Creature Swap [1st Edition] #LOD-081

Creature Swap [1st Edition] #LOD-081 collector guide

About Creature Swap

Creature Swap is a Normal Spell Card, printed as LOD-081 in Legacy of Darkness (2003) as an Ultra Rare. Legacy of Darkness was a smaller 2003 set with a wave of Spirit monsters, including Yata-Garasu, alongside Injection Fairy Lily and Airknight Parshath. Ungraded, this printing ranks 9th of the 206 Legacy of Darkness cards we track, one of the chase cards of the set. The top card is Yata-Garasu at €78.25.

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 LOD-081. The code LOD-081, without a language letter, marks the original North American printing. European English copies have an E in the code, such as LOD-E081, and are priced separately. It is the Ultra Rare version. Ultra Rares have a gold-foil name and holographic artwork. Legacy of Darkness has one other printing of Creature Swap: LOD-081 (€8.92). 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 €17.83, a PSA 9 for €40.12 and a PSA 10 for €1,337. Our monthly prices for it go back to November 2021. Over the last 12 months ungraded copies are up 16%, and down 5% in the last month. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €21.39 in September 2022, 17% above today. PSA 10 copies have moved sideways over the same 12 months. Of the 4 printings of Creature Swap we track, this is the most valuable ungraded. The cheapest is Quarter Century Bonanza RA03-EN120 Platinum Secret Rare at €2.85. 1st Edition copies sell for about 2× the Unlimited printing (€17.83 against €8.92).

Grading and population

A PSA 10 sells for 75× the ungraded price and 33.3× 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 16% in a year; it comes from the 1st Edition run of an early English set, which will never be printed again; it is the original printing, which reprints rarely replace for collectors; an active market (87 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 €17.83 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less, and a PSA 9 costs about €40.12. Ask the seller to show the code LOD-081, the "1st Edition" text and the Ultra 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 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.