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Jason Koeppel // 37:00 M.
pass:Jakub Sawyers
Published May 16, 2023
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Want to know what is the most expensive Magic The Gathering card ever? Let's start!
Created by mathematician Richard Garfield and published by Wizards of the Coast, Magic The Gathering has redefined the landscape of collectible card games since its release in 1993. MTG has won the hearts of millions of players around the world thanks to its rich history and strategic gameplay. . But it's not just the gameplay that captivates us, it's a rare charmvaluable cardGreat value in the MTG community.
RELATED: The 31 Most Expensive Pokemon Cards of All Time
There are dozens of beloved TCGs around the world; however, Magic The Gathering is unique in many ways.
For starters, Magic has createdkeep the list, which is an officially approved list of cards that can never be reprinted. It's a unique concept that we don't often see in sports card games or other mainstream stuff.card trading game.
What sets these cards apart is their rarity. Some cards are so rare that their prices skyrocket, making them desirable artifacts for collectors and players looking for an edge in their decks.
Today we will take a deep dive into the realm of the most valuable MTG cards of all time. When we're done, you can gocheck the atticLook inside a shoe box or binder to see these iconic gems.
For the sake of this list, we only allow each card to appear once. Without further ado, let's jump in and highlight the 15 most expensive magic cards of all time!
15. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Dual Land Underground Sea BGS 9,5 – 36 100 funtów
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First, we have a very important part that is used in many tournament decks. The Underground Sea/Land dual mode is a combination of blue and black, players can tap it to get either blue or black mana. This gives it unparalleled gaming value and utility, but is also a great collectible for higher tiers such as BGS 9.5.
T-13. 1993 Magic The Gathering Alpha Mox Esmeralda PSA 10 – 37 200 $
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Mox Emerald marks the last member of the Power Nine and the last part of the Mox series on this list. This green mana generating card, one of only five known PSA 10 cards, was recently sold for $37,200 at the PWCC auction.
T-13. 1993 Magic Alpha Ancestors Recall PSA 10 – 37 200 $
katie
According toMagic Week, Ancestral Recall "Allows the player to use one card to draw three more at a very low mana cost. Coming from "grace“cycle, one of each color, gives three things (e.g. mana, life, damage) for the cost of one mana. "Interestingly, this is the only card from the original Power Nine series that has never been reprinted in any way, making it one of the rarest TCG cards you'll ever see.
12. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Birds of Paradise BGS 9,5 - 37 877 $
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Birds of Paradise is another MTG card highly regarded for its playability and visual appeal. Mark Poole represents the living bird pictured above, a card that is key to many deck strategies. What's more, it is the holy grail of many MTG enthusiasts, which fetched $37,877 at an auction in 2019.
11. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Mox Ruby PSA 10 - $39,600
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Here's another Mox loop, Ruby. The only gem on the list to be rated PSA 10 sold for nearly $40,000 in March 2023. Mox Ruby is also part of Power Nine, so it will always be one of the most popular artifact cards in MTG.
10. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Nightmare BGS 9.5 - $42,877 million
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It is a dark and haunting card, which is why it remains very popular with those who revel in the dark aesthetic of MTG. Nightmare is a powerful addition to any deck, but it's unlikely you'll find it as pristine as this deck. The copy of BGS 9.5 pictured above recently closed for just under $43,000, so you might want to go through your childhood folders and try to find this one.
T-8. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Chaos Orb PSA 10 – 44 400 $
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art resembling goosebumpseat all placesChaos Orbs are both visually and combat threatening. By tossing a Chaos Orb into the air and dropping it onto the play surface, players can destroy any non-token permanent it touches. Affected cards are removed from play, providing a powerful and unpredictable tool for strategic maneuvering. This makes it banned from most competing formats, but still a very valuable and sought after entry into the MTG lore.
T-8. 1993 Magic The Gathering Alfa Chivalon BGS 9,5 - 44 400 $
katie
Speaking of TCG, this may not be the first dragon creature that comes to mind. PokemonCharizardy Yu-Gi-Oh!A white dragon with blue eyesBoth are very collectible in their respective franchises, but this Shivan Dragon BGS 9.5 Gem Mint is impressive. At the PWCC auction in November 2022, it was sold for a whopping $44,400.
