Contract with the Abyss #DCR-086

Contract with the Abyss #DCR-086 collector guide

About Contract with the Abyss

Contract with the Abyss is a Ritual Spell Card, printed as DCR-086 in Dark Crisis (2003) as a Rare. Dark Crisis closed out 2003 with cards such as Exodia Necross, Vampire Lord and Skull Archfiend of Lightning. Ungraded, this printing ranks 104th of the 216 Dark Crisis cards we track. The top card is Contract with the Abyss at €53.55.

Version and identification

This guide covers the Unlimited printing, without the "1st Edition" text below the artwork. 1st Edition copies of the same card have their own, usually higher, prices. Check the code printed below the artwork on the right: it should read DCR-086. The code DCR-086, without a language letter, marks the original North American printing. European English copies have an E in the code, such as DCR-E086, and are priced separately. It is the Rare version. Rares have a silver-foil name and plain artwork. Dark Crisis has 2 other printings of Contract with the Abyss: DCR-086 1st Edition (€0.78) and DCR-086 Misprint (€53.55). Each has its own price, so match the code, edition and rarity exactly.

Price history

Today an ungraded copy of this printing sells for about €0.72, a PSA 9 for €6.24 and a PSA 10 for €58.99. Our monthly prices for it go back to October 2021. Over the last 12 months ungraded copies are down 59%, and up 112% in the last month. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €2.67 in April 2022, 73% above today. PSA 10 copies have moved down 41% over the same 12 months. Of the 3 printings of Contract with the Abyss we track, this one ranks 3rd by ungraded value. The most valuable is Dark Crisis DCR-086 Misprint at €53.55. 1st Edition copies sell for about 1.1× the Unlimited printing (€0.78 against €0.72).

Grading and population

A PSA 10 sells for 81.9× the ungraded price and 9.5× a PSA 9. That gap is small, so grading fees may outweigh the gain unless the card is for your own collection. On cards from the early 2000s, the dark brown backs show every scuff and white edge, so top grades are scarce.

Investment potential

In its favour: a price well below its April 2022 peak, which some collectors see as room to recover; it comes from the first years of the English game, which are no longer printed; an active market (25 recent completed sales), so it is easy to sell. Against it: falling prices, down 59% in a year. Card prices can fall as well as rise, so this is not financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €0.72 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less, and a PSA 9 costs about €6.24. Ask the seller to show the code DCR-086, the missing "1st Edition" text and the Rare finish clearly in the photos, as listing titles often mix up printings. Cards from 2003 often show white wear on the back edges and corners, so ask for photos of the back before you buy.

Card details and image from YGOPRODeck. Yu-Gi-Oh! is a trademark of Konami; Search Cards is not affiliated with Konami.