Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon [1st Edition] #MRD-120

Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon [1st Edition] #MRD-120 collector guide

About Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon

Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon is a Fusion Monster, made from its Fusion Materials with a card such as Polymerization, printed as MRD-120 in Metal Raiders (2002) as a Super Rare. It is a Level 7 LIGHT Thunder monster with 2,800 ATK and 2,100 DEF. Its ATK is the 3rd 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 43rd of the 508 Metal Raiders cards we track. The top card is Gate Guardian at €301.65.

Character and collecting appeal

Thunder monsters are LIGHT-heavy and include the Thunder Dragon line. Its Fusion Materials include Thunder Dragon.

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-120. The code MRD-120, without a language letter, marks the original North American printing. European English copies have an E in the code, such as MRD-E120, 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 Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon: MRD-120 (€2.63), MRD-E120 (€2.68) and MRD-E120 1st Edition (€9.81). 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 €17.12, a PSA 9 for €78.94 and a PSA 10 for €286.30. Our monthly prices for it go back to September 2021. Over the last 12 months ungraded copies are down 1%, and down 23% in the last month. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €59.70 in September 2021, 71% above today. PSA 10 copies have moved up 98% over the same 12 months. Of the 4 printings of Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon we track, this is the most valuable ungraded. The cheapest is Metal Raiders MRD-120 at €2.63. 1st Edition copies sell for about 6.5× the Unlimited printing (€17.12 against €2.63).

Grading and population

A PSA 10 sells for 16.7× the ungraded price and 3.6× 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: a price well below its September 2021 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 €17.12 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less, and a PSA 9 costs about €78.94. Ask the seller to show the code MRD-120, the "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.