From holographic treasures to championship exclusives, the trading card world has some jaw-dropping price tags! Join us as we count down the most absurdly valuable cards from the Yu-Gi-Oh universe. These aren't just game pieces - they're investments that rival luxury cars and even homes. Which rare gem would you love to add to your collection?
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down the most absurdly priced Yu-Gi-Oh! cards
00:08from the game's history.
00:10Keep in mind card prices are notoriously volatile, so don't be surprised if the market is completely
00:15different a few years later.
00:20Number 20 – Dark Magician Girl
00:22Considering she's one of the franchise's most iconic waifus, it's no surprise that
00:28this charming spellcaster has become so valuable.
00:36There are several different versions of Dark Magician Girl, with each one's value varying
00:41from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.
00:45The secret rare Dark Magician Girl from the 2003 Magician's Force is considered one
00:50of the rarest.
00:57One such card sold earlier this year for nearly $10,000 on eBay, while another fetched an
01:03asking price of nearly $30,000.
01:07There exist even more expensive versions of the Dark Magician Girl, including a limited
01:12edition one that was exclusively distributed during a Japanese lottery that is said to
01:18be worth $50,000.
01:21Number 19 – Cyberstein
01:29Its ability may cost players more than an arm and a leg, but for the most loyal collectors,
01:35the right Cyberstein is worth any price.
01:46The most coveted version of this card is the one awarded to winners of the 2004 Shonen
01:52Jump Championship.
01:54Even with a PSA rating of 8, this card is worth at least several thousand dollars.
02:00Most recently, a Cyberstein with a BGS rating of 9.5 sold for more than $20,000 on eBay,
02:08while another fetched an asking price of more than $45,000.
02:13For those lucky enough to own one of the very few mint-conditioned PSA 10-rated Cybersteins,
02:19they possess a card whose value currently surpasses $30,000.
02:24Number 18 – Mirror Force – Bandai
02:28If you're big on card games, you already know Bandai produces some of the biggest around.
02:33Currently, the one-piece card game is their most popular.
02:42But they also make the Digimon and Dragon Ball trading card games.
02:47Hardcore Yu-Gi-Oh!
02:48fans will already know that back in 1998, Bandai made three sets for the game.
02:58In total, they made just less than 200 Bandai-branded cards.
03:02Of these, the most expensive is Mirror Force.
03:05A PSA 10 copy can sell for over $9,000.
03:09It's an iconic classic trap card, which lets you destroy all monsters in attack position
03:14when an attack is declared.
03:21Number 17 – Gold Sarcophagus
03:23Essentially the Yu-Gi-Oh! equivalent to the Ark of the Covenant, the Gold Sarcophagus
03:29spell card is a one-of-a-kind artifact.
03:32Used by Yugi to defeat the Pharaoh in the anime, the real-life version of this card
03:37may have a different effect, but it's still a game-changer.
03:47Among all the different versions of this card, there are two that stand out the most.
03:53The first being the promo card from the 2007 Pharaoh Tour, which reached an asking price
03:59of nearly $26,000 on eBay.
04:02Then there is the Shonen Jump Championship Series version, which recently sold on eBay
04:08for more than $14,000 in June 2021.
04:12Number 16 – Cyber Dragon
04:14Next up, we have a shiny holographic version of the Cyber Dragon card.
04:23It's a parallel rare, with a holographic surface covering the entire card.
04:28Regular versions can be cheap as chips, but this special one is going to cost at least
04:32a few months' rent.
04:40A heavily-played version can cost roughly $1,000, while a PSA 10 version can cost ten
04:46times that amount.
04:48Its ability lets you special summon it from hand, as long as your opponent controls monsters
04:53but you don't.
04:54This makes it a versatile and valued card, but if you manage to get this specific version,
04:59it's best to leave it in a display case.
05:07Number 15 – Mechanical Chaser
05:10It may not look like much, but back in the day, Mechanical Chaser was considered one
05:15of the best four-star attackers.
05:17One card in particular embodies the very essence of Power Creep, Mechanical Chaser.
05:23While most versions of Mechanical Chaser are pretty common, pulling the right copy
05:27can earn you thousands of dollars.
05:30In the first season tournament pack, it's possible to pull an ultra-rare version of
05:35Mechanical Chaser, a card which many collectors consider to be extremely valuable.
05:47For most lucky enough to find it, a mint-conditioned Mechanical Chaser's value can reach up
05:52to $20,000.
05:55Most recently, this card was sold on eBay for more than $10,000.
05:59Not bad for a card that was only summoned once in the anime.
