Empress Mantis [1st Edition] #LON-040

Empress Mantis [1st Edition] #LON-040 collector guide

About Empress Mantis

Empress Mantis is a Normal Monster, with flavour text instead of an effect, printed as LON-040 in Labyrinth of Nightmare (2003) as a Common. It is a Level 6 WIND Insect monster with 2,200 ATK and 1,400 DEF. At its Level it needs one Tribute to Normal Summon. Its ATK is the 5th highest of the 57 monsters in the set. Labyrinth of Nightmare arrived in early 2003 and is best remembered for Torrential Tribute, Magic Cylinder, Gemini Elf and Dark Necrofear. Ungraded, this printing ranks 308th of the 331 Labyrinth of Nightmare cards we track. The top card is Torrential Tribute at €92.89.

Character and collecting appeal

Insects are a small Type best known from Weevil Underwood's deck in the anime. As a Normal Monster it is collected for its artwork and its spot in the set rather than for play.

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 LON-040. The code LON-040, without a language letter, marks the original North American printing. European English copies have an E in the code, such as LON-E040, and are priced separately. It is the Common version. Commons have a plain name and no foil. Labyrinth of Nightmare has 4 other printings of Empress Mantis: LON-040 (€0.17), LON-E040, LON-E040 1st Edition and LON-EN040. 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 €0.22, a PSA 9 for €5.35 and a PSA 10 for €37.40. Our monthly prices for it go back to August 2022. Over the last 12 months ungraded copies are down 83%, and flat in the last month. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €1.58 in January 2025, 86% above today. PSA 10 copies have moved down 59% over the same 12 months. 1st Edition copies sell for about 1.3× the Unlimited printing (€0.22 against €0.17).

Grading and population

A PSA 10 sells for 170× the ungraded price and 7× 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 January 2025 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 83% in a year. Past prices do not guarantee future ones. This is not financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €0.22 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less, and a PSA 9 costs about €5.35. Ask the seller to show the code LON-040, the "1st Edition" text and the Common 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.