Dark Magician Card Collector's Guide: Printings, Alternate Arts and Value

The Dark Magician card is Yugi Muto's signature monster and, alongside Blue-Eyes White Dragon, one of the two most iconic cards in Yu-Gi-Oh!. A Level 7 DARK Spellcaster with 2500 ATK and 2100 DEF, it has been printed with more different artworks than almost any other card in the game, which makes it a rich card to collect. This guide covers the original printings, the alternate arts, Dark Magician Girl and how to buy and protect your copies.

Dark Magician card facts

Type	Normal Monster (Spellcaster)
Attribute	DARK
Level	7
ATK / DEF	2500 / 2100
First TCG set	Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon (2002)

The original printings

Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon (LOB-005)

Dark Magician's first North American printing was in Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon as an Ultra Rare at LOB-005. Like other early North American prints, the code has no language identifier. The 1st Edition LOB-005 is the classic vintage Dark Magician.

Starter Deck Yugi (SDY-006)

Starter Deck Yugi included Dark Magician as SDY-006. Starter deck copies were heavily played, so clean early copies are harder to find than you'd expect.

How to read codes and editions: 1st Edition vs. Unlimited explained.

Dark Magician's alternate artworks

Dark Magician has been printed with several different official artworks over the years, and collectors often refer to them by number, for example the "8th art." Each artwork is the same card for gameplay, but they're collected separately, and some arts are far scarcer than others. When buying, check the listing photos and the set code, since the code identifies which artwork a printing uses.

Collecting every Dark Magician artwork, ideally in its best rarity, is a popular long-term goal.

Dark Magician Girl

Dark Magician's apprentice is a collecting world of her own. Her first TCG printing was the Secret Rare MFC-000 in Magician's Force, a famous vintage card. Like Dark Magician, she has received multiple artworks and many premium reprints.

Modern Dark Magician cards

The Dark Magician family keeps growing with new support and reimagined versions. Dark Magician, the Pharaoh's Servant, revealed for Magnificent Monsters, is one recent example. See our Magnificent Monsters set guide. Premium printings in Quarter Century Secret Rare and Starlight Rare give modern collectors their own chase. See the Quarter Century Secret Rare guide.

What drives Dark Magician's value?

• Printing and artwork: original LOB and SDY copies, and scarcer artworks.
• Edition: 1st Edition copies of early printings.
• Rarity: premium versions like Quarter Century, Starlight and Ultimate Rare.
• Condition and grade: vintage copies in Near Mint are rare. See our card condition guide.

Buy the printing you love. Prices move with demand and reprints.

Building a Dark Magician collection

A focused Dark Magician collection usually grows in stages:

1. The originals: LOB-005 and SDY-006, in the best condition and edition you can afford.
2. Every artwork: one copy of each official Dark Magician art, so the whole history fits on one binder page.
3. Dark Magician Girl: starting with MFC-000, then her later artworks and premium reprints.
4. Premium modern printings: Quarter Century Secret Rare, Starlight and other high-end versions.
5. A graded centrepiece: one standout copy graded and displayed.

A nine-pocket binder with side-loading pages is ideal for an artwork collection. Keep valuable copies double-sleeved inside it.

Protecting and grading Dark Magician

Sleeve every copy you care about, double-sleeve the valuable ones and store them flat and dry. Vintage LOB, SDY and MFC copies in strong condition are prime grading candidates. See our Yu-Gi-Oh! grading guide. Watch for counterfeits too: Dark Magician is one of the most faked cards in the game. See how to spot fake Yu-Gi-Oh! cards.

Playing Dark Magician

Dark Magician has a long-standing archetype of support cards that search it, revive it and protect it, and the deck remains a fan favourite at locals. Use affordable printings to play and keep your collectible arts safe.

Frequently asked questions

What is the original Dark Magician card number?

LOB-005 in Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon, and SDY-006 in Starter Deck Yugi.

How many Dark Magician artworks are there?

Several official artworks have been printed over the years. Collectors usually number them by order of release.

What was Dark Magician Girl's first TCG printing?

MFC-000, a Secret Rare in Magician's Force.

What are Dark Magician's ATK and DEF?

2500 ATK and 2100 DEF.

Are all Dark Magician arts tournament legal?

Yes. Every official printing and artwork is the same card for gameplay.

Shop Dark Magician

Find Dark Magician printings, alternate arts and support cards in our Yu-Gi-Oh! singles. Every card is 100% authentic, shipped across Canada.