Penguin Knight #MRL-001

Penguin Knight #MRL-001 collector guide

About Penguin Knight

Penguin Knight is an Effect Monster, printed as MRL-001 in Magic Ruler (2002) as a Common. It is a Level 3 WATER Aqua monster with 900 ATK and 800 DEF. 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 256th of the 321 Magic Ruler cards we track. The top card is Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon at €223.11.

Character and collecting appeal

Aqua monsters often work with water Field Spells such as Umi.

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-001. The code MRL-001, without a language letter, marks the original North American printing. European English copies have an E in the code, such as MRL-E001, and are priced separately. It is the Common version. Commons have a plain name and no foil. Magic Ruler has 3 other printings of Penguin Knight: MRL-001 1st Edition (€0.37), MRL-E001 (€2.16) and MRL-E001 1st Edition (€2.30). 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 €0.37, a PSA 9 for €5.35 and a PSA 10 for €37.84. Our monthly prices for it go back to October 2021. Over the last 12 months ungraded copies are down 71%, and up 76% in the last month. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €2.22 in April 2023, 83% above today. PSA 10 copies have moved down 56% over the same 12 months. Of the 4 printings of Penguin Knight we track, this one ranks 3rd by ungraded value. The most valuable is Magic Ruler MRL-E001 1st Edition at €2.30. Unusually, Unlimited copies currently sell for as much as or more than 1st Edition ones (€0.37 against €0.37).

Grading and population

A PSA 10 sells for 102.3× the ungraded price and 7.1× a PSA 9. That gap is small, so grading fees may outweigh the gain unless the card is for your own collection. 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 2023 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 71% in a year. Card prices can fall as well as rise, so this is not financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €0.37 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less, and a PSA 9 costs about €5.35. Ask the seller to show the code MRL-001, the missing "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.