Molten Destruction #MRL-098

Molten Destruction #MRL-098 collector guide

About Molten Destruction

Molten Destruction is a Field Spell Card, printed as MRL-098 in Magic Ruler (2002) as a Short Print. Magic Ruler was the third English booster set and brought Pegasus's Toon cards into the game. Magic Cards were later renamed Spell Cards and the set was reprinted as Spell Ruler, so Magic Ruler copies are the original printing. Ungraded, this printing ranks 217th of the 321 Magic Ruler cards we track. The top card is Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon at €223.11.

Character and collecting appeal

Its text is about changing ATK and DEF.

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 MRL-098. The code MRL-098, without a language letter, marks the original North American printing. European English copies have an E in the code, such as MRL-E098, and are priced separately. It is the Short Print version. Short Prints look like Commons but were printed in smaller numbers. Magic Ruler has 3 other printings of Molten Destruction: MRL-098 1st Edition (€2.62), MRL-E098 and MRL-E098 1st Edition (€7.20). 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 €0.75, a PSA 9 for €7.13 and a PSA 10 for €64.01. Our monthly prices for it go back to October 2021. Over the last 12 months ungraded copies are down 53%, and up 1% in the last month. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €1.80 in April 2022, 58% above today. PSA 10 copies have moved down 24% over the same 12 months. Of the 3 printings of Molten Destruction we track, this one ranks 3rd by ungraded value. The most valuable is Magic Ruler MRL-E098 1st Edition at €7.20. 1st Edition copies sell for about 3.5× the Unlimited printing (€2.62 against €0.75).

Grading and population

A PSA 10 sells for 85.3× the ungraded price and 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 April 2022 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 (25 recent completed sales), so it is easy to sell. Against it: falling prices, down 53% in a year. Past prices do not guarantee future ones. This is not financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €0.75 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less, and a PSA 9 costs about €7.13. Ask the seller to show the code MRL-098, the missing "1st Edition" text and the Short Print 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.