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Cherry’s Guide to Collecting YuGiOh Cards (2025)

For a beginner venturing into the world of Yu-Gi-Oh, starting a collection can pose many questions: What cards should I collect? What makes a good collection? What are all the different rarity types? How do I make sure a card is real? And where do I find cards at reasonable prices?

8 minute read

Charlie Oxley

8 minute read

February 12, 2025

For a beginner venturing into the world of YuGiOh, starting a collection can pose many questions: What cards should I collect? What makes a good collection? What are all the different rarity types? How do I make sure a card is real? And where do I find cards at reasonable prices?

With our 15+ years of experience, we’ll guide you through all the necessary steps to build your dream collection.

What is Yu-Gi-Oh?

YuGiOh is a TCG (trading card game) where players battle each other by using monster, trap, and spell cards with the goal of getting their opponent’s life points to zero.

YuGiOh originated as a manga series by Kazuki Takahashi in 1996, which was then adapted into the anime YuGiOh Duel Monsters, the show we all know and love. Partly thanks to this anime, YuGiOh is now one of the most successful trading card games (TCGs) in the world, with around 35 billion cards sold worldwide.

The History of Yu-Gi-Oh TCG

The first YuGiOh trading cards were not what you’d expect. It was released by Bandai in 1999, but there were no life points, cards had the game rules printed on them, and cardbacks had different text depending on their edition. Safe to say - this card game didn’t last very long.

However, In 1999, Konami released their own version of YuGiOh cards, featuring the vintage and iconic Legend of Blue-Eyes White Dragon booster pack, which would feature some of the most sought-after cards in YuGiOh history. Cards such as “LOB” Blue Eyes White Dragon, Red Eyes Black Dragon, Dark Magician and the Exodia pieces.

It took 3 years later, in 2002, for the game to finally come to the west. This was after the breakout anime “YuGiOh Duel Monsters,” which was released in 2000 and helped soar the game to popularity.

Why Are Yu-Gi-Oh Cards Still So Popular in 2025?

Many people were expecting YuGiOh to phase out as the younger generation became older and lost interest in the game, but that wasn’t the case. In fact, YuGiOh is more popular than ever.

Thanks to adaptations such as Master Duel and the evolution of the game itself, many new fans are coming in, and old fans are coming back.

The game is now quite different from when it started, with many new cards, archetypes, rules, and mechanics added.

This keeps the game fresh and exciting and helps make YuGiOh still so popular in 2025.

How To Start Collecting Yu-Gi-Oh Cards

There are multiple ways to start collecting YuGiOh cards: Starter decks, booster boxes, booster packs, and singles.

The one you should buy depends on what type of collector you are:

Casual collector
Competitive player
Investor

Do you just want to collect for fun? Are you trying to build the ultimate deck to demolish your opponents? Or are you interested in investing in cards to make a profit?

What YuGiOh Cards Should I Collect?

Casual Collector: Just buy whatever looks cool. It's as simple as that. A collection doesn’t need to be expensive. We recommend starting with a structure deck and expanding your collection through booster packs and singles.

Competitive Player: Research the meta and decide which deck you want to go for. The meta is constantly evolving; the best way to keep track of it is through tournament results, YouTube channels, and online guides. Getting singles is the best way to build your competitive deck.

Investor: Consider getting graded cards to preserve value (the image below shows some examples). You can also monitor market trends through sites like eBay, TCGPlayer, and StockX. Focusing on rare, vintage cards, such as LOB Blue Eyes (1st edition), is a safe investment as they will always be in demand.

If you’re new to YuGiOh, you should also familiarise yourself with the types of cards and rarities.

Monster cards
Spell cards
Trap cards

Each type of card has its own unique categories. For example, monster cards have XYZ, synchro, pendulum, and fusion monsters, and spell cards have field, ritual, and equip.

The rules of YuGiOh can be found online, so we won’t cover them here, but we recommend you familiarise yourself with them before you begin collecting.

List of YuGiOh Card Rarities

Understanding rarities is very important to YuGiOh card collecting as it is one of many factors that can influence a card’s value.

There are 8 main rarity types:

Common
Rare
Super Rare
Ultra Rare
Ultimate Rare
Secret Rare
Starlight Rare
Ghost Rare

Each YuGiOh booster pack contains 7 commons, a rare, and a foil (super rare or higher). Note that older booster packs (pre-2016) don’t guarantee the foil. The rarer a card, the more valuable it tends to be - however, this is only one factor.

