Blue-Eyes White Dragon [1st Edition] #SDK-001

Blue-Eyes White Dragon [1st Edition] #SDK-001 collector guide

About Blue-Eyes White Dragon

Blue-Eyes White Dragon is a Normal Monster, with flavour text instead of an effect, printed as SDK-001 in Starter Deck: Kaiba (2002) as an Ultra Rare. It is a Level 8 LIGHT Dragon monster with 3,000 ATK and 2,500 DEF. At its Level it needs two Tributes to Normal Summon. No monster in Starter Deck: Kaiba has more ATK. 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. This printing is the most valuable ungraded card of the 110 Starter Deck: Kaiba cards we track.

Character and collecting appeal

Blue-Eyes White Dragon is Seto Kaiba's signature monster in the anime, where he tears up a copy so that fewer exist. With 3000 ATK it was the strongest Normal Monster of the early game, and it is still the card most people picture when they think of Yu-Gi-Oh!. As a Normal Monster it is collected for its artwork and its spot in the set rather than for play. Bingo Machine, Go!!!, Blue-Eyes Abyss Dragon, Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon and Blue-Eyes Jet Dragon mention Blue-Eyes White Dragon in their text, among other cards, which keeps it relevant.

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-001. The code SDK-001, without a language letter, marks the original North American printing. European English copies have an E in the code, such as SDK-E001, and are priced separately. It is the Ultra Rare version. Ultra Rares have a gold-foil name and holographic artwork. Starter Deck: Kaiba has 4 other printings of Blue-Eyes White Dragon: SDK-001 (€19.19), SDK-001 Misprint (€126.78), SDK-E001 (€17.99) and SDK-E001 1st Edition (€75.57). Each has its own price, so match the code, edition and rarity exactly. It was also printed in Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon and Quarter Century Bonanza, which we track separately.

Price history

Today an ungraded copy of this printing sells for about €309.93, a PSA 9 for €3,450 and a PSA 10 for €35,294. Our monthly prices for it go back to October 2021. Over the last 12 months ungraded copies are up 23%, and up 14% in the last month. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €432.68 in October 2021, 28% above today. PSA 10 copies have moved up 319% over the same 12 months. Of the 11 printings of Blue-Eyes White Dragon we track, this one ranks 3rd by ungraded value. The most valuable is Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon LOB-001 1st Edition at €968.32. 1st Edition copies sell for about 16.2× the Unlimited printing (€309.93 against €19.19).

Grading and population

A PSA 10 sells for 113.9× the ungraded price and 10.2× 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: steady demand, with ungraded prices up 23% in a year; it comes from the 1st Edition run of an early English set, which will never be printed again; lasting fame from the anime or the competitive game; an active market (300 recent completed sales), so it is easy to sell. Against it: reprints in 2 other sets, which keep playable copies easy to find. Treat this as background, not a prediction or financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €309.93 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less, and a PSA 9 costs about €3,450. Ask the seller to show the code SDK-001, the "1st Edition" text and the Ultra Rare 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.