Painful Choice [1st Edition] #MRL-049

Painful Choice [1st Edition] #MRL-049 collector guide

About Painful Choice

Painful Choice is a Normal Spell Card, printed as MRL-049 in Magic Ruler (2002) as a Super Rare. 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 44th of the 321 Magic Ruler cards we track. The top card is Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon at €223.11.

Character and collecting appeal

Painful Choice let players pick the best five cards of their Deck and was Forbidden for many years. Its text is about discarding.

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 MRL-049. The code MRL-049, without a language letter, marks the original North American printing. European English copies have an E in the code, such as MRL-E049, and are priced separately. It is the Super Rare version. Super Rares have holographic artwork and a plain name. Magic Ruler has 3 other printings of Painful Choice: MRL-049 (€2.68), MRL-E049 (€4.76) and MRL-E049 1st Edition (€10.52). 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 €8.33, a PSA 9 for €32.60 and a PSA 10 for €146.90. Our monthly prices for it go back to September 2021. Over the last 12 months ungraded copies are up 10%, and down 6% in the last month. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €13.37 in March 2022, 38% above today. PSA 10 copies have moved up 48% over the same 12 months. Of the 4 printings of Painful Choice we track, this one ranks 2nd by ungraded value. The most valuable is Magic Ruler MRL-E049 1st Edition at €10.52. 1st Edition copies sell for about 3.1× the Unlimited printing (€8.33 against €2.68).

Grading and population

A PSA 10 sells for 17.6× the ungraded price and 4.5× 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: steady demand, with ungraded prices up 10% in a year; it comes from the 1st Edition run of an early English set, which will never be printed again; lasting fame from the anime or the competitive game; an active market (81 recent completed sales), so it is easy to sell. Past prices do not guarantee future ones. This is not financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €8.33 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less, and a PSA 9 costs about €32.60. Ask the seller to show the code MRL-049, the "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.