Rarest Uno Games of All Time
Since its creation in 1971 by Merle Robbins, Uno has exploded into an international sensation. It has spawned hundreds of unique Uno card decks, many successful (and unsuccessful) spinoff games, and even a potential TV series.
While there have been people collecting Uno cards and Uno games for decades, in general, Uno collections have been rare. Further, most Uno decks have been released with little fanfare and Mattel has never made an effort to even provide information on all of the different Uno card games and spinoffs it (and its predecessors) have released. Even the most complete list of every type of Uno card game and spinoff is unofficial and continues to be updated with decades old games as they are discovered.
As such, it should come as no surprise that there are many rare Uno card games and spinoffs that are nearly impossible (or perhaps actually impossible) for the modern Uno collector to acquire. Some of these Uno games were released in small quantities, either because they appealed to a limited fanbase or, more recently, because Mattel was trying to artificially limit supply. Other Uno card games and spinoffs were plentiful at the time of release and for years after, but have since become rare and difficult to find in part because they were treated as an ordinary card game rather than a collectible.
This page seeks to explore some of the rarest Uno games that exist today. This list is naturally subjective and although the ordering reflects a likely ranking of rarity, it is still just a best guess. Feel free to reach out to discuss this list or propose any additions to it.
If you own any of these rare Uno games and are interested in selling them, let us know. We'd be very interested in adding them to our collection and potentially featuring them in more detail on the site.
Enjoy!
10. Thank You Heroes Uno
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in the first half of 2020, Mattel created a line of products called Thank You Heroes to celebrate first responders. Among these products, Mattel released Thank You Heroes Uno. Preorders of Thank You Heroes Uno were available on the Mattel Shop website during a limited window and then were closed forever. Proceeds from the sale of Thank You Heroes Uno were donated to support first responders. Based on anecdotal evidence, the release of Thank You Heroes Uno appears to have been very limited. This may be because Mattel was never selling Thank You Heroes for a profit and had a set amount it was willing to donate as part of the Thank You Heroes initiative.
Fortunately, Thank You Heroes is not yet impossible to find. A few versions, some international, can occasionally be found on eBay or other secondhand sites. However, it is anticipated that the circulating supply will dry up over the next few years, so if you want to get a copy (particularly one in good condition), now is the time to do it. [2023 Update: It may now be too late to find one easily. Happy hunting!]
9. Official Uno Draw 8 Card and Other Promos
From time to time, Mattel has released individual Uno promotional cards in connection with special events or in partnership with other brands. These are not a full Uno game, but deserve inclusion on this list because they are incredibly difficult to acquire, particularly if you are trying to obtain full sets of these Uno promo cards.
Cobs Uno Game Changers
In 2018, the Australian-based popcorn company, Cobs, partnered with Uno to release a set of 13 promotional Uno cards, each with their own rules. These promo cards, known as Uno game changers, could theoretically be inserted into a standard Uno deck (as the back of the cards have standard Uno branding).
The complete set of 13 Cobs Uno promo cards includes (names are not official):
- Draw 8 Uno Promo Card - Draw 8 cards
- Everyone Draws 2 Uno Promo Card - All players draw 2 cards
- Face Up Uno Promo Card - Everyone plays the next round with their cards face up
- Draw 4, Discard 4 Uno Promo Card - The player playing this card draws 4 cards and then discards any 4 cards
- All-seeing Eye Uno Promo Card - Look at any player's cards
- Sharing Secrets Uno Promo Card - Show your hand to the player with the fewest cards
- Deflect Uno Promo Card - Can be played anytime to bounce a card back to the player that played it
- Pass Hands Uno Promo Card - Everyone gives their cards to the player to their right
- Shuffle 'Em Up Uno Promo Card - All players discard their hands and draw the same number of cards they discarded
- See the Future Uno Promo Card - Look at the top 5 Uno cards in the draw pile
- Silence is Golden Uno Promo Card - Play in silence; the first person to speak draws 4
- Exclusive Popcorn Uno Promo Card - For one round, only you can access the popcorn
- Popcorn Hog Draw 2 Uno Promo Card - Whoever last ate some popcorn draws 2
The last two of these Cobs Uno promo cards require playing Uno while eating popcorn (presumably Cobs popcorn).
Holographic Doraemon Uno Draw 4 Card
This holographic Doraemon Uno Draw 4 promo card was exclusively available to visitors of the 2017 World Hobby Faire in Japan as a souvenir card. The artwork is identical to the Uno Draw 4 card of the 2016 version of Doraemon Uno, but if you move it around, you can see some foil that makes it sparkle. A few of these found their way onto eBay a while ago, but there are no current listings that we are aware of.