7. 1993 Magic Alpha Mox Zafiro PSA 9 - 46 800 $
katie
In #7 we have another member of the Power Nine and a very rare piece of the original Alpha set. Mox Sapphire's performance was similar to that of Mox Jet before both were viciously challenged in competition. Many collectors try to combine all three gems, but this is at the expense of the wallet.
T-5. 1993 Magic Alpha Vesubio Doble BGS 9,5 - 63 000 $
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The Vesuvan Doppelganger card, drawn by Quinton Hoover, is another rare card from the Alpha 1993 series. On such a card (or any TCG), you need to check the center, face, edges and corners when judging. The fact that this rare deformer achieved a 9.5 rating after 30 years in print is truly amazing, so it's no wonder why it sold for over $60,000.
T-5. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Time Walk PSA 10 – 63 000 $
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Another Power Nine member, Time Walk, gives players an extra turn during a match. Like almost all Power Nines, this high-octane MTG card is banned in most formats. Time Walk has extraordinary graphics and stunning colors, but it is one of only ten PSA 10s ever made.
4. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alfa Mox Jet BGS 9,5 – 65 100 $
katie
MTG Mox Gems are tool cards in a player's deck, and exactly three of the original Mox cards belong to Power Nine. As such, they provide great in-game power and offer real monetary value to collectors. This Mox Jet is overwhelmingly essential to the game as it adds more mana to the player and provides a gap in the "one land per turn" rule. This card is valuable in conditions like Gem Mint, but is banned in most tournament formats.
3. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Timetwister PSA 10 – 84 000 $
katie
The flawless design of this Timetwister Alpha card is second to none. Illustrator Mark Tedin has woven an intricate pattern that visually emphasizes the immense power that the Timetwister possesses. The Timetwister is part of the original "Power Nine" limited edition, and many more appear on this list. This gem is one of three existing PSA 10s, one of which recently sold for $84,000.
2. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Lord of the Pit BGS 10 – 105 000 美元
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It is estimated that just over 1,000 of these copies exist, making it one of the rarest MTG cards in existence. Additionally, it received a BGS 10 Pristine rating, one of the most unique ratings of any trading card. The artwork on this card is one of Mark Tedin's finest creations, and the black border makes this card even more visually appealing. It sold for $105,000 at the PWCC auction in January 2023.
1. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Black Lotus Edición limitada Autographed Artist's ID CGC $8.50 - $800,000
heritage auction
Rounding up this list of the most expensive Magic The Gathering cards, we have one of the most iconic TCG cards. There have been several iterations of the Black Lotus, but this artist proof with a white back is probably the rarest on the cake.
This particular Black Lotus is not even from the original Alpha set, but from a later limited edition Beta set. However, it contains a legible handwritten autograph of the illustrator at the bottom of the printout. This particular copy recently sold for $616,000 at Heritage Auctions in March, making it the most expensive MTG card ever sold at public auction.
However, singer and noted MTG collector Post Malone confirmed in a 2022 interview with Howard Stern that he had purchased one at a private auction for $800,000.
From our list of the most expensive Magic The Gathering cards, which is your favorite? Let us know @CardTalkPod on Instagram and Twitter!
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FAQs
What's the rarest magic card? ›
1. Black Lotus. Black Lotus has long held a reputation as the most valuable Magic: The Gathering card ever made, dating from MTG's very first set, Limited Edition Alpha, released in 1993.
What are the most expensive magic cards of all time? ›In 2019, a Black Lotus sold for $166,000 on eBay, followed by another purchase just two years later in 2021 for $511,100 — more than triple the price. Now, with the recent auction held by PWCC Marketplace, the Black Lotus cements its position as the most expensive Magic: The Gathering card ever sold.
How many black lotuses are there? ›The Alpha version of Black Lotus is the rarest and most sought-after, with an estimated 1100 ever printed, followed by the Beta version, with 3300 ever printed.
What is the most expensive Black Lotus sold for? ›One of Magic: The Gathering's most coveted cards, Black Lotus, has sold at auction for a record-breaking $540,000. Magic: The Gathering's illustrious card, Black Lotus, recently went to auction and sold for a record-breaking $540,000.