Factors that Determine a Card’s Value

Rarity
Utility value (how valuable a card is in the current meta)
Demand and availability
Edition: Cards marked with “1st edition” are more valuable due to scarcity
The card’s condition

When collecting, keep these things in mind, not just the rarity.

What to Consider When Buying Yu-Gi-Oh Cards

Singles vs. Booster Packs

Booster packs are a great way to expand your collection. They are perfect for those who enjoy the thrill of opening packs. The downside is that they are less efficient for targeting specific cards, and you may not get the cards you want.

Meanwhile, buying singles allows you to get the card you want without the randomness of booster packs. Buying singles is usually more cost-effective than booster packs if you're on a budget.

Where You Buy Them From

The best places to buy YuGiOh cards are local game shops or trusted retailers such as Cherry Collectables. This way, you can guarantee that the cards you buy are genuine.

Be cautious of unverified sellers from sites like eBay, GumTree, and Craigslist. If you’re purchasing from sites like these, aim to purchase from reputable profiles that have a large number of reviews, follows & sales.

Booster packs and decks are easy to find, but singles are trickier. If a newer single is relevant in the meta, then those can be found from numerous sellers. However, if you’re looking for a first-edition vintage card, those might be difficult to find in Australia. Cherry Collectables keeps some rare singles in stock, which you can browse here.

Real vs. Fake

Genuine YuGiOh cards are produced by Konami, the official publisher and distributor. The easiest way to tell if a card is fake is to look at its back and compare it to a real card. The print quality on the back is very consistent, making fakes stand out.

Other ways to tell if it’s a fake are incorrect text (e.g., using lowercase instead of uppercase like below from japan-figure.com), poor print quality, and inaccurate font. If a price seems too good to be true, the card is almost certainly a fake.

Graded vs. Non-Graded

Graded cards are the pinnacle of YuGiOh card collecting. A professional grading from a company like PSA or Beckett will give it a score of 1-10 by analyzing the card under a microscope. The cards will then be sealed in a protective slab that protects the card for life.

If you’re an investor or chasing a card in pristine condition, graded cards, especially those rated 9 or 10, are perfect for you.

Meanwhile, non-graded cards are cheaper and better for casual collectors or players who are not focused on investment. Once a card is graded, you won’t be able to play it in a deck anymore.

What to Consider When Selling Yu-Gi-Oh Cards

Selling YuGiOh cards is a great way to make money and clear out your collection for newer cards. Here’s what you need to know before selling:

Where to Sell Them

Online marketplaces like eBay and Facebook Marketplace offer a large audience interested in YuGiOh. However, be cautious of scammers, especially when dealing with an unreputable buyer.

Cherry Collectables will also buy your YuGiOh cards for 60-120% of their most recent eBay sales. Simply send an offer here.

What Price Should You Sell Them At

YuGiOh card prices fluctuate constantly, so the best way to reasonably price your cards is to check eBay’s “sold” listings. Check for rarity, condition, edition (first edition or unlimited), and whether the cards are graded.

Also, account for platform fees (eBay charges 10-12% fees) + shipping.

Should You Hold or Sell

If you have vintage 1st edition cards, we recommend holding them. Those will always be in demand and will likely appreciate in value.

If you have a newer card, then you have two options:

A) Hold them for the long term. We’re talking about 10+ years here.

B) Sell them

Most newer cards will not yield a profit in the short term. Why? Because YuGiOh is essentially an adult’s game with many investors. Everybody is holding onto new collector cards nowadays, and getting a PSA 9 or 10 from them is very easy. Meanwhile, finding a PSA 10 of older or vintage cards is almost impossible.

For this reason, if you can profit by selling a newer card, we recommend doing so.

Disclaimer: Investing is all speculative, and no one can predict the future.

How to Add Value To Your YuGiOh Cards

You can add value to your cards by:

1. Grading them

2. Keeping your cards in excellent condition (use sleeves and top loaders)

So Is Yu-Gi-Oh Worth Collecting?

Absolutely! YuGiOh has investment potential, making it suitable for those with an investor’s mindset.

On top of that, collecting YuGiOh cards is a fun and rewarding hobby, especially for those who grew up on the franchise. Nothing feels better than going on a trip down memory lane or seeing how your beloved card game has evolved over the years!