Curse of Dragon [1st Edition] #SDY-008

Curse of Dragon [1st Edition] #SDY-008 collector guide

About Curse of Dragon

Curse of Dragon is a Normal Monster, with flavour text instead of an effect, printed as SDY-008 in Starter Deck: Yugi (2002) as a Common. It is a Level 5 DARK Dragon monster with 2,000 ATK and 1,500 DEF. At its Level it needs one Tribute to Normal Summon. Its ATK is the 4th highest of the 29 monsters in the set. Starter Deck: Yugi was one of the two pre-built decks that launched the English game in 2002, built around the cards Yugi Muto plays in the anime, with Dark Magician at its centre. Ungraded, this printing ranks 22nd of the 162 Starter Deck: Yugi cards we track. The top card is Castle Walls at €356.09.

Character and collecting appeal

Curse of Dragon is one of Yugi's early dragons in the anime and the other half of the Gaia the Dragon Champion Fusion. As a Normal Monster it is collected for its artwork and its spot in the set rather than for play. Gaia the Dragon Champion mentions Curse of Dragon in its text, 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 SDY-008. The code SDY-008, without a language letter, marks the original North American printing. European English copies have an E in the code, such as SDY-E008, and are priced separately. It is the Common version. Commons have a plain name and no foil. Starter Deck: Yugi has 3 other printings of Curse of Dragon: SDY-008 (€0.93), SDY-E007 (€1.75) and SDY-E007 1st Edition (€3.92). Each has its own price, so match the code, edition and rarity exactly. It was also printed in Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon, which we track separately.

Price history

Today an ungraded copy of this printing sells for about €6.20, a PSA 9 for €33.46 and a PSA 10 for €71.33. Our monthly prices for it go back to October 2021. Over the last 12 months ungraded copies are up 27%, and down 9% in the last month. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €8.76 in January 2023, 29% above today. PSA 10 copies have moved up 43% over the same 12 months. Of the 8 printings of Curse of Dragon we track, this one ranks 3rd by ungraded value. The most valuable is Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon LOB-066 1st Edition at €51.00. 1st Edition copies sell for about 6.7× the Unlimited printing (€6.20 against €0.93).

Grading and population

A PSA 10 sells for 11.5× the ungraded price and 2.1× 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 27% 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 (39 recent completed sales), so it is easy to sell. Against it: reprints in another set, which keep playable copies easy to find. Card prices can fall as well as rise, so this is not financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €6.20 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less, and a PSA 9 costs about €33.46. Ask the seller to show the code SDY-008, the "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.