Mystic Clown [1st Edition] #SDY-019

Mystic Clown [1st Edition] #SDY-019 collector guide

About Mystic Clown

Mystic Clown is a Normal Monster, with flavour text instead of an effect, printed as SDY-019 in Starter Deck: Yugi (2002) as a Common. It is a Level 4 DARK Fiend monster with 1,500 ATK and 1,000 DEF. 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 74th of the 162 Starter Deck: Yugi cards we track. The top card is Castle Walls at €356.09.

Character and collecting appeal

Fiends are one of the largest Types in the game, home to many of its darker and more unusual designs. Normal Monsters like this one are mostly collected for their art and to complete the set.

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-019. The code SDY-019, without a language letter, marks the original North American printing. European English copies have an E in the code, such as SDY-E019, 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 Mystic Clown: SDY-019 (€0.45), SDY-E017 (€1.59) and SDY-E017 1st Edition. Each has its own price, so match the code, edition and rarity exactly. It was also printed in Starter Deck: Kaiba, which we track separately.

Price history

Today an ungraded copy of this printing sells for about €2.23, a PSA 9 for €10.68 and a PSA 10 for €63.72. Our monthly prices for it go back to October 2021. Over the last 12 months ungraded copies are up 47%, and up 28% in the last month. Its highest monthly ungraded value was €2.84 in June 2023, 21% above today. PSA 10 copies have moved down 11% over the same 12 months. Of the 5 printings of Mystic Clown we track, this is the most valuable ungraded. The cheapest is Starter Deck: Kaiba SDK-018 at €0.29. 1st Edition copies sell for about 5× the Unlimited printing (€2.23 against €0.45).

Grading and population

A PSA 10 sells for 28.6× the ungraded price and 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 47% in a year; it comes from the 1st Edition run of an early English set, which will never be printed again; it is the original printing, which reprints rarely replace for collectors; an active market (27 recent completed sales), so it is easy to sell. Treat this as background, not a prediction or financial advice.

Before you buy

Expect to pay around €2.23 for a clean ungraded copy; played copies sell for less, and a PSA 9 costs about €10.68. Ask the seller to show the code SDY-019, 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.