Yu-Gi-Oh! Rarity Guide: Common to Quarter Century Secret Rare
How to tell Yu-Gi-Oh! card rarities apart: common, rare, super, ultra, secret, ultimate, ghost, starlight and quarter century secret rare, with value tips.
By Ayoub Farid · · 2 min read
Yu-Gi-Oh! cards don't print a rarity symbol. Instead, rarity is shown by foil on the card name and artwork. Once you know the patterns, you can sort a binder in minutes.
Rarities at a glance
| Rarity | Card name | Artwork |
|---|---|---|
| Common | Plain (black or white) | Not foil |
| Rare | Silver foil | Not foil |
| Super Rare | Plain | Foil |
| Ultra Rare | Gold foil | Foil |
| Secret Rare | Rainbow/silver foil | Diagonal sparkly foil |
| Ultimate Rare | Embossed gold-ish | Embossed, textured foil (art, frame edges) |
| Ghost Rare | Silver foil | Ghostly, washed-out holographic art |
| Starlight Rare | Rainbow foil | Whole card covered in a fine rainbow foil pattern |
| Quarter Century Secret Rare | Special foil | Distinct secret-rare-style foil with a 25th-anniversary design element |
| Collector's Rare | Special foil | Textured, colorful foil |
There are also other special finishes over the years (Platinum, Gold Rare, Prismatic Secret, Starfoil, Mosaic, Shatterfoil and more), mostly in special products.
Tips for telling them apart
- Tilt the card under a light. Foil shows where the shine is.
- Feel the card: Ultimate Rares and some special rarities are textured.
- Look at the art: Ghost Rares have a ghostly, pale holo artwork that looks unlike any other rarity.
- Check the set: some rarities only exist in certain sets or products.
Which rarities are valuable?
- Ghost, Starlight and Quarter Century Secret rares are the modern chase rarities.
- Ultimate Rares from older sets are collectible.
- Secret Rares of popular or competitive cards often sell well.
- Ultra Rares of iconic monsters from early sets in 1st Edition can be valuable.
- Commons and rares are usually bulk, with exceptions for competitive staples.
Edition matters too
The same rarity is worth more in 1st Edition than Unlimited for most older sets (1st Edition Yu-Gi-Oh!). Limited Edition cards come from tins and promotional products.
Scanning tips for foils
Rarity is visual, so photograph cards in soft light and at a slight angle. Check that a scanner's result shows the correct rarity, since the same card name and set code can exist in several rarities. See Yu-Gi-Oh! card scanner.
Try it on your own cards
Sort your cards by foil first, then scan the foils with Rarefolio to identify the card and see its estimated market value. Next, check Yu-Gi-Oh! cards worth money for the categories collectors want most.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know what rarity my Yu-Gi-Oh! card is?
Look at the foil: silver name means Rare, foil art means Super Rare, gold name with foil art means Ultra Rare, and sparkly diagonal foil means Secret Rare.
What is the rarest Yu-Gi-Oh! rarity?
Among regular releases, Ghost Rares, Starlight Rares and Quarter Century Secret Rares are the hardest to pull.
What does a Starlight Rare look like?
The whole card, including the frame, is covered in a fine rainbow foil pattern.
Are Secret Rares worth money?
Often, especially for popular or competitive cards, but values vary widely by card.