The Flute of Summoning Dragon #SDK-E039

The Flute of Summoning Dragon #SDK-E039 collector guide

About The Flute of Summoning Dragon

The Flute of Summoning Dragon is a Normal Spell Card, printed as SDK-E039 in Starter Deck: Kaiba (2002) as a Super Rare. 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 44th of the 110 Starter Deck: Kaiba cards we track. The top card is Blue-Eyes White Dragon at €300.65.

Character and collecting appeal

Its effect centres on Special Summoning. Its text names Lord of D., so collectors often look for them together.

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 SDK-E039. The E in SDK-E039 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 Super Rare version. Super Rares have holographic artwork and a plain name. Starter Deck: Kaiba has 3 other printings of The Flute of Summoning Dragon: SDK-042 (€1.12), SDK-042 1st Edition (€10.03) and SDK-E039 1st Edition (€2.99). 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 €1.91. Our monthly prices for it go back to March 2022. Over the last 12 months ungraded copies are up 9%, and flat in the last month. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €4.46 in March 2022, 57% above today. Of the 6 printings of The Flute of Summoning Dragon we track, this one ranks 4th by ungraded value. The most valuable is Starter Deck: Kaiba SDK-042 1st Edition at €10.03. 1st Edition copies sell for about 1.6× the Unlimited printing (€2.99 against €1.91).

Investment potential

In its favour: a price well below its March 2022 peak, which some collectors see as room to recover; it comes from the first years of the English game, which are no longer printed; it is the original printing, which reprints rarely replace for collectors; an active market (27 recent completed sales), so it is easy to sell. Card prices can fall as well as rise, so this is not financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €1.91 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less. Ask the seller to show the code SDK-E039, 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.