Yu-Gi-Oh cards, they will always be worth something.
The trading card game first started in 1996 - and it's still going strong.
So, rest assured, Yu-Gi-Oh cards will be worth plenty of money in the foreseeable future.
But that doesn't mean that every card will hold its value, though!
You need to understand that, the longer the trading card game keeps going, the more cards that there will be in circulation.
So, certain rare cards will be reprinted, and thus lose their value. Fortunately, if you own a card that doesn't get reprinted, it'll become more and more valuable over time!
Also Read: ARE POKEMON CARDS WORTH MORE THAN YU-GI-OH?
Simply put, Yu-Gi-Oh cards will be worth something in the future. Perhaps, a lot! But that depends on a case-by-case basis.
Where's The Best Place To Buy Yu-Gi-Oh Cards?
You can look for brick-and-mortar stores near you to buy Yu-Gi-Oh cards. Truth be told, that's far from ideal unless you know what you're doing.
If you are a beginner card collector, you should look for an online marketplace.
That way, you'll get a better, more convenient, safer, and, perhaps, less expensive deal.
No matter which option you choose, make sure you compare prices, check the card's condition, and have fun!
We hope you find the card you're looking for. Good luck!
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