Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End [1st Edition] #IOC-000

Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End [1st Edition] #IOC-000 collector guide

About Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End

Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End is an Effect Monster, printed as IOC-000 in Invasion of Chaos (2004) as a Secret Rare. It is a Level 8 DARK Dragon monster with 3,000 ATK and 2,500 DEF. No monster in Invasion of Chaos has more ATK. 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 2nd of the 224 Invasion of Chaos cards we track, one of the chase cards of the set. The top card is Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning at €143.91.

Character and collecting appeal

Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End could clear both fields and hands in one move. It defined competitive play in 2004 and 2005 and spent years on the Forbidden list. Its effect centres on banishing cards, Special Summoning and dealing damage. It cannot be Normal Summoned, so it has to be brought out by its own conditions. Primal Seed mentions Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End in its text, which keeps it relevant.

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-000. The code IOC-000, without a language letter, marks the original North American printing. European English copies have an E in the code, such as IOC-E000, and are priced separately. It is the Secret Rare version. Secret Rares have a rainbow-foil name and diagonal holographic artwork. Invasion of Chaos has one other printing of Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End: IOC-000 (€26.76). Each has its own price, so match the code, edition and rarity exactly. It was also printed in Quarter Century Bonanza, which we track separately.

Price history

Today an ungraded copy of this printing sells for about €133.59, a PSA 9 for €673.21 and a PSA 10 for €4,004. Our monthly prices for it go back to February 2022. Over the last 12 months ungraded copies are up 44%, and up 8% in the last month. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €691.04 in February 2022, 81% above today. PSA 10 copies have moved down 10% over the same 12 months. Of the 4 printings of Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End we track, this is the most valuable ungraded. The cheapest is Quarter Century Bonanza RA03-EN133 Platinum Secret Rare at €7.96. 1st Edition copies sell for about 5× the Unlimited printing (€133.59 against €26.76).

Grading and population

A PSA 10 sells for 30× the ungraded price and 5.9× a PSA 9. That gap is big enough that grading a sharp, well-centred copy can pay for itself. 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: steady demand, with ungraded prices up 44% in a year; a price well below its February 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; lasting fame from the anime or the competitive game; it is the original printing, which reprints rarely replace for collectors; an active market (127 recent completed sales), so it is easy to sell. Past prices do not guarantee future ones. This is not financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €133.59 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less, and a PSA 9 costs about €673.21. Ask the seller to show the code IOC-000, the "1st Edition" text and the Secret Rare finish clearly in the photos, as listing titles often mix up printings. At this price fakes are worth checking for: genuine cards have a small holographic seal (the Eye of Anubis) in the bottom-right corner, and the font, colours and card back should match a copy you know is genuine. Look up the certificate number of any graded copy on the grading company's website. 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.