Melchid the Four-Face Beast [1st Edition] #LON-012

Melchid the Four-Face Beast [1st Edition] #LON-012 collector guide

About Melchid the Four-Face Beast

Melchid the Four-Face Beast is a Normal Monster, with flavour text instead of an effect, printed as LON-012 in Labyrinth of Nightmare (2003) as a Common. It is a Level 4 DARK Fiend monster with 1,500 ATK and 1,200 DEF. 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 209th of the 331 Labyrinth of Nightmare cards we track. The top card is Torrential Tribute at €92.89.

Character and collecting appeal

Fiends are one of the largest Types in the game, home to many of its darker and more unusual designs. Normal Monsters like this one are mostly collected for their art and to complete the set.

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-012. The code LON-012, without a language letter, marks the original North American printing. European English copies have an E in the code, such as LON-E012, 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 Melchid the Four-Face Beast: LON-012 (€0.26), LON-E012 (€1.84), LON-E012 1st Edition and LON-EN012. 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 €0.88, a PSA 9 for €8.02 and a PSA 10 for €79.31. Our monthly prices for it go back to August 2022. Over the last 12 months ungraded copies are down 45%, and down 34% in the last month. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €2.98 in November 2022, 70% above today. PSA 10 copies have moved sideways over the same 12 months. Of the 3 printings of Melchid the Four-Face Beast we track, this one ranks 2nd by ungraded value. The most valuable is Labyrinth of Nightmare LON-E012 at €1.84. 1st Edition copies sell for about 3.4× the Unlimited printing (€0.88 against €0.26).

Grading and population

A PSA 10 sells for 90.1× the ungraded price and 9.9× 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: a price well below its November 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 (27 recent completed sales), so it is easy to sell. Against it: falling prices, down 45% in a year. Card prices can fall as well as rise, so this is not financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €0.88 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less, and a PSA 9 costs about €8.02. Ask the seller to show the code LON-012, 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.