VeeFriends Uno Promotional Cards
A more recent example of promotional Uno cards is Mattel Creations' release of VeeFriends Uno. Inside each VeeFriends Uno game, Mattel included one of 17 foil promotional cards, each with different levels of rarity. Given the stealth release of the game in December 2021, its limited release, and Mattel Creations' two order limit, it seems unlikely that anybody even had the chance to obtain all of these cards from the outset. Secondhand markets like eBay may make it possible to get all the foil VeeFriends Uno cards, but it certainly won't be easy.
If you are going to try to track all of these down, might as well start with the rarest of the bunch, the VeeFriends Uno Gary Bee Foil Card. Good luck!
8. Burger King Uno Desafio Brazil
These Burger King Desafio Uno games are on this list in part because they are rare and in part because they are just plain cool. Mattel put in a lot of effort to make these a quality set, which each being unique and interesting.
These Burger King Desafio Uno games were only available from Burger King in Brazil around April 2019. The Burger King Desafio Uno decks were released in six different sets:
- Burger King Uno Desafio: Dinossauros (Dinosaurs)
- Burger King Uno Desafio: Monstros (Monsters)
- Burger King Uno Desafio: Musica (Music)
- Burger King Uno Desafio: Princesa (Princess)
- Burger King Uno Desafio: Robos (Robots)
- Burger King Uno Desafio: Sereia (Mermaid)
Each of the Burger King Desafio Uno games came with 57 cards. Among these are Wild cards with the words "Carta Desafio" (Challenge Card). When played, the player playing the Challenge Wild Card would select from a list of challenges on a card included with the game. The challenged player would have to do the challenge or draw five cards.
Because of the exclusive regional release and the six different variants, these Burger King Uno Desafio games are naturally very difficult to obtain outside of Brazil and are a prize for any Uno collector.
7. Mattel Creations Limited Edition Uno Games
This is one of the few items on this list that is rare by design. Mattel spun off a division (not sure how this works internally) by the name of Mattel Creations to collaborate with artists and brands to create unique products. Uno collaborations are a part of this alongside Barbie, Hot Wheels, and other Mattel products.
Mattel Creations has collaborated with artists and other brands to create a variety of Uno games and Uno-related products.
Some of the rare Uno games released through Mattel Creations include: (links provide more information about each Uno game)
- The Hundreds Uno
- Uno Artiste Series 3: Nina Chanel Abney Uno
- Vivetta Uno
- Uno Artiste Series 4: Shepard Fairey Uno
- A Bathing Ape (BAPE) Uno
- drew house Uno
- Moncler Genius Uno
- Nike Zoom Freak 3 Uno
- Tokidoki Uno
- Mister Cartoon Stance Uno
- Uno Artiste Series 5: Takashi Murakami Uno
- Museum of Graffiti Uno
Mattel Creations Uno games were only sold online through Mattel Creation's website (and occasionally on the partner brand's website). Each was released in limited quantities, with a scheduled release window advertised a few days in advance. Most quickly sold out (sometimes within minutes) and, to date, Mattel Creations has not expressed any interest in rereleasing any of these rare Uno games.
6. Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids Uno (and Other Strange Uno Treasures)
Around 1997, Mattel began producing licensed versions of Uno to appeal to various fandoms. Many of these early Uno theme decks (such as the two Star Trek Unos, NSYNC Uno, and Elvis Uno) are surprisingly easy to come by. As of this writing (and for the past at least 15 years), you can easily search eBay and obtain them for a modest sum.
However, Mattel took this Uno licensing synergy to the next level in the 2000s when it partnered with Sababa Toys to make licensed versions of Uno for just about everything. You can check out the sheer variety of these Uno decks by searching "200" on the list of every Uno card game and spinoff.
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids Uno exemplifies the rarity of many of these 2000s Uno decks. Fat Albert was never a huge property to begin with and the 2004 Fat Albert movie was a critical failure and barely covered its budget. So, it is not a huge stretch to imagine that relatively few of these Uno decks were produced. However, up until around 2015, Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids Uno could still be found occassionally circulating on eBay, particularly because there were very few buyers that were interested. Bill Cosby's actions certainly didn't help either.
It has now been many years since we have seen one of these for sale in secondhand shops like eBay. The same can be said for some of the other quirky 2000s Unos, such as Hoops and YoYo Uno, Fraggle Rock Uno, and Happy Feet Uno.
5. Pokemon Uno (2006)
Pokemon is a worldwide merchandising juggernaut. Just in the world of Uno, Pokemon is represented by five different Uno games, the latter four of which were released only in Japan. However, the first, and rarest of these Uno games was released in North America as part of the 10th anniversary of Pokemon, celebrated in 2006.
