2002 Yu-Gi-Oh! LOB 1st Edition Blue-Eyes White Dragon Value & Price Guide

Seto Kaiba ripped the fourth Blue-Eyes White Dragon in half during the first episode of the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime. It was a power move meant to establish the character as the series' primary rival. But for a generation of kids watching that scene in the early 2000s, it sparked an obsession. They wanted that card. The real one.

The Blue-Eyes White Dragon from Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon (LOB-001) became the chase card of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game's first English-language booster set. Released in March 2002 by Upper Deck (under license from Konami), the 1st Edition LOB set was the foundation of competitive Yu-Gi-Oh! in North America. And the Ultra Rare Blue-Eyes White Dragon was the crown jewel.

Quick Value Summary

Item: Blue-Eyes White Dragon (LOB-001, 1st Edition, Ultra Rare)
Year: 2002
Set: Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon (LOB)
Publisher: Upper Deck / Konami
Category: Trading Cards
Condition Range:
  Played/Damaged: $200 - $400
  Lightly Played: $400 - $700
  Near Mint (ungraded): $800 - $2,000
  PSA/CGC 7: $800 - $1,200
  PSA/CGC 8: $1,200 - $2,000
  PSA/CGC 9: $2,500 - $5,000
  PSA 10 (Gem Mint): $8,000 - $15,000+
Record Sale: ~$55,000 (PSA 10, 2022 peak market)
Rarity: Rare (Ultra Rare pull rate from 1st Edition packs)

The Story

Yu-Gi-Oh! started as a manga by Kazuki Takahashi in 1996. The card game within the story became so popular that Konami turned it into a real product, first in Japan in 1999 and then in North America in 2002. The Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon set (named after the anime's most famous monster) was the first English-language booster set.

The 1st Edition print run was relatively small compared to the Unlimited run that followed. 1st Edition packs are identified by the gold "1st Edition" stamp on the cards and the gold eye logo on the pack wrappers. The set contained 126 cards, with Blue-Eyes White Dragon as card LOB-001, the set's headline Ultra Rare.

Pull rates for Ultra Rares in LOB were roughly 1 in 12 packs, and there were multiple Ultra Rares in the set, so pulling a specific one like Blue-Eyes required opening many packs. Most kids who pulled one played with it, shuffled it into decks without sleeves, and bent the corners. Finding one today in genuinely mint condition is harder than the raw numbers suggest.

The card's value trajectory mirrors the broader trading card boom. Prices were modest through the 2000s and 2010s, sitting around $100-$300 for raw Near Mint copies. Then the pandemic-era collectibles explosion hit. By 2021-2022, PSA 10 copies were selling for $30,000-$55,000. The market has since corrected significantly, but the card remains one of the most valuable in the Yu-Gi-Oh! universe.

How to Identify It

1st Edition vs. Unlimited:

• 1st Edition: Gold "1st Edition" text stamp below the card image, left side. This is the money version.

• Unlimited: No "1st Edition" stamp. Significantly less valuable (roughly 70-80% less).

Card details:

• Card number: LOB-001

• Rarity: Ultra Rare (gold card name text, holographic foil image)

• Set symbol: The LOB set symbol appears to the right of the card image

• Attribute: LIGHT

• Type: Dragon

• ATK/DEF: 3000/2500

• Text: "This legendary dragon is a powerful engine of destruction..."

Regional variants:

• LOB-001: North American English print

• LOB-E001: European English print (less valuable)

• LOB-A001: Asian English print The North American LOB-001 is the most valuable English printing.

Common confusions:

• Starter Deck Kaiba (SDK): Contains a Blue-Eyes White Dragon but it's a different card number and not holographic. Worth much less.

• Later reprints: Blue-Eyes has been reprinted in dozens of sets. Only LOB-001 1st Edition commands premium prices.

• Fake cards: The holographic pattern should shift when tilted. Fakes often have a flat, non-shifting hologram.

Value by Condition

Played/Damaged: $200 - $400 Visible wear, edge whitening, surface scratches, possibly creased. Many LOB Blue-Eyes cards were played in decks without sleeves throughout the 2000s. A heavily played 1st Edition still has value based on the card's identity alone.