What are secret rare cards? ›Secret Rare is the highest category of Pokémon card rarity, and Secret Rare cards differ in several ways from lower-rarity cards. First, they have a collector card number that's higher than the advertised set number — hence the "secret" in their name.
What is the oldest magic card? ›Limited Edition Alpha, commonly known as Alpha, is the first print run of Limited Edition, the first core set of Magic: The Gathering. Alpha contains 295 black-bordered cards and was released on August 5, 1993. Alpha is actually a nickname, but is widely accepted as the name for this print run of Limited Edition.
How can you tell if a magic card is rare? ›To tell if a card is rare or mythic rare we look at the expansion set symbol. Almost all cards will have an expansion set symbol on it to help you identify it. The colour of this symbol will tell you what rarity the card is; common = black, uncommon = silver, rare = gold, mythic = orange-red / bronze.
What color is the most expensive Magic card? ›An alpha Black Lotus card from the very first 1993 printing of Magic the Gathering is by far the most valued card in existence. Well what exactly does a Black Lotus do? The powerful Black Lotus adds three mana of any color to your pool, at no cost. And, it can be used as an interrupt.
What's the most expensive card ever sold? ›While Honus Wagner's card is generally seen as the holy grail for baseball card fans, it's Mantle's rookie that takes the top spot. On August 28 of 2022, a Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps Card sold for $12.6 million to an anonymous buyer.
How many Grade 10 black lotuses are there? ›According to PWCC Marketplace, roughly 1,000 copies are believed to be printed, with only six getting a perfect 10 grading.
How many Alpha Black Lotus still exist? ›
Like the card in the present auction, it was given a perfect Gem Mint 10 rating for its condition by the Professional Sports Authenticators, and its case was signed by the card's illustrator Christopher Rush. Only six PSA 10 Black Lotus cards exist.
How long do lotuses last? ›Lifespan: The lotus will probably be the last thing to begin to grow in your pond. Blooms last up to three days. The lotus is a perennial, which means once it has taken hold in your pond, it should bloom for years.
What celebrity bought a Black Lotus? ›it was a Black Lotus (an artist print, at that) and, yes, it was signed by artist Christopher Rush. But, as he admitted to Howard Stern on his radio show, he also spent $800,000 on it. This was a big deal, but not specifically because a millionaire bought something expensive.
How much is a blacker lotus worth? ›| Price Point | Normal |
|---|---|
| Market Price | $17.18 |
| Buylist Market Price | $13.44 |
| Listed Median Price | $21.85 |
Signed PSA 10 Alpha Black Lotus sells for $540,000, Breaks Record For Most Expensive Magic Card.
What is the rarest card in the universe? ›The Shichifukujin Dragon, created to celebrate the opening of the DCI Tournament Center in Tokyo, Japan, is also the only one of its kind in existence. In Japanese mythology, 'Shichifukujin' is the name given to the Seven Deities of Good Fortune.
What are ultra rare cards? ›Ultra Rares are identical to Super Rares, but they have gold foil lettering on the card name. Secret Rare. A Secret Rare has a rainbow-colored foil that's applied to the artwork, card name, Attribute, and Level. The foil has a diagonal texturing instead of a plain reflective finish.
What cards are worth collecting? ›- Best Overall: Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps Rookie Card.
- Best Rookie Card: Luka Doncic.
- Best NFL Card: Tom Brady Optic Base.
- Best Classic Movie Cards: Star Wars.
- Best Animated Cards: Pokémon.
Alpha and Beta cards are black bordered with no printed copyright date or set symbol. The best way to tell the difference between an Alpha and a Beta card is to check the corners.
How many Magic cards exist? ›There are currently more than 25,000 unique Magic cards, to which hundreds are added each year. Cards are sold in a variety of languages and products, including booster packs and preconstructed theme decks.
What are vintage Magic cards? ›
Vintage, originally known as Type 1 or Type I, is an eternal format that allows for the use of almost all printed cards, save Acorn cards and/or having a non-Standard Magic back (other than Double-Faced Card/Meld Card), as well as certain cards banned for causing problems in sanctioned tournaments.
What does M mean on a Magic card? ›Yes, currently in Magic card codes there are seven options for the rarity field: C – common. U – uncommon. R – rare. M – mythic rare.