The original Pokemon Uno used to circulate occasionally on secondhand shopping sites such as eBay. However, in the last few years, it has been very difficult to find anyone selling. Part of this is likely due to the easy availability of newer Pokemon Uno games. Because of the lack of a robust Uno collecting scene, these newer Pokemon Uno games fill the needs of most who would be interested in purchasing Pokemon Uno.
4. Luke Bryan Uno
Luke Bryan: Born Here Live Here Die Here Uno was released in May 2021 to promote Luke Bryan's latest album. However, the only way to obtain a copy of Luke Bryan: Born Here Live Here Die Here Uno was to win it. These decks were given out to some people who commented on Luke Bryan's giveaway posts on social media. Luke Bryan also gave away an additional 5 decks in December 2021 through his social media accounts.
It was never advertised how many of these were to be given away, but it is feasible that less than 100 were ever made and distributed. Given the recency of release, these still may make their way for sale in the coming months and years on secondhand retail sites, but don't hold your breath.
3. The Original Uno
Check it out in all its glory! The original 1971 edition of Uno deserves a spot on this list for its significance to the game alone.
Only 5,000 of these were printed and they were never meant to be collector's items. I think even Merle Robbins himself would be surprised at the success of Uno.
While you can find people who own this rare copy of Uno, finding anyone willing to part with this rare treasure is more difficult. Unlike other Uno card games and spinoffs on this list, the original edition of Uno is an obvious collector's item, even beyond those who specifically collect Uno games.
If you happen to own an original copy of Uno, reach out. We'd love to hear and share your story.
2. Kylie Jenner Uno
Yep, that Kylie Jenner. Who says that money can't buy everything? Somehow, Kylie Jenner was able to commission an official Uno deck from Mattel for her 23rd birthday on August 10, 2020.
Visually, the deck is pretty bland, with a basic "Kylie" featured prominently on the reverse side of the cards and the front side being standard Uno imaging, although with pink cards instead of red.
However, these decks are incredibly rare. They were only ever obtainable as party favors for Kylie Jenner's 23rd birthday party, which means that they were in limited supply to begin with and that they are in the hands of those who circulate in Kylie Jenner's circles. Not exactly the type who would be collecting Uno cards or even looking to make a quick buck reselling them. To date, we are unaware of a single offering of these cards for sale and have never even identified a single person who owns one (other than Kylie herself).
For more information about the specifics of the deck, check out Kylie Jenner Uno on our New Uno Games page.
1. The Elusive Sports Uno Decks
Topping the list for the rarest Uno card games and spinoffs are the Uno decks that we can't even confirm were actually made.
In the mid-2000s, Sababa Toys released dozens of sports-themed Uno decks. The back of the box for Alex Rodriguez Uno, released in 2007, shows an image of other Uno decks for other contemporary baseball players.
There are plenty of copies of David Ortiz Uno, Ichiro Uno, David Wright Uno, and many of the others in this image on eBay, Google Images, etc., but even after hours of research over a period of years, we have yet to find evidence of Roger Clemens Uno or Hideki Matsui Uno having ever been created. Not a single picture of one of the games. Not a single listing of one of them for sale (or having been sold). These are truly phantom Uno games. In fact, this page is the only place on the internet where anyone has even suggested these Uno games exist and all we have is another product advertising their possible existence.
Baseball is not unique. The back of Lebron James Uno indicates that Dirk Nowitzki Uno, Shaquille O'Neal Uno, Dwyane Wade Uno, and Carmelo Anthony Uno were created, but we have similarly never found any evidence that they were ever created beyond these product images.
Finally, in the world of football, we have a similar situation where Sababa Toys encouraged Uno fans to collect Chad Johnson Uno on the backs of other football player Uno boxes, like the Brian Urlacher Uno box shown here. Yet, Chad Johnson Uno has never been spotted in the wild.
It is entirely possible that Sababa Toys never made these Uno decks. If it had, surely there would be evidence somewhere on the internet. However, even if they were made, the inability to find them makes them collectively the rarest Uno games. These Uno decks are so rare that they are not even included on the master list of the most complete list of every type of Uno card game and spinoff, as that list is confined to Uno games and spinoffs that we can confirm were actually created. If by chance you own one of these games or otherwise can prove they exist, please contact us and let us know!
So there you have it. A trip through some of the rarest Uno games in Uno's 50+ year history. If you already own some of these, congratulations. If not, happy hunting!
If you own any of these rare Uno games and are interested in selling them, let us know!