There are rare cards in every trading card game, but Yu-Gi-Oh! has one unique card called Tyler The Great Warrior that has just sold for over $311,000 via an eBay auction on April 29, 2023, making it the most expensive verified card purchase in the game’s history. The original owner of the card, Tyler Gressle, had previously been offered $75,000 for the card in 2015, but he chose at that time to keep it a while longer. The eBay auction received 179 bids before the winning sale of $311,211.
The Monster-type card, Tyler The Great Warrior, was always suspected to be among the most expensive Yu-Gi-Oh! cards, and now this auction has placed a more precise value on it, cementing its top spot.
Originally created in August 2005, it was designed as a Make-A-Wish Foundation promotional card that was given to Tyler Gressle while he battled a rare form of liver cancer. Thankfully, Tyler survived his battle with cancer and has now chosen to sell this one-of-a-kind card to better support his family.
Tyler Gressle’s Make-A-Wish Story Led To Record-Breaking Yu-Gi-Oh! Card Sale
According to YGOrganization, this Make-A-Wish promotional Yu-Gi-Oh! card was designed by allowing the young cancer patient, Gressle, to draw the card himself, with famed manga artist Kazuki Takahashi using that idea to make two pieces of concept artwork. Gressle then got to choose which of the two pieces he would like to see used for the card. The name for the card was supplied by Yu-Gi-Oh! as a special surprise for Gressle, and the card was personally signed by Takahashi. The three original sketches are still owned and treasured by Gressle, who has noted in the past that his special Yu-Gi-Oh! card was also inspired by his love of the Dragon Ball franchise.
Yu-Gi-Oh! has several one-of-a-kind cards that have been released since the very beginning of the game’s creation. Often these unique cards were awarded to winners at prominent Yu-Gi-Oh! tournaments and never meant for public release, such as the Tournament Edition Black Luster Soldier which reportedly sold for an unverified amount over $2 million at auction. The card Tyler The Great Warrior is a special situation, as it is the only time that Make-A-Wish and Yu-Gi-Oh! worked together to create a card specifically designed for one person and based on that child’s own artwork.
Gressle is giving a portion of the proceeds of the sale to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and says he wants to use the rest to support his family and travel. This unique signed card sold on eBay for over $311,000 and is likely to continue to increase in value. Many cards in Yu-Gi-Oh!‘s history are rare and valuable, but this Make-A-Wish Foundation collaboration also has a sweet story to go with it and one that thankfully has a happy ending as Gressle is now cancer-free.
Source: Jake Lucky/Twitter, YGOrganization, Cimoooooooo/YouTube
