Spellbinding Circle [1st Edition] #MRL-006

Spellbinding Circle [1st Edition] #MRL-006 collector guide

About Spellbinding Circle

Spellbinding Circle is a Continuous Trap Card, printed as MRL-006 in Magic Ruler (2002) as an Ultra 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 21st of the 321 Magic Ruler cards we track. The top card is Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon at €223.11.

Character and collecting appeal

In play, it is a card for destroying cards and stopping attacks.

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-006. The code MRL-006, without a language letter, marks the original North American printing. European English copies have an E in the code, such as MRL-E006, and are priced separately. It is the Ultra Rare version. Ultra Rares have a gold-foil name and holographic artwork. Magic Ruler has 3 other printings of Spellbinding Circle: MRL-006 (€7.53), MRL-E006 and MRL-E006 1st Edition (€12.50). 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 €23.00, a PSA 9 for €105.45 and a PSA 10 for €920.00. Our monthly prices for it go back to October 2021. Over the last 12 months ungraded copies are up 23%, and down 14% in the last month. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €45.79 in April 2022, 50% above today. PSA 10 copies have moved up 90% over the same 12 months. Of the 3 printings of Spellbinding Circle we track, this is the most valuable ungraded. The cheapest is Magic Ruler MRL-006 at €7.53. 1st Edition copies sell for about 3.1× the Unlimited printing (€23.00 against €7.53).

Grading and population

A PSA 10 sells for 40× the ungraded price and 8.7× 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 23% in a year; a price well below its April 2022 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; an active market (96 recent completed sales), so it is easy to sell. Treat this as background, not a prediction or financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €23.00 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less, and a PSA 9 costs about €105.45. Ask the seller to show the code MRL-006, the "1st Edition" text and the Ultra 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.