06:10Number 14 – Dark Magician
06:13Next we have easily one of the most famous cards in Yu-Gi-Oh history.
06:27This guy was one of Yu-Gi's original silver bullets, a favourite of his in the early show.
06:32Hence, many versions of the card exist, coming in a range of prices.
06:45The most expensive variant came from a 2008 Comic-Con event, where you could obtain the
06:50card from a dual-terminal machine.
06:53Now acquiring one yourself will potentially cost thousands.
06:57If you're after a PSA 10 version, expect to spend around $10,000 for a copy.
07:03Their price likely to increase going forward, since Dark Magician's legendary status is
07:08unlikely to falter.
07:10Number 13 – Shrink
07:12Kaiba uses this old-school classic occasionally in the original anime.
07:20As you might expect, it literally shrinks a monster.
07:23In the real card game, it halves their attack power for a turn.
07:27Originally, it was a prize card for the 2006 Shonen Jump Championship.
07:35This specific version is ridiculously expensive, with lower-graded versions costing up to $10,000.
07:43Higher-quality grade 10 versions can be up to five times that price, enough money to
07:48make a down payment on a mortgage for a house.
07:51The better investment is obvious, since a house can't shrink a monster's attack
07:56power.
07:57Number 12 – Grandopolis, the Eternal City
08:07Our next entry is Grandopolis, an award for the 2013 Yu-Gi-Oh World Championships.
08:18Over the years, its prices fluctuated immensely.
08:22The highest it ever was sold for was $130,000.
08:30Now its estimated average value is just below $25,000.
08:34Still, you can find people selling high-grade versions for more than that.
08:39Keep in mind that it's not legal to play in a duel.
08:43That's because of its alternate win condition, where if it reduces an opponent's life points
08:47to zero, you win the match.
08:53Since Yu-Gi-Oh matches are best of three duels, this card can let you win in the first game,
08:59so it's more for the collectors rather than the players.
09:02Number 11 – Cyber Dragon
09:04Now for a second Cyber Dragon variation.
09:10This version was only ever sold at Sears department stores way back in 2006.
09:16For some reason, the third set of toys was never distributed, causing widespread belief
09:21that the cards never existed.
09:27That was until 2020, when Redditor Losercris casually posted an image of one on Reddit.
09:34Naturally, the subreddit went wild, claiming it was the first ever photograph of the card.
09:40A bidding war began, and it sold for an immense $30,000.
09:45In the five years since, it seems like no one else has found a version, so maybe check
09:50your old book from 2006 if you haven't already.
10:08Number 10 – Des Volskalf
10:10If you took part in the 2005 Second Shonen Jump Championships, you are likely to have
10:15received this version of Des Volskalf.
10:20It was only shown in one episode of the original anime, and used to be one of the game's
10:25most exclusive cards.
10:31It took them four years to properly reprint it, giving players a cheaper option, but the
10:36first editions are still phenomenally pricey.
10:39It's currently estimated as being worth around $40,000, but PSA 10 versions can be
10:45sold for even higher.
10:47This makes it still a highly sought-after card two decades after its initial release.
10:56Number 9 – Stardust Divinity
10:58This huge monster has only been printed twice, in the 2010 and 2011 World Championships.
11:07Even though it's not legal to play, it's still valued by the community.
11:16Its price has gone up over time, on account of it being the only synchro monster prize
11:20card.
11:21The most it's been sold for was approximately $65,000, an unbelievably high amount.
11:29It has a similar alternate win condition as Grandopolis, which lets you win a match in
11:34just one duel if played right.
11:36The competition was invite-only, taking place in Japan, about the same time as that tsunami
11:42hit.
11:43This made attendance low, and fans estimate only 50 copies exist.
11:51Number 8 – Crush Card Virus
11:54Most variations of this card can be bought for pennies, which is surprising because it
11:59used to be one of Kaiba's favourites in the original anime.
12:09This wasn't always the case, though.
12:11It was first added to the real card game in 2007, at the Shonen Jump Championships, printed
12:18as an Ultra Rare.
12:38Only winners get a copy, however.
12:40It's easily the most expensive trap card in the game, and also one of the most powerful.
12:45You can sacrifice a monster, and in return, look at your opponent's cards, then destroy
12:50all monsters with 1,500 or more attack power.
12:54For an original championship version, expect to pay around $70,000.
13:10Number 7 – Legendary Dragon of White
13:13Back in 2015, you may have been lucky enough to purchase one of these for about $12.
13:18Now they are beyond expensive.
13:26It was originally a participation prize for the 2012 and 2013 World Championships.
