Crawling Dragon [1st Edition] #MRD-E012

Crawling Dragon [1st Edition] #MRD-E012 collector guide

About Crawling Dragon

Crawling Dragon is a Normal Monster, with flavour text instead of an effect, printed as MRD-E012 in Metal Raiders (2002) as a Common. It is a Level 5 EARTH Dragon monster with 1,600 ATK and 1,400 DEF. At its Level it needs one Tribute to Normal Summon. 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 221st of the 508 Metal Raiders cards we track. The top card is Gate Guardian at €301.65.

Character and collecting appeal

Dragons are the most collected monster Type in Yu-Gi-Oh!, largely thanks to Blue-Eyes and Red-Eyes. As a Normal Monster it is collected for its artwork and its spot in the set rather than for play.

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 MRD-E012. The E in MRD-E012 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 Common version. Commons have a plain name and no foil. Metal Raiders has 3 other printings of Crawling Dragon: MRD-012 (€0.22), MRD-012 1st Edition (€2.11) and MRD-E012 (€1.77). 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 €2.26, a PSA 9 for €11.25 and a PSA 10 for €141.69. Our monthly prices for it go back to May 2026. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €2.96 in May 2026, 24% above today. Of the 4 printings of Crawling Dragon we track, this is the most valuable ungraded. The cheapest is Metal Raiders MRD-012 at €0.22. 1st Edition copies sell for about 1.3× the Unlimited printing (€2.26 against €1.77).

Grading and population

A PSA 10 sells for 62.7× the ungraded price and 12.6× 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: it comes from the 1st Edition run of an early English set, which will never be printed again. Against it: thin trading, so selling quickly can mean accepting a lower price. Treat this as background, not a prediction or financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €2.26 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less, and a PSA 9 costs about €11.25. Ask the seller to show the code MRD-E012, the "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.