Hard Armor [1st Edition] #LOB-E059

Hard Armor [1st Edition] #LOB-E059 collector guide

About Hard Armor

Hard Armor is a Normal Monster, with flavour text instead of an effect, printed as LOB-E059 in Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon (2002) as a Common. It is a Level 3 EARTH Warrior monster with 300 ATK and 1,200 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 325th 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

Warriors are one of the oldest and largest Types, and have had support in almost every era of the game. 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-E059. The E in LOB-E059 marks the European English printing. The North American printing uses a code without the letter, sometimes with a different card number, and has its own prices. It is the Common version. Commons have a plain name and no foil. Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon has 3 other printings of Hard Armor: LOB-074 (€0.24), LOB-074 1st Edition (€1.33) and LOB-E059 (€1.78). 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 €1.51. Of the 4 printings of Hard Armor we track, this one ranks 2nd by ungraded value. The most valuable is Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon LOB-E059 at €1.78. Unusually, Unlimited copies currently sell for as much as or more than 1st Edition ones (€1.78 against €1.51).

Investment potential

In its favour: it comes from the 1st Edition run of an early English set, which will never be printed again. Against it: thin trading, so selling quickly can mean accepting a lower price. Past prices do not guarantee future ones. This is not financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €1.51 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less. Ask the seller to show the code LOB-E059, 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.