Yu-Gi-Oh! – How to determine the value of your cards

Yu-Gi-Oh! cards were the hit of childhood for many. In fact, there are some copies that have increased enormously in value. If you also still have cards lying around at home and you’ve always wondered how much your childhood treasures are worth, here are some ways you can estimate the value.

Determine the value of Yu-Gi-Oh! cards

First of all, going to a professional is of course one of the safest ways to determine the value of your card. However, you will probably get less for your cards here than if you offer them individually on the internet.

• With the help of price and value catalogues and thanks to professional experience, the expert can often provide accurate feedback on how much money the cards can play into your wallet.

• If you are unsure and have concerns or doubts about the expert’s judgement, you can of course go to a competitor and seek their expertise.

• Online traders can also provide an initial overview. Websites such as “Trader-Online.de” offer purchase lists that you can call up online and determine the purchase value of your card.

• However, you may not be able to find your card(s) on these lists. But that doesn’t matter: with a little research, you can also determine an estimated value yourself – and this is usually more lucrative than buying through dealers.

Look closely at your Yu-Gi-Oh! cards

Generally, it’s not that difficult to estimate the value of your cards yourself. However, keep in mind that these are only estimated values. Depending on the market situation and the rarity status of the card, prices can fluctuate. However, some features can help to identify and classify the card. Holograms and glitter also give clues to rarity levels.

• Maps from the 1st edition are usually more valuable than reprints. You can tell if a card is from the 1st edition by the imprint on the left below the image.

• Common cards (ordinary/normal cards): On them, only the hologram in the bottom right corner glitters.

• Rare (Rare): Here, the writing and the hologram in the lower right corner glitter silver.

• Colour Rare (Duelist League): As the name suggests, this is all about shades of colour. The font glitters in certain colours like blue, green, red or yellow. The same applies to the hologram in the right corner. Such cards are only given as participation prizes or winnings in Duelist League tournaments.

• Super Rare: Here the image and hologram glitter in the lower right. There are usually five cards of this rare in a 24-card booster display. Therefore, the probability of getting hold of one of these Super Rares is 1:5.

• Ultra Rare: Besides the glittering image and the hologram on the bottom right, the writing glitters gold. The chance of finding one of these cards is 1 in 12, as there are only 2 of these cards in a booster display.

• Ultimate Rare: The edge of the card, the lettering, the level stars, the image, the text frame, as well as the hologram in the bottom right corner are glittery and stamped in so you can feel them. There are usually only one or two of these cards in a 24-card booster display, making them very rare.

• Secret Rare: The font glitters silver or rainbow colours. On the image there are silver glittering stripes running parallel across the card, also the hologram on the bottom right glitters. Mostly they are inserts of console games. From the series “The Shining Darkness” onwards, they were included once, more rarely twice and in the “Ra Yellow Mega Pack” even 24 times per display.

• Gold Rare: The edge of the card, the level stars, the writing, the image, the text frame, as well as the hologram in the bottom right corner glitter gold. These cards are only included in the Gold Series Boosters.

• Ghost Rare: The font glitters in rainbow colours. The image is mirrored and three-dimensional. This is always the “cover monster” of the booster series, which is also on the front of the packaging. There are very few cards with this rarity level, as one of these cards can be found on average in only every eighth display. The chance of getting one of these cards is therefore only about 1:192.

• Ghost-Gold Rare: The font glitters rainbow-coloured, the image is mirrored, three-dimensional and the map border, the level stars, the text frame, as well as the hologram at the bottom right glitter golden.

• Parallel Rare: The entire card, the writing and the hologram on the bottom right glitter. Similar to the Secret Rare, there are also stripes or boxes spread all over the map. Only in the Hobby League are these rare cards available as prizes to be won, as in certain boosters to be drawn.

• But it’s not just these rare cards that are worth cash. Misprints and misprints also often fetch a high value among collectors.

• The condition of your card is another indicator of value. If your card is already heavily worn, it will be hard to sell it as brand new. However, if you have taken care of it and guarded it over the years, it looks good.

Determining the value of Yu-Gi-Oh! cards: Research pays off

Search engines and online portals can help you determine the value of your cards even more accurately. However, to ensure that you find the right results quickly in all the confusion and chaos, we recommend the following method:

• Type the name of the card into Google and Co. (behind it “1st edition”, if applicable) and then the serial number, which you can find on the right under the picture, as well as the rarity grade, if applicable.

• Compare the prices of the different portals with each other.

• On “hood.de” and “ebay” you can often find many offers from users who offer used cards. These can be compared quickly and easily. Here, however, you should always pay attention to the condition of the items. If your card is still like new, you might be able to ask for more. If auctions have already ended, you can also charge more if the demand is greater than the supply.

• If your card is still in “brand new condition”, it may also be advisable to check online shops such as “Amazon”. If the offers of the new cards are out of stock and no longer available here, chances are good that your card is worth a little more than it used to be.

• Keep in mind that these are estimates only. Depending on the market situation, condition and rarity level, as well as other factors affecting the market, different values may be set. However, this will give you a rough idea of the value of your card.

• Tip: If you have been bitten by the collecting bug and have done extensive research, you can keep your eyes open for old Yu-Gi-Oh! cards at flea markets. Maybe you’ll find a little treasure there that you can sell for more online.

• Note: It may happen that the online search does not spit out any fruitful results. In this case, a visit to the professional can no longer be avoided.