The cards in any TCG franchise aren’t just for gameplay and collection—in some cases they can be used as money-making tools. Just like with stocks, “buying the dip” and selling cards after a price hike can be a very profitable venture—especially when not just one, but dozens or even hundreds of cards are involved.

Let’s now take a look at the Yu-Gi-Oh TCG and which cards have seen their value climb rapidly as of late, then get into the details why they’ve done so.

Raviel, Lord of Phantasms [SOI-JP003] (PSA 10 Price: ~US$618)

This card dates all the way back to 2005 when it was released as part of the Shadow of Infinity set. While its Ultimate Rare version has always been regarded as among its set’s most prized pulls, the cover card of Shadow of Infinity has recently seen a significant uptick in value.

It’s more than likely that this card’s recent price hike has primarily been driven by interest from the international Yu-Gi-Oh fanbase rather than that of Japan. This is because just last year, a new Raviel, Lord of Phantasms card was released as a Secret Rare in the Speed Duel GX: Duelists of Shadows set—a set that was only ever released outside the Asia-Pacific region. However, the hype surrounding the card spread beyond borders, ultimately jacking its value way up.

Owing to the recent surge in buzz surrounding this card, don’t be surprised if a first Japanese version of Raviel, Lord of Phantasms since 2020 arrives soon.

Bottomless Trap Hole [TDS2-JP029] (PSA 10 Price: ~US$66)

A card that’s seen countless reprints since its 2001 debut in Series 2 Core Booster Mythological Age, the most recent iteration of Bottomless Trap Hole came as part of the Forest of the Traptrix Structure Deck.

Earlier this year, that Structure Deck was re-released in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Yu-Gi-Oh TCG. When included as part of the Legend of Duelist Quarter Century Edition version of the Structure Deck, this card came in the rarity of Ultra Rare—the first Bottomless Trap Hole card to be an Ultra Rare since 2013. Thus, it’s little surprise that demand for this card has recently been on the upswing.

Interestingly, the Gold Secret Rare version of this card from 2016’s Gold Pack 2016 hasn’t received a similar price hike. This could be due to the fact that Gold Pack 2016 was never released outside Japan—perhaps reducing the set’s and thus the card’s ability to appeal to the Yu-Gi-Oh fanbase in general.

Trident Dragion [RGBT-JP043] (PSA 10 Price: ~US$80)

Although this card was reprinted fairly recently as part of Tournament Pack 2024 Vol.1 in January 2024, that card wasn’t as sought-after as the version we’re talking about here because the newer card is a Common. On the other hand, the Trident Dragion card from 2009 set Raging Battle, a Series 6 Core Booster, comes in Ultimate Rare and has recently seen a surge in its value.

Further adding to the demand for this card and hence the uptick in its price is the fact that outside Japan, South Korea, and China, it has been many years since this card’s most recent release. The most recent Trident Dragion card release outside those countries took place in 2014 as part of the Legendary Collection 5D’s Mega Pack—except in the case of Asia-Pacific other than the countries mentioned, where the wait has been even longer. There, this Raging Battle card is the only one to have ever been launched.

In addition to its high rarity and extensive lack of distribution outside East Asia, another factor adding to the appeal of this card is its inherent status as a pop culture reference. The three-headed Trident Dragion is a reference to King Ghidorah, the kaiju best known as Godzilla’s greatest rival.

Chaos Sorcerer [GS03-JP005] (PSA 10 Price: ~US$38)

A Gold Rare card that came as part of the 2011 Gold Series set, the Chaos Sorcerer card is one which is well-known to avid Yu-Gi-Oh TCG collectors and players alike. In fact, there are close ties regarding its status among both groups—and this has helped make it a much-coveted card today.

First printed in 2003’s Controller of Chaos set, Chaos Sorcerer’s tournament legality was notorious for wavering over the years. Between 2003 and 2015, there were different points at which this card was completely legal, partially or fully limited, or even outright banned—and this has contributed to the “aura” that’s developed around it. It wasn’t until 2015 when this card was once again fully legalized that its tournament legality became and has since remained stable.

In addition, the Gold Series sets and their associated Gold Rares haven’t been brought back since the 2021 international release of Maximum Gold: El Dorado. Since Gold Rare cards have essentially been “retired”, the occasional price spike featuring cards bearing that rarity such as this Chaos Sorcerer card should be somewhat expected.

Judgment Dragon [QCCU-JP130] (PSA 10 Price: ~US$70)

Rounding things off is the newest card on this list—the Quarter Century Secret Rare version of the Judgment Dragon card. This card was distributed as part of Quarter Century Chronicle side:UNITY, a booster pack released in February 2024 in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Yu-Gi-Oh TCG.

This card was already one with a unique position within the Yu-Gi-Oh TCG’s history. The version of the card released as part of the 2009 set Turbo Pack: Booster One was an Ultimate Rare. However, this was no ordinary Ultimate Rare—it was the first time in Yu-Gi-Oh TCG that a card was exclusively released in Ultimate Rare form without any versions coming in lower rarities.

Following the release of Quarter Century Chronicle side:UNITY which has driven up prices for this card owing to a significant uptick in demand, it can be expected that some of the rarer versions of Judgment Dragon from past sets will soon experience the same. These include the Ultimate Rare version from Light of Destruction as well as the Gold Rare cards from Gold Series 2010 and The Gold Box.

Of course, the cards listed here represent just a snapshot in time of what’s had their prices climb recently. The list of cards that’ll have a spike in value will change from year to year, month to month, and sometimes even week to week. Nevertheless, by staying updated about Yu-Gi-Oh TCG price trends, anyone seeking to make money off their cards can be best positioned to do just that.

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