Freed the Matchless General [1st Edition] #LOD-016

Freed the Matchless General [1st Edition] #LOD-016 collector guide

About Freed the Matchless General

Freed the Matchless General is an Effect Monster, printed as LOD-016 in Legacy of Darkness (2003) as an Ultra Rare. It is a Level 5 EARTH Warrior monster with 2,300 ATK and 1,700 DEF. At its Level it needs one Tribute to Normal Summon. Its ATK is the 6th highest of the 56 monsters in the set. 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 21st of the 206 Legacy of Darkness cards we track. The top card is Yata-Garasu at €78.25.

Character and collecting appeal

Warriors are one of the oldest and largest Types, and have had support in almost every era of the game. Its text is about negating cards and effects, searching the Deck and destroying cards.

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-016. The code LOD-016, without a language letter, marks the original North American printing. European English copies have an E in the code, such as LOD-E016, 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 Freed the Matchless General: LOD-016 (€2.05). 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 €10.04, a PSA 9 for €44.58 and a PSA 10 for €218.01. Our monthly prices for it go back to November 2021. Over the last 12 months ungraded copies are up 13%, and down 2% in the last month. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €13.37 in June 2023, 25% above today. PSA 10 copies have moved down 25% over the same 12 months. 1st Edition copies sell for about 4.9× the Unlimited printing (€10.04 against €2.05).

Grading and population

A PSA 10 sells for 21.7× the ungraded price and 4.9× a PSA 9. That gap is big enough that grading a sharp, well-centred copy can pay for itself. On cards from the early 2000s, the dark brown backs show every scuff and white edge, so top grades are scarce.

Investment potential

In its favour: steady demand, with ungraded prices up 13% in a year; it comes from the 1st Edition run of an early English set, which will never be printed again; an active market (69 recent completed sales), so it is easy to sell. Card prices can fall as well as rise, so this is not financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €10.04 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less, and a PSA 9 costs about €44.58. Ask the seller to show the code LOD-016, the "1st Edition" text and the Ultra 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.