Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress #1 #MRD-E002

Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress #1 #MRD-E002 collector guide

About Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress #1

Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress #1 is a Normal Monster, with flavour text instead of an effect, printed as MRD-E002 in Metal Raiders (2002) as a Common. It is a Level 4 WIND Dragon monster with 1,400 ATK and 1,200 DEF. 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 295th 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. With no effect, its appeal is its artwork, its stats and its place in Metal Raiders. Arsenal Summoner mentions Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress #1 in its text, which keeps it relevant.

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-E002. The E in MRD-E002 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 Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress #1: MRD-002 (€0.62), MRD-002 1st Edition (€3.43) and MRD-E002 1st Edition. Each has its own price, so match the code, edition and rarity exactly. It was also printed in Starter Deck: Yugi, which we track separately.

Price history

Today an ungraded copy of this printing sells for about €1.66. Our monthly prices for it go back to May 2026. It is trading at or near its highest recorded value. Of the 6 printings of Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress #1 we track, this one ranks 4th by ungraded value. The most valuable is Starter Deck: Yugi SDY-003 1st Edition at €10.93.

Investment potential

In its favour: it comes from the first years of the English game, which are no longer printed. Against it: reprints in another set, which keep playable copies easy to find; thin trading, so selling quickly can mean accepting a lower price. Past prices do not guarantee future ones. This is not financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €1.66 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less. Ask the seller to show the code MRD-E002, the missing "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.