In our previous article, we presented the Yu-Gi-Oh trading card game‘s 10th to 6th most costly cards. In this article, we will proceed to unveil the top 5 expensive Yu-Gi-Oh! cards.
Top 5 Rare And Expensive Yu-Gi-Oh! Cards
No.5 2004 Shonen Jump Championship Series Cyber-Stein #SJC-EN001
*Sold for $30,100 in October 2020
The Cyber-Stein card holds the distinction of being the first SJC prize card, awarded during the initial batch of championships from December 2004 to July 2005.
These tournaments included nine events, starting with GenCon SoCal (held in Anaheim, California on December 4th, 2004), which was a short-lived regional version of the renowned North American tabletop game convention Gen Con.
Only two copies were given out per tournament, totaling 18 copies. However, two extra copies were handed out at the 2008 Costa Mesa SJC, which was the 50th edition of the SJCs. One of these copies was embedded in lucite for display purposes.
Furthermore, approximately 126 more copies were released in February 2009 at a promotional event called Upper Deck Day. Consequently, only about 147 Cyber-Stein cards exist, making it one of the rarest Yu-Gi-Oh! cards ever.
Cyber-Stein, inspired by Frankenstein’s monster, is a level 2 effect monster that enables you to special summon any fusion monster from your extra deck at the cost of 5000 life points.
This ability is highly valuable since it provides easy access to potent fusion monsters with multiple powerful effects. As a result, the card is currently limited, similar to Monster Reborn, meaning that you can only have one copy in your deck.
In October 2020, a PSA Gem Mint 10 copy of the 2004 Shonen Jump Championship Series Cyber-Stein #SJC-EN001 sold for over $30,000. Another copy sold the following month for a similar amount, indicating that this rare Yu-Gi-Oh! card is undoubtedly worth a significant amount.
No.4 2007 Shonen Jump Championship Series Crush Card Virus #EN004
*Sold for $49,999 in June 2020
The fourth SJC prize card, Crush Card Virus, was distributed at ten championships between January and July 2007, with only 40 copies released. Similar to Cyber-Stein, two additional copies were created for the 2008 Costa Mesa SJC, and one was encased in lucite.
Three copies were also mistakenly released at a sneak preview event, bringing the total number of copies of this version of Crush Card Virus to around 46.
The Crush Card Virus is a valuable trap card that has undergone four description revisions over the years, leading to some confusion about its use.
It is one of Seto Kaiba’s most destructive weapons and works by allowing you to destroy your opponent’s high-attack monsters in their control and hands. Additionally, by viewing their hand, you can plan ahead for their future strategy.
This card was formerly on the forbidden section of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Banlist for several years, rendering it unusable in official duels. However, changes to its mechanics have reduced its overwhelming power, and it is now permitted to carry up to three copies in your deck.
Listings for this highly rare Yu-Gi-Oh! card are scarce, but in June 2020, a PSA Gem Mint 10 Crush Card Virus #EN004 sold for nearly $50,000, one of only two recorded sales on the PSA website.
No.3 2002 Legend of Blue Eyes Dark Magician (1st Edition)
*Sold for $85,000 in June 2021
The Dark Magician, known as “the ultimate wizard in terms of attack and defense,” is the signature card of Yugi Mutou. With its impressive 2500 attack and 2100 defense points, the level 7 Spellcaster was one of the original powerful cards in the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG.
However, it may come as a surprise that Yugi’s Dark Magician is not among the most valuable Yu-Gi-Oh! cards.
The most valuable Dark Magician card is the red variant owned by Arkana, which first appeared in episode 60 during his duel with Yugi.
Both duelists had Dark Magicians sent to the graveyard and revived during the duel, but Yugi ultimately defeated Arkana’s Dark Magician using the effect of his Dark Magician Girl. This caused a 600-attack-point boost, overpowering Arkana’s Dark Magician and leading to Yugi’s victory.
