Polymerization #LOB-059

Polymerization #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 136th 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 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-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 1st Edition (€72.35), 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 €5.13, a PSA 9 for €97.54 and a PSA 10 for €127.51. Our monthly prices for it go back to September 2021. Over the last 12 months ungraded copies are down 17%, and up 15% in the last month. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €17.79 in September 2021, 71% above today. PSA 10 copies have moved up 125% over the same 12 months. Of the 18 printings of Polymerization we track, this one ranks 7th by ungraded value. The most valuable is Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon LOB-059 1st Edition at €72.35. 1st Edition copies sell for about 14.1× the Unlimited printing (€72.35 against €5.13).

Grading and population

A PSA 10 sells for 24.9× the ungraded price and 1.3× 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 September 2021 peak, which some collectors see as room to recover; it comes from the first years of the English game, which are no longer printed; it is the original printing, which reprints rarely replace for collectors; an active market (137 recent completed sales), so it is easy to sell. Against it: falling prices, down 17% in a year. Card prices can fall as well as rise, so this is not financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €5.13 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less, and a PSA 9 costs about €97.54. Ask the seller to show the code LOB-059, the missing "1st Edition" text and the Super Rare 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.