Spirit Message "I" #LON-089

Spirit Message "I" #LON-089 collector guide

About Spirit Message "I"

Spirit Message "I" is a Continuous Spell Card, printed as LON-089 in Labyrinth of Nightmare (2003) as a Rare. 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 206th of the 331 Labyrinth of Nightmare cards we track. The top card is Torrential Tribute at €92.89.

Character and collecting appeal

Its text names Destiny Board, so collectors often look for them together.

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 LON-089. The code LON-089, without a language letter, marks the original North American printing. European English copies have an E in the code, such as LON-E089, and are priced separately. It is the Rare version. Rares have a silver-foil name and plain artwork. Labyrinth of Nightmare has 4 other printings of Spirit Message "I": LON-089 1st Edition (€1.94), LON-E089 (€2.26), LON-E089 1st Edition and LON-EN089 (€2.01). 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 €0.95, a PSA 9 for €7.13 and a PSA 10 for €41.91. Our monthly prices for it go back to October 2021. Over the last 12 months ungraded copies are down 39%, and down 29% in the last month. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €3.24 in November 2021, 71% above today. PSA 10 copies have moved down 55% over the same 12 months. Of the 4 printings of Spirit Message "I" we track, this one ranks 4th by ungraded value. The most valuable is Labyrinth of Nightmare LON-E089 at €2.26. 1st Edition copies sell for about 2× the Unlimited printing (€1.94 against €0.95).

Grading and population

A PSA 10 sells for 44.1× the ungraded price and 5.9× 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 November 2021 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 (27 recent completed sales), so it is easy to sell. Against it: falling prices, down 39% in a year. Past prices do not guarantee future ones. This is not financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €0.95 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less, and a PSA 9 costs about €7.13. Ask the seller to show the code LON-089, 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.