DALLAS, TX.- Yu-Gi-Oh! holds the world record for the best-selling trading card game of all time, and the artwork that has been part of the game since its inception nearly three decades ago has enormous appeal to those who played the game and to collectors of anime art.

Now bidders who take part in Heritage’s June 27-28 Trading Card Games SignatureŽ Auction will have an opportunity to land a piece of artwork by Kazuki Takahashi, the manga artist known best as the creator of Yu-Gi-Oh!, which was published from 1996-2004 in Weekly Shōnen Jump, the popular Japanese magazine. The Kazuki Takahashi Yu-Gi-Oh! Seto Kaiba Signed Shikishi Original Art (2000) PSA/DNA Authentic that is in play in this auction is a one-of-a-kind piece of art portraying Seto Kaiba, one of the main characters of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters anime series.

“Kazuki Takahashi, who died in 2022, was a giant in the trading card game community because of his role creating Yu-Gi-Oh!, but his legacy goes far beyond the game and his artwork,” says Jesus Garcia, Trading Card Games Consignment Director at Heritage Auctions. “He died off the coast of Okinawa as he was trying to help save three people who were caught in a rip current. He was a brilliant artist whose legacy is about so much more than his artwork and the games in which it was featured. He was loved by many, and tragically passed away a hero.”

One of the only PSA/DNA-authenticated boards, this extraordinary work of art comes from a consignor who was a former employee of Konami, which created the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise that also included an anime series, video games and more.

Also among the highlights in the auction is a Pokémon Skyridge Sealed Booster Box (Wizards of the Coast, 2003). Skyridge is among the most popular and sought-after sealed booster boxes for the game. It not only was the final Pokémon set printed by Wizards of the Coast, but it also is one of the rarest, claiming a spot on many collectors’ must-have lists. The set includes four highly coveted Crystal-type cards, featuring arguably the most popular character in the franchise: Charizard.

“This is the first Skyridge booster box that has come up for public auction in years,” says Garcia. “There are more than 100 Pokémon sets that have been printed, and this is among the most popular among collectors.”

One lot that always generates immediate demand in a top trading card games auction is the Magic: The Gathering Black Lotus card — seven of which can be found in this exceptional auction. Tops among them is a Magic: The Gathering Black Lotus Limited Edition (Alpha) CGC Trading Card Game NM/Mint+ 8.5 (Wizards of the Coast, 1993) Rarefrom the Christine Farrell Collection. Wizards of the Coast released the Alpha Edition in August 1993 in a move so popular that the Beta Edition was printed just two months later. With a print run of 1,100 copies, this card is scarce in any condition. CGC has certified just five copies earning a NM/Mint+ 8.5 grade with only 16 graded higher.

A Pokémon 2010 World Championships No. 1 Trainer Trophy Card Trading Card Game (The Pokémon Company, 2010) Junior Division is one of the most sought-after and prestigious cards in the entire Pokémongame. This card was awarded to Yuka Furusawa, who won first place in the Junior Division at the 2010 Pokémon World Championships, and is one of only three in existence to feature this exact half-art design. These exclusive trophy cards were awarded annually from 2004-13. Only three given out each year (except in 2013, when six were issued), making them incredibly rare and highly coveted. Furusawa is the consignor of this card, and the accompanying Tropical Tidal Wave placement cards verify its origin and legacy.

A Pokémon Pikachu Magic: The Gathering Stock Independent Troops Test Proof PSA Authentic (Wizards of the Coast, 1999) brings together two of the most popular of all trading card games. Before the release of the Base Set, Wizards of the Coast needed to be sure that the Pokémoncards it intended to print were perfect, a process that included a series of test proofs, some of which were cards, including the one offered in this auction, with Pokémon fronts and Magic: The Gathering backs. This card appears to be a normal copy of Independent Troops from the Magic: The Gathering set Portal Three Kingdoms, but the back features a wild Pikachu. It appears that the front of Pikachu 58 from the Base Set has been printed on the back of this card, with the text and shadows missing, while the illustration box remains in full.

One of the unique finds in the auction is a Magic: The Gathering/Pokémon Test Print Partial Uncut Sheet (Wizards of the Coast) MTG Back, Blastoise. Not only does it include five copies of the popular Blastoise card, but it also features gold borders and the original font that was changed upon the Base Set’s official English release. This is an ultra-rare sheet combines the two popular games, with Pokémon images on the front and Magic: The Gathering card backs.

Other top lots in the auction include, but are not limited to:

• A Magic: The Gathering Portal Three Kingdoms Uncut Color Proof Test Sheets Group of 4 (Wizards of the Coast, 1999)

• A One Piece Card Game Monkey D. Luffy 001 Event Top Prize Promo 608/700 PSA Trading Card Game Gem Mint 10 (Bandai, 2023)

• Pokémon Unlimited Neo Destiny Sealed Booster Box (Wizards of the Coast, 2002)

• Mitsuhiro Arita, Akira Himekawa, Rafa Sandoval and Sasaki Junko Original Art (2016) Tokyo Art Expo