Black Skull Dragon #MRD-E018

Black Skull Dragon #MRD-E018 collector guide

About Black Skull Dragon

Black Skull Dragon is a Fusion Monster, made from its Fusion Materials with a card such as Polymerization, printed as MRD-E018 in Metal Raiders (2002) as an Ultra Rare. It is a Level 9 DARK Dragon monster with 3,200 ATK and 2,500 DEF. Its ATK is the 2nd highest of the 122 monsters in the set. Metal Raiders was the second English booster set. It added Summoned Skull, Gate Guardian, Mirror Force and Change of Heart, and many of its cards shaped how the early game was played. Ungraded, this printing ranks 57th of the 508 Metal Raiders cards we track. The top card is Gate Guardian at €301.65.

Character and collecting appeal

Black Skull Dragon fuses Summoned Skull with Red-Eyes Black Dragon, joining Yugi's and Joey's monsters, which makes it a favourite with fans of the original series. Its Fusion Materials include Red-Eyes Black Dragon and Summoned Skull.

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 MRD-E018. The E in MRD-E018 marks the European English printing. The North American printing uses a code without the letter, sometimes with a different card number, and has its own prices. It is the Ultra Rare version. Ultra Rares have a gold-foil name and holographic artwork. Metal Raiders has 3 other printings of Black Skull Dragon: MRD-018 (€22.46), MRD-018 1st Edition (€267.74) and MRD-E018 1st Edition (€75.92). 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 €11.89. Our monthly prices for it go back to July 2026. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €21.57 in July 2026, 45% above today. Of the 4 printings of Black Skull Dragon we track, this one ranks 4th by ungraded value. The most valuable is Metal Raiders MRD-018 1st Edition at €267.74. 1st Edition copies sell for about 6.4× the Unlimited printing (€75.92 against €11.89).

Investment potential

In its favour: a price well below its July 2026 peak, which some collectors see as room to recover; it comes from the first years of the English game, which are no longer printed; lasting fame from the anime or the competitive game. Against it: thin trading, so selling quickly can mean accepting a lower price. Card prices can fall as well as rise, so this is not financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €11.89 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less. Ask the seller to show the code MRD-E018, the missing "1st Edition" text and the Ultra 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.