The red Dark Magician card sold for an astonishing $85,000 in June 2021 and was also a PSA Gem Mint 10 first-edition. Like the Red-Eyes Black Dragon, it was an Ultra Rare card in the LOB set.
Joey and Yugi both share the classic purple Dark Magician as a common card from the readily available Starter Deck Yugi (SDY), which was released in March 2002.
However, if you’re after a rare version of Yugi’s iconic monster, you’ll have to track down the Dark Duel Stories (DDS) promo edition.
DDS was the first Yu-Gi-Oh! game released outside of Japan, and accompanying its international release were six promotional cards, including the Dark Magician, all of which are now highly sought-after and valuable.
These six cards were printed as Prismatic Secret Rares, a rarity reserved for promotional cards.
A PSA Gem Mint 10 Dark Magician from DDS was sold for almost $10,000 in November 2020, making it a pricey addition to any collector’s stash.
No.2 2002 LOB Blue-Eyes White Dragon (1st Edition)
*Sold for $85,100 in October 2020
The Blue-Eyes White Dragon is Seto Kaiba’s iconic monster card and is considered one of the most powerful creatures in the Yu-Gi-Oh! universe, if not the most powerful.
With its impressive 3000 attack points and 2500 defense points, it lives up to its card description as “a powerful engine of destruction”.
Kaiba frequently uses this card to dominate his opponents, which has led to the creation of several supporting cards and different artwork over the years.
Originally released in the Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon (LOB) set as an Ultra Rare, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon gained a cult following among Yu-Gi-Oh! enthusiasts.
A first-edition 2002 LOB Blue-Eyes White Dragon with a PSA Gem Mint 10 grade sold for over $85,000 in October 2020.
This card was not the same one shown in the anime’s opening episode, where Kaiba tears Yugi’s grandfather’s Blue-Eyes White Dragon in half. Instead, that card was part of the Starter Deck Kaiba (SDK) released in March 2002, where it was the first card of the deck.
Like the classic Dark Magician, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon was also included as one of the six Prismatic Secret Rares in the Dark Duel Stories (DDS) Game Boy Color game released in March 2002.
The DDS promo version is considered extremely rare and valuable among collectors, with a PSA Gem Mint 10 copy selling for a substantial $25,100 in February 2021, making it one of the most expensive Yu-Gi-Oh! cards sold recently.
No.1 Tyler, the Great Warrior
Tyler Gressle, a 14-year-old Yu-Gi-Oh! enthusiast, was diagnosed with rare liver cancer in 2002. Upon learning about his battle, the Make-A-Wish Foundation granted his wish to create his own Yu-Gi-Oh! card.
The charity connected him with 4Kids Entertainment, which handled the North American production of the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime from 2000 to 2012.
In August 2005, 4Kids gave Gressle and his father a tour of their Yu-Gi-Oh! facility in New York City, where they revealed the card that he created: Tyler, the Great Warrior.
Tyler, the Great Warrior, is a level 8 warrior-type card with an impressive 3000 attack and 1500 defense points. It has a unique effect that inflicts damage to the opponent’s life points each time it successfully destroys one of their monsters and sends it to the graveyard.
The card is an official TCG card, with Gressle receiving his own TYL set code. Its design is based on Future Trunks, a brave swordsman from the Dragon Ball franchise, and Tyler appears to be fighting with shuriken stars in a colosseum.
Despite little being known about adult Gressle, it was confirmed via Instagram in 2015 that he still owns the card. If Gressle ever decides to sell Tyler, the Great Warrior, its value could be limitless, making it the rarest and most valuable Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG card of all time.
However, the most important thing is that Gressle overcame his battle with cancer, and we hope that the card serves as a cherished memento of his triumph.
Note: When purchasing yu gi oh collectible cards, be sure to distinguish between genuine and fake. You can learn more at Identifying The Yu Gi Oh Trading Card Game.