13:31Currently, the average price is approximately $70,000, but some sell for as high as $90,000
13:39enough money to buy a boat.
13:45Its ability is identical to Grandopolis, however it's got a slightly higher attack power,
13:50but 1,000 fewer defense points.
13:52Also, it's equally illegal.
13:55Still to collectors, it will look beautiful on display.
13:58Well, maybe not to everyone, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so if they're
14:04not keeping bees, they can buzz off.
14:12Number 6 – Legendary Magician of Dark
14:15If the card number didn't give it away already, this was released in the same competition
14:20as the last entry.
14:22It's got the same alternate win condition, rendering it illegal in official duels.
14:34Estimates claim it's worth just shy of $76,000, although it's so rare it's hardly ever
14:41sold.
14:44Since it's an iconic classic card, it's always been beyond pricey.
14:48It's the ultimate piece of dark magician merchandise, which would be an immense flex
14:52to bring to your locals.
14:54That would probably be a higher risk than reward, though, since it could be sold for
14:58college tuition.
14:59Number 5 – Kaiser Eagle – The Heavens Mandate
15:03As far as championship prize cards go, they don't get much bigger or more expensive
15:08than Kaiser Eagle.
15:10This extra-secret rare link monster was the prize card awarded to the winner of the 2019
15:16Yu-Gi-Oh World Championship.
15:18While its monetary value has shifted over the past two years, Kaiser Eagle was originally
15:23valued at more than $100,000.
15:27As of this writing, a sealed version of this card has been featured on eBay with an asking
15:33price of $140,000 – a price worthy of an emperor or, in this case, a kaiser.
15:41Number 4 – Tyr – The Vanquishing Warlord
15:44Tyr has only ever been printed twice – once at the 2008 World Championship and again in
15:502009.
15:51Like most cards here, it has an alternative win condition, where you win the match if
15:56it kills your opponent.
15:57It also comes with an impressive 3,000 attack and defence, yet it's still banned in official
16:03duels.
16:08On average, the 2008 version can cost anywhere from $200,000 to over $300,000.
16:16It's always fetched a high price, making the 2008 championship one of the most lucrative.
16:25You could buy a cheap house for the price of this card, without even getting a mortgage.
16:29That's not going to win you games, though, is it?
16:38Number 3 – Tyler – The Great Warrior
16:41When it comes to one-of-a-kind cards, Tyler – The Great Warrior is in a league of its
16:46own.
16:47Unlike most cards, this one was designed in 2002 by a fan named Tyler Gressel, who was
16:54diagnosed with a rare form of liver cancer at the age of 14.
17:12Tyler's intense battle with cancer eventually reached the Make-A-Wish Foundation, who granted
17:17him the opportunity to design his very own Yu-Gi-Oh card.
17:22Thus, Tyler – The Great Warrior was born.
17:26Many years later, Tyler – who has since fully recovered – has been offered more
17:30than $75,000 for his original card.
17:34Considering its unique origins and the inspirational story behind it, one could argue that the
17:40cost of Tyler – The Great Warrior may very well be immeasurable.
17:45Number 2 – Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon
18:01Along with having the highest attack and defence of any non-effect monster, Blue-Eyes Ultimate
18:06Dragon is also the key to summoning the equally powerful Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon.
18:26While there are plenty of rare and expensive versions of this card, the T3 Blue-Eyes Ultimate
18:31Dragon soars far above the rest.
18:34A prize card from the 2001 Asia Championship Series, this rare, sealed Blue-Eyes Ultimate
18:40Dragon comes with a signboard featuring the signature of Kazuki Takahashi, the creator
18:46of the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise.
18:59While the current owner of this card attempted to sell it for more than $900 million in 2011,
19:05it was later put on display at Card Shop Spiral in Tokyo, where it is on sale for more than
19:10$400,000.
19:28Number 1 – Black Luster Soldier
19:31Forget out of this world, the value of this card is out of this dimension.
19:40Following Japan's first nationwide Yu-Gi-Oh Championship back in 1999, the winner was
19:46awarded with a one-of-a-kind, stainless steel version of Black Luster Soldier.
19:52In 2013, someone tried to sell this card for a whopping $10 million.
19:58While there has not been any confirmation this card sold for that much, there is a rumor
20:02claiming that it was sold for an astronomical $2 million.
20:07If reaching the million-dollar mark wasn't impressive enough, this card also has the
20:12honor of being considered one of the most expensive trading cards of all time.
20:21What's the most valuable Yu-Gi-Oh card you have in your possession?
20:29Let us know in those comments below.