Balloon Lizard [1st Edition] #IOC-072

Balloon Lizard [1st Edition] #IOC-072 collector guide

About Balloon Lizard

Balloon Lizard is an Effect Monster, printed as IOC-072 in Invasion of Chaos (2004) as a Common. It is a Level 4 EARTH Reptile monster with 500 ATK and 1,900 DEF. Invasion of Chaos, released in 2004, brought Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning, Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End and Dark Magician of Chaos. The Envoys went on to dominate competitive play, which makes it one of the most important sets of the early game. Ungraded, this printing ranks 125th of the 224 Invasion of Chaos cards we track. The top card is Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning at €143.91.

Character and collecting appeal

Reptiles are a small Type that has grown with modern archetypes. Its text is about destroying cards and dealing damage.

Version and identification

This guide covers the 1st Edition printing. The words "1st Edition" are printed below the artwork on the left; copies without them are the Unlimited printing and usually sell for less. Check the code printed below the artwork on the right: it should read IOC-072. The code IOC-072, without a language letter, marks the original North American printing. European English copies have an E in the code, such as IOC-E072, and are priced separately. It is the Common version. Commons have a plain name and no foil. Invasion of Chaos has one other printing of Balloon Lizard: IOC-072 (€0.22). 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 €0.62, a PSA 9 for €6.24 and a PSA 10 for €53.92. Our monthly prices for it go back to October 2021. Over the last 12 months ungraded copies are down 48%, and flat in the last month. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €1.77 in March 2022, 65% above today. 1st Edition copies sell for about 2.8× the Unlimited printing (€0.62 against €0.22).

Grading and population

A PSA 10 sells for 87× the ungraded price and 8.6× a PSA 9. That gap is small, so grading fees may outweigh the gain unless the card is for your own collection. Early English Yu-Gi-Oh! cards often have off-centre cuts and wear on the dark brown back borders, which is why high grades are hard to reach.

Investment potential

In its favour: a price well below its March 2022 peak, which some collectors see as room to recover; it comes from the 1st Edition run of an early English set, which will never be printed again; an active market (25 recent completed sales), so it is easy to sell. Against it: falling prices, down 48% in a year. Card prices can fall as well as rise, so this is not financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €0.62 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 IOC-072, the "1st Edition" text and the Common finish clearly in the photos, as listing titles often mix up printings. Cards from 2004 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.