Lightly Played: $400 - $700 Minor edge wear, slight surface marks visible at angles. No creasing. Still presentable. Most ungraded copies that sellers describe as "Near Mint" fall closer to this range upon inspection.

Near Mint (ungraded): $800 - $2,000 Clean surfaces, sharp corners, no visible wear without magnification. Recent 2026 eBay sales for raw NM copies: $549-$1,828 (wide range reflects condition variance in ungraded cards). A TCGPlayer sale in February 2026 closed at $4,000 for an exceptional raw copy.

PSA/CGC 7 (Near Mint): $800 - $1,200 Slight imperfections visible under magnification. A CGC 8.5 sold for $1,025 in January 2026.

PSA/CGC 8 (Near Mint-Mint): $1,200 - $2,000 Minimal flaws. Sharp appearance. Clean centering.

PSA/CGC 9 (Mint): $2,500 - $5,000 Excellent centering, clean surfaces, sharp corners. Only the most minor imperfections allowed.

PSA 10 (Gem Mint): $8,000 - $15,000+ Virtually perfect. Population at PSA 10 is relatively low. Peak values hit $55,000 in 2022 but have corrected substantially. Current market appears to be stabilizing in the $8,000-$15,000 range for confirmed PSA 10 sales.

The market correction from the 2021-2022 peaks has been significant (60-70% decline from highs in some grades), but prices appear to have found a floor. Yu-Gi-Oh! continues to be actively played competitively, and nostalgia demand from the 2000s generation shows no signs of fading.

Known Variations

LOB-001 vs. LOB-A001 vs. LOB-E001: The North American print (LOB-001) is most valuable. Asian English (LOB-A001) and European English (LOB-E001) prints are worth 30-50% less in equivalent condition.

Wavy vs. non-wavy holographic: Some early printings feature a distinctive "wavy" holographic pattern that differs from later runs. Collectors debate whether this indicates a true first printing within the 1st Edition run. Cards with the wavy holo may command a modest premium.

Centering variations: Centering quality varies significantly across the LOB print run. Well-centered copies grade higher and are worth more. Off-center cards may be limited to PSA 8 or lower even if otherwise perfect.

Authentication and Fakes

Yu-Gi-Oh! fakes are widespread, especially for high-value cards like the 1st Edition Blue-Eyes.

How to spot fakes:

• The light test: Hold the card up to a light source. Genuine Konami cards have a specific opacity. Fakes are often too thin or too thick.

• Holographic quality: The Ultra Rare foil should shimmer and shift when tilted. Fakes often have flat, non-shifting, or overly sparkly holographic effects.

• Font consistency: The card text font should be crisp and consistent. Fakes often have slightly blurry text or wrong spacing.

• Card stock feel: Genuine Konami cards have a specific rigidity and texture. Fakes feel different.

• Set stamp detail: The "1st Edition" stamp should be cleanly printed in gold. Fakes sometimes have fuzzy or misaligned stamps.

Grading services:

• PSA: The market standard for Yu-Gi-Oh! grading. Standard service runs about $50-$150 per card depending on declared value.

• CGC: Increasingly accepted. Generally 10-15% lower market premium compared to PSA for equivalent grades.

• BGS (Beckett): Less common for Yu-Gi-Oh! but accepted by serious collectors.

For any card you believe to be worth $500+, professional grading is strongly recommended. The authentication alone is worth the cost.

Where to Sell

Online marketplaces:

• TCGPlayer: The specialty marketplace for trading cards. Lower fees than eBay for card sales. Active Yu-Gi-Oh! buyer base.

• eBay: Largest audience. Expect about 13% in fees. Best for graded cards where the slab photo provides buyer confidence.

Auction houses: Heritage Auctions handles high-value Yu-Gi-Oh! cards. Best for PSA 9+ copies where auction competition drives prices.

Local game stores: Convenient but expect 50-60% of market value. Most LGS operators know the card's value.

Grading costs: PSA standard: $50-$150 per card. For a card worth $1,000+, grading almost always adds value. Shipping graded cards: $10-$25 with insurance.

Not sure about the condition of yours? Upload a photo to Curio Comp for a quick AI estimate.

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