What to look for in Magic cards are worth money? ›Consider The Card's Rarity
The rarity of a Magic card can have a significant impact on its value. Generally, the rarer a card is, the more valuable it is likely to be. There are four levels of rarity in Magic: The Gathering: common, uncommon, rare, and mythic rare. Mythic rare cards are the rarest and most valuable.
A red-orange symbol indicates the card is mythic rare. A gold symbol indicates the card is rare. A silver symbol indicates the card is uncommon. A black or white symbol indicates the card is common or is a basic land.
What is the most beautiful card of magic? ›Gift of Orzhova — Johannes Voss
Gift of Orzhova is no doubt the most beautiful card in Magic: The Gathering and was created by Johannes Voss.
Basically, it all comes down to supply and demand. Expensive cards are the ones in demand, but as supply becomes more limited, the cost goes up to reflect that. That's why decks get so much more expensive as you go into older formats.
How much is an Alpha Black Lotus? ›The card's sale for $540,000 via auction house PWCC beat the previous record set by another Gem Mint 10 Alpha Black Lotus signed by Rush, sold for just over $511,000 in January 2021. The new price makes this latest card the most expensive Magic: The Gathering card ever sold at public auction, according to PWCC.
How much is a Michael Jordan rookie card worth? ›Estimated PSA 10 Value: $250,000
The most desirable and widely considered to be "the Jordan rookie" is his 1986 Fleer issue. As mentioned previously, Fleer distributed these on a mass scale so they're not even that scarce.
Overall about 1926 Cards of Mickey Mantle have been traded in the last 30 days on ebay. The average price was $576.85.
How much is a 1 1 card worth? ›Like most cards, the value of 1/1 cards is going to depend on a number of factors, and can vary from something as low as a few dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. Factors like player, set, type of 1/1 (auto or plate), rookie year, and more will all be value determining factors of the worth of a 1/1.
How much is an original Black Lotus Magic card worth? ›
Magic: The Gathering Black Lotus worth $615,000 breaks yet another sales record, days after the last one. Artist proof signed by creator Christopher Rush outsells Alpha Black Lotus.
How many original Black Lotus cards are there? ›Black Lotus and the rest of the Power Nine were only printed for the early Alpha, Beta and Unlimited sets right at the very beginning of Magic: The Gathering's inception. All in all, it is estimated that only about 1,100 Black Lotus cards were ever printed.
Do they still print Black Lotus cards? ›Additionally, Black Lotus was only printed in the Alpha, Beta and Unlimited sets, which has further increased its value with both fans and collectors alike. But while Wizards of the Coast has never reprinted Black Lotus, it has done limited digital runs of the card and referenced it in others.
What are the odds of pulling a Black Lotus? ›This means that the probability to open at least one Black Lotus in a single pack, 1 - P[No Lotus], is 1.05%, and the probability to open at least one Black Lotus in four packs, 1 - P[No Lotus]^4, is 4.15%.
Why is Black Lotus banned? ›Such is the case with the Black Lotus card. This card has been banned from tournament play because of its unique ability - namely, it doesn't require any mana to play, and it can add three mana of any color to your pool. This means that you can cast spells much faster than you would normally be able to.
Why is Black Lotus so sought after? ›What gives? First off, Alpha and Beta copies of Black Lotus are worth quite a bit more than Unlimited copies. It isn't just the look, either—it's scarcity. We have pretty good intel stating that there were only ever 1,008 copies of every Alpha rare even printed, and only 3,025 copies of each Beta rare.
Can you fail a drug test on lotus flower? ›Blue Lotus itself is not detectable by urinalysis. Most products labeled as Blue Lotus contain synthetic cannabinoids, which is detected through testing.
What color lotus is rare? ›The blue lotus flower, which is the rarest one, symbolizes a spirit's victory over wisdom and knowledge. The pink lotus flower symbolizes spiritual path & enlightenment.
What are the four kinds of lotuses? ›Four varieties of lotus flowers: Lotus flowers of Pathum (1), Boontharik (2), Sattabongkot (3), and Sattabutre (4).
Is Black Lotus banned in vintage? ›It is restricted in Vintage and banned in Legacy. Christopher Rush drew its original artwork. On February 27th, 2019, a "Gem Mint 9.5 grade" Beckett Grading Services graded Alpha Black Lotus was bought on eBay for a record $166,100. On January 27, 2021, a "Gem Mint 10 grade" was sold for $511,100.
