Heavy Storm #MRD-142

Heavy Storm #MRD-142 collector guide

About Heavy Storm

Heavy Storm is a Normal Spell Card, printed as MRD-142 in Metal Raiders (2002) as a Super Rare. 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 66th of the 508 Metal Raiders cards we track. The top card is Gate Guardian at €301.65.

Character and collecting appeal

Heavy Storm destroys every Spell and Trap on the field and spent years on the Forbidden list. Its effect centres on clearing the field.

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-142. The code MRD-142, without a language letter, marks the original North American printing. European English copies have an E in the code, such as MRD-E142, and are priced separately. It is the Super Rare version. Super Rares have holographic artwork and a plain name. Metal Raiders has 3 other printings of Heavy Storm: MRD-142 1st Edition (€72.37), MRD-E142 (€7.07) and MRD-E142 1st Edition (€20.37). Each has its own price, so match the code, edition and rarity exactly. It was also printed in Quarter Century Bonanza, which we track separately.

Price history

Today an ungraded copy of this printing sells for about €8.80, a PSA 9 for €25.62 and a PSA 10 for €120.37. Our monthly prices for it go back to September 2021. Over the last 12 months ungraded copies are up 35%, and up 2% in the last month. It is trading at or near its highest recorded value. PSA 10 copies have moved up 80% over the same 12 months. Of the 6 printings of Heavy Storm we track, this one ranks 5th by ungraded value. The most valuable is Quarter Century Bonanza RA03-EN092 Quarter Century Secret Rare at €107.10. 1st Edition copies sell for about 8.2× the Unlimited printing (€72.37 against €8.80).

Grading and population

A PSA 10 sells for 13.7× the ungraded price and 4.7× 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 35% in a year; it comes from the first years of the English game, which are no longer printed; lasting fame from the anime or the competitive game; it is the original printing, which reprints rarely replace for collectors; an active market (59 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 €8.80 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less, and a PSA 9 costs about €25.62. Ask the seller to show the code MRD-142, the missing "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.