Flame Manipulator #LOB-016

Flame Manipulator #LOB-016 collector guide

About Flame Manipulator

Flame Manipulator is a Normal Monster, with flavour text instead of an effect, printed as LOB-016 in Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon (2002) as a Common. It is a Level 3 FIRE Spellcaster monster with 900 ATK and 1,000 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 358th 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

Spellcasters have been popular since Dark Magician, and the Type has some of the most sought-after artwork in the game. With no effect, its appeal is its artwork, its stats and its place in Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon. Flame Swordsman mentions Flame Manipulator in its text, which keeps it relevant.

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 LOB-016. The code LOB-016, without a language letter, marks the original North American printing. European English copies have an E in the code, such as LOB-E016, 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 Flame Manipulator: LOB-016 1st Edition (€2.52), LOB-E012 (€2.53) and LOB-E012 1st Edition (€2.39). 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 €1.11, a PSA 9 for €24.51 and a PSA 10 for €97.19. Our monthly prices for it go back to October 2021. Over the last 12 months ungraded copies are down 23%, and up 405% in the last month. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €2.13 in May 2025, 48% above today. PSA 10 copies have moved up 38% over the same 12 months. Of the 4 printings of Flame Manipulator we track, this one ranks 4th by ungraded value. The most valuable is Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon LOB-E012 at €2.53. 1st Edition copies sell for about 2.3× the Unlimited printing (€2.52 against €1.11).

Grading and population

A PSA 10 sells for 87.6× the ungraded price and 4× 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 May 2025 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 (34 recent completed sales), so it is easy to sell. Against it: falling prices, down 23% in a year. Treat this as background, not a prediction or financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €1.11 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less, and a PSA 9 costs about €24.51. Ask the seller to show the code LOB-016, the missing "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.