The 10 rarest Yu-Gi-Oh cards of all time, and how much they’re worth

Collectible trading card games like Yu-Gi-Oh! are constantly adding new decks and cards to pick up, allowing players to battle their way through tournaments and friendly matches however they want. Some cards become extremely rare over time, becoming collector’s items and growing in value as time passes. Chances are most players will never even get to see some of these cards, but it can still be fun to see what some of the rarest Yu-Gi-Oh! cards ever made and how much they’re worth today.

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The 10 rarest Yu-Gi-Oh! cards and what they’re worth

Like the rarest Pokémon cards out there, the most valuable Yu-Gi-Oh! cards of all time tend to be limited edition prints that were given out during tournaments or at special events. You’re unlikely to ever see these cards used in play, but they make great collector’s items for players with mountains of money to spend.

10) Skuna, the Leonine Rakan ($7,500)

Rarity is the key to driving the value of these cards and sometimes not knowing how rare a card increases the price even more. This card was given to some of the participants in the 2009 Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship tournament, but not everyone. No one really knows the criteria for how these cards were given out, but many collectors think there might only be six of them in existence. This uncertainty has made this one of the most sought-after Yu-Gi-Oh! cards ever.

9) Exodia the Forbidden One’s Head First Edition ($8,000)

This card featured in one of the most iconic moments in the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime, but it is also a tournament legal move. Get all five of Exodia’s cards in your hand at the same time and you’ll automatically get the win. It is extremely difficult to do so, however, so not many players bank on this strategy. However, the rarity of this early edition and its iconic status among the fandom means that it will set you back by a pretty penny if you want to really put your trust in the heart of the cards.

8) Dark Magician Girl First Edition ($9,100)

This is another card that features heavily in the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime and has become one of the show’s most enduring and iconic monsters. She’s cute and spunky and capable of clearing a battlefield if the conditions are right. There are lots of variants of her appearance over the years but the most valuable one is still the original. Released in 2003 in North America, it can cost well over $9,000 to get a mint edition version of this card.

7) Red-Eyes B. Dragon First Edition ($10,600)

Joey Wheeler might have been the resident numbskull in the anime, but his signature Yu-Gi-Oh! card has become one of the game’s most popular. There are multiple versions of this card in circulation, but the most valuable one was first released in the Legend of Blue-Eyes White Dragon as one of the ultra-rare cards included in the set. While the usefulness of the card has waned over the years as the game has evolved, the iconic nature of the monster and its place in the anime canon have kept the value high for these early variants.

6) Shonen Jump Championship Doomcaliber Knight ($15,300)

When the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game got more and more popular alongside the show’s release, Shonen Jump created a series of North American Tournaments to capitalize on the opportunity. Between 2004 and 2010 there were 75 tournaments, with prizes that included both cash and rare cards. This Doomcaliber Knight was given out at these tournaments, with only 68 ever finding their way into circulation. Not only is this version very rare, but it is also extremely powerful in play, making it doubly attractive to collectors and players.

5) Shonen Jump Championship Cyber-Stein ($30,100)

Another card that was given out as part of the Shonen Jump Championship series of tournaments, this one was awarded at GenCon SoCal between 2004 and 2005. Only 18 of them were originally released. Finding one of these on the market is very rare and it comes with a monstrous price tag to match.

4) Shonen Jump Championship Crush Card Virus ($49,999)

Only 40 copies of this card were given out back in 2007 at tournaments throughout North America. A few were also released as part of a sneak peek event in 2008, but the total ever released into circulation remains around 45. It is an extremely rare and very powerful trap card, capable of turning a tough battle into a cakewalk if used at the right time.

3) Legend of Blue Eyes Dark Magician First Edition ($85,000)

The most iconic card in Yugi’s arsenal, the Dark Magician is the card most closely associated with the anime. This would already make this a popular and valuable card, but this particular version is even more difficult to come by. Finding the red variant of this card that came from the Legend of the Blue Eyes set was difficult, with only a handful ever reaching circulation. The rarity and iconic status of the card mean that it will do some serious damage to your wallet as well as your opponent’s deck.

2) Blue-Eyes White Dragon First Edition ($85,100)

While Dark Magician might have been the most iconic card in the main character’s deck, it was Seto Kaiba’s Blue-Eyes White Dragon that most fans remember the most. Not only was this card one of the most used in the show, but it was also one of the most powerful monsters you could get in the game’s first release. Originally part of the Legend of the Blue Eyes White Dragon set, a mint condition version of this card is extremely rare and can fetch more than $85,000 when they do hit auction.

1) Tyler, the Great Warrior (Price Unknown)

All of the other cards on this list have come up to auction so we know how much they’re worth. This one is so rare that it has never actually been purchased before. Created as part of a Make-A-Wish Foundation wish, it was designed by young cancer patient Tyler Gressle and given to him as part of a tour of the 4Kids headquarters in 2005. It is the only of its kind and is 100% tournament legal, with powerful stats and abilities. Gressle, who thankfully survived his fight against cancer, reportedly still has the card in his possession, so there is no telling how high the price would go if this card came on the market.

Honorable Mention: Tournament Black Luster Soldier ($2 million)

Most Yu-Gi-Oh! cards are printed on heavy card stock, so it makes sense that this one-of-a-kind card, printed on stainless steel, would go for a lot. This was originally given to the winner of the first national Japanese tournament back in 1999 and, while beautiful, is not legal for tournament play. The winner of this card held on to it until 2013 when it was put up for sale. Originally they asked for $10 million but it ended up selling for $2 million at the end of the auction. It is easily the most expensive Yu-Gi-Oh! card ever, though it doesn’t make this list simply because it isn’t legal to use in competitive play.