Dark King of the Abyss [1st Edition] #LOB-020

Dark King of the Abyss [1st Edition] #LOB-020 collector guide

About Dark King of the Abyss

Dark King of the Abyss is a Normal Monster, with flavour text instead of an effect, printed as LOB-020 in Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon (2002) as a Common. It is a Level 3 DARK Fiend monster with 1,200 ATK and 800 DEF. Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon was the first booster set of the English Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game. It brought Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Dark Magician, Red-Eyes Black Dragon and the five pieces of Exodia to English-speaking players, so almost every card in it is a piece of the game's history. Ungraded, this printing ranks 250th of the 454 Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon cards we track. The top card is Blue-Eyes White Dragon at €968.32.

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 LOB-020. The code LOB-020, without a language letter, marks the original North American printing. European English copies have an E in the code, such as LOB-E020, and are priced separately. It is the Common version. Commons have a plain name and no foil. Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon has 3 other printings of Dark King of the Abyss: LOB-020 (€0.22), LOB-E016 (€1.81) and LOB-E016 1st Edition (€3.27). 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 €2.20, a PSA 9 for €22.73 and a PSA 10 for €127.95. Our monthly prices for it go back to October 2021. Over the last 12 months ungraded copies are down 27%, and down 17% in the last month. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €4.72 in July 2022, 53% above today. PSA 10 copies have moved up 113% over the same 12 months. Of the 4 printings of Dark King of the Abyss we track, this one ranks 2nd by ungraded value. The most valuable is Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon LOB-E016 1st Edition at €3.27. 1st Edition copies sell for about 10× the Unlimited printing (€2.20 against €0.22).

Grading and population

A PSA 10 sells for 58.2× the ungraded price and 5.6× 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: a price well below its July 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 (73 recent completed sales), so it is easy to sell. Against it: falling prices, down 27% in a year. Card prices can fall as well as rise, so this is not financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €2.20 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less, and a PSA 9 costs about €22.73. Ask the seller to show the code LOB-020, the "1st Edition" text and the Common finish clearly in the photos, as listing titles often mix up printings. Cards from 2002 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.