Polymerization [1st Edition] #LOB-059

Polymerization [1st Edition] #LOB-059 collector guide

About Polymerization

Polymerization is a Normal Spell Card, printed as LOB-059 in Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon (2002) as a Super Rare. 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 26th 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

Blue-Eyes Abyss Dragon, Elder Entity N'tss, Gladiator Beast Gyzarus and Guardian Chimera mention Polymerization in their text, among other cards, which keeps it relevant.

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-059. The code LOB-059, without a language letter, marks the original North American printing. European English copies have an E in the code, such as LOB-E059, and are priced separately. It is the Super Rare version. Super Rares have holographic artwork and a plain name. Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon has 3 other printings of Polymerization: LOB-059 (€5.13), LOB-E047 (€5.28) and LOB-E047 1st Edition (€30.41). Each has its own price, so match the code, edition and rarity exactly. It was also printed in 25th Anniversary Rarity Collection II and Quarter Century Bonanza, which we track separately.

Price history

Today an ungraded copy of this printing sells for about €68.67, a PSA 9 for €256.06 and a PSA 10 for €1,757. Our monthly prices for it go back to October 2021. Over the last 12 months ungraded copies are down 10%, and up 10% in the last month. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €154.29 in October 2021, 55% above today. PSA 10 copies have moved up 194% over the same 12 months. Of the 18 printings of Polymerization we track, this is the most valuable ungraded. The cheapest is Quarter Century Bonanza RA03-EN051 Super Rare at €0.52. 1st Edition copies sell for about 13.4× the Unlimited printing (€68.67 against €5.13).

Grading and population

A PSA 10 sells for 25.6× the ungraded price and 6.9× 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: a price well below its October 2021 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; it is the original printing, which reprints rarely replace for collectors; an active market (155 recent completed sales), so it is easy to sell. Against it: falling prices, down 10% in a year. Past prices do not guarantee future ones. This is not financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €68.67 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less, and a PSA 9 costs about €256.06. Ask the seller to show the code LOB-059, the "1st Edition" text and the Super 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 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.