In the relatively short history of the ONE PIECE Card Game, many of the rarest and most expensive cards have been solely issued as prizes for winning or placing well in a tournament. This approach of distributing them as tournament prize cards not only creates scarcity and thus drives up the cards’ value—it also gives the cards a sense of prestige.

When only the best players are able to be the original owners of such cards, the cards gain something of an “aura”. It’s as though the cards are symbolic of their owners’ excellence at the game—making those cards truly “earned, not bought”.

Without further ado, here are six of the rarest and most expensive ONE PIECE Card Game cards which have been issued as tournament prizes:

Serial Number Luffy (US$4,500+)

How could we begin with anything else other than the Holy Grail of the ONE PIECE Card Game? It’s not just about the fact that Serial Number Luffy is only obtainable by finishing in the top eight of a Regional or Treasure Cup. Nor is it about this being a mega-rare version of the series’ iconic protagonist. Or how about the number “700”—as in the number of Serial Number Luffy cards which have ever been released? No—it’s all three put together.

All 700 Serial Number Luffy cards, as one might guess, come with a unique serial number. Certain serial numbers sell for higher prices than do others. So, while many of these cards might go for US$4,500 or so, don’t be surprise to see one selling for twice that—or maybe even more!

Regional Whitebeard (~US$1,000)

This alternate art version of a card that was originally part of the Paramount War [OP-02] expansion has a high value stemming from three sources: the fact that it’s awarded as a prize for those who place in the top 16 of the current regional season, the popularity of the character it depicts, and the card’s high level of viability within the metagame.

Although there isn’t much data on this card’s exact price range, it has been spotted in certain corners of the Internet at retail prices of around $1,000.

Treasure Cup Queen (US$1,800)

First released as part of the Animal Kingdom Pirates [ST-04] starter deck, this Queen card was already a significant part of the metagame even before this alternate art version was awarded as a tournament prize. In mid-2023, this card could be obtained by placing in the top 16 in Treasure Cup tournaments.

As a coveted tournament prize card which also happened to be an integral part of the metagame, the Treasure Cup Queen card understandably saw its value increase dramatically almost immediately after the first copies went up for sale.

Serial Number Shanks (US$3,000+)

This card, much like Serial Number Luffy, was only awarded to those finishing in the top eight of a Regional or Treasure Cup tournament. There are only 1,000 Serial Number Shanks cards; all are differentiated by their serial number.

Although the slightly larger quantity of the Serial Number Shanks card has thus far kept its value from rising to the heights of its Luffy counterpart, one must bear in mind that this card only hit the open market a few months ago and its value is still on the upswing. It’s possible that this card’s value may surpass Serial Number Luffy’s in due time.

Regional Sakazuki (US$850)

The second group of regional tournament prize cards awarded featured three of the series’ Admirals: Borsalino, Kuzan, and Sakazuki. Of the three cards, the Sakazuki card was the most prestigious, being awarded only to those who placed in the top 16.

The card depicting the leader of the Admirals features striking alternate art unavailable in any other iteration. When combined with its high level of gameplay viability, it’s no wonder that its price skyrocketed once it hit the open market.

Super Pre-Release Luffy (US$1,500)

To close things out, let’s go back to the beginning—and we mean ALL the way back to the beginning. We’re talking about the days when the ONE PIECE Card Game hadn’t yet even been officially released in the West.

At that point, selected local game stores would organize “pre-release” tournaments in which players would use a randomly selected predetermined starter deck. Tournament winners would be awarded the Super Pre-Release Luffy card.

Since the ONE PIECE Card Game was so new in Japan and not even out elsewhere back then, it wasn’t easy to ascertain this card’s value at the time. However, the card was never again released; thus, because of its exclusivity, its value soared. With less than 3,000 of these cards in existence, one can go for around US$1,500.

And that concludes this list of six super-rare, super-expensive ONE PIECE Card Game cards that were only issued to the most skilled of players.

Of course, by now many copies of these cards are up for sale. Now, anyone who’s willing to shell out the money can feel like a champ themselves.

Wondering where to purchase these (or any other) ONE PIECE Card Game cards? Look no further than the SNKRDUNK App. Click on the banner below to browse our ONE PIECE Card Game and other TCG cards and boxes.

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