Ancient Telescope [1st Edition] #SDK-039

Ancient Telescope [1st Edition] #SDK-039 collector guide

About Ancient Telescope

Ancient Telescope is a Normal Spell Card, printed as SDK-039 in Starter Deck: Kaiba (2002) as a Common. Starter Deck: Kaiba was one of the two pre-built decks that launched the English game in 2002, built around Seto Kaiba and his Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Ungraded, this printing ranks 31st of the 110 Starter Deck: Kaiba cards we track. The top card is Blue-Eyes White Dragon at €300.65.

Character and collecting appeal

In play, it is a card for returning cards to the hand or Deck.

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 SDK-039. The code SDK-039, without a language letter, marks the original North American printing. European English copies have an E in the code, such as SDK-E039, and are priced separately. It is the Common version. Commons have a plain name and no foil. Starter Deck: Kaiba has one other printing of Ancient Telescope: SDK-039 (€0.40). 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 €2.67, a PSA 9 for €57.76 and a PSA 10 for €321.00. Our monthly prices for it go back to October 2021. Over the last 12 months ungraded copies are up 41%, and flat in the last month. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €3.10 in April 2022, 14% above today. PSA 10 copies have moved up 140% over the same 12 months. 1st Edition copies sell for about 6.7× the Unlimited printing (€2.67 against €0.40).

Grading and population

A PSA 10 sells for 120.2× the ungraded price and 5.6× 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: steady demand, with ungraded prices up 41% in a year; it comes from the 1st Edition run of an early English set, which will never be printed again; an active market (24 recent completed sales), so it is easy to sell. Past prices do not guarantee future ones. This is not financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €2.67 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less, and a PSA 9 costs about €57.76. Ask the seller to show the code SDK-039, the "1st Edition" text and the Common finish clearly in the photos, as listing titles often mix up printings. At this price fakes are worth checking for: genuine cards have a small holographic seal (the Eye of Anubis) in the bottom-right corner, and the font, colours and card back should match a copy you know is genuine. Look up the certificate number of any graded copy on the grading company's website. 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.