Who owns the Black Lotus card? ›
Last time we checked, the current owner of that item is the rapper Post Malone, who paid over $800,000 for the privilege. The Black Lotus is part of the MTG Power 9, which are considered some of the most powerful (and rarest) cards in the entire trading card game.
How many sets was Black Lotus printed? ›
'” Post Malone is certainly no stranger to showing off his love for Magic: The Gathering. He had previously spent $800,000 on an Alpha Black Lotus Card, the rarest and most valuable MTG card available, signed by Christopher Rush.
Do you have to tear Blacker Lotus? ›No, you take control of your opponents' permanents, turn them into artifacts, and make them copies of Blacker Lotus so you can tear your opponents' cards up instead!
How rare is Jeweled Lotus? ›Given the 30% chance of the foil rare slot upgrading to the FEA, and the number of mythics and rares in the FEA sheet, you're going to get a mythic FEA about once every two Collector Booster BOXES. So to get a FEA Jeweled Lotus, you've got to open roughly 400 Collector Boosters.
What is the rarest Black Lotus card? ›A Black Lotus, arguably the most sought after card in Magic: The Gathering, has sold for a record-breaking price of $540,000 at a recent auction. As reported by Polygon, the Black Lotus has been topping its own record each time it's been available for auction.
What is the oldest PSA 10 card? ›Manufactured in 1910, this Ty Cobb E98 Red card has remained perfectly preserved since, and is believed to be one of the most scarce and well-conditioned pre-war cards in circulation. Only two Ty Cobb E98 PSA Gem Mint 10's are known to exist in the world.
What is the highest auction MTG card? ›Magic: The Gathering Black Lotus auction breaks new record: $615,000 - Polygon.
What is the rarest card ever made? ›The Shichifukujin Dragon, created to celebrate the opening of the DCI Tournament Center in Tokyo, Japan, is also the only one of its kind in existence. In Japanese mythology, 'Shichifukujin' is the name given to the Seven Deities of Good Fortune.
What is the most expensive card in the world? ›The famous Honus Wagner Card (which, depending on who you ask, is more well-known than the actual player) last sold in August of 2022 for a total of $7.2 million at auction. But of every other valuable card on the list, nothing comes close to the Mickey Mantle Rookie Card that shattered auction records last year.
Are magic cards from the 90s worth anything? ›
Very old cards, the most powerful cards printed in the 1990s like Black Lotus and Ancestral Recall, can command prices in the thousands of dollars and vary depending on condition. Iconic cards printed and reprinted more recently, like Snapcaster Mage or Misty Rainforest, can climb higher than $50.
How much is a Black Lotus worth? ›Magic: The Gathering Black Lotus worth $615,000 breaks yet another sales record, days after the last one. Artist proof signed by creator Christopher Rush outsells Alpha Black Lotus. Another week, another record-breaking sale for Magic: The Gathering's most iconic card, the Black Lotus.
What cards are most valuable to collect? ›- Best Overall: Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps Rookie Card.
- Best Rookie Card: Luka Doncic.
- Best NFL Card: Tom Brady Optic Base.
- Best Classic Movie Cards: Star Wars.
- Best Animated Cards: Pokémon.
The oldest surviving cards in the world are four fragments found in the Keir Collection and one in the Benaki Museum. They are dated to the 12th and 13th centuries (late Fatimid, Ayyubid, and early Mamluk periods).
Are gold cards rarer than Rainbow? ›Gold Rares are a bit rarer than Rainbow Rares, making them the rarest cards in the Pokemon TCG.
What is the Holy Grail baseball card? ›The "Holy Grail" of baseball cards is the T-206 Honus Wagner issued in 1909. Reportedly, approximately 50 were ever made. Today, very few exist, making it the most sought-after sports card in history. It was created and distributed by the American Tobacco Company and came in a pack of cigarettes.
How can I tell if a Magic card is rare? ›To tell if a card is rare or mythic rare we look at the expansion set symbol. Almost all cards will have an expansion set symbol on it to help you identify it. The colour of this symbol will tell you what rarity the card is; common = black, uncommon = silver, rare = gold, mythic = orange-red / bronze.
What is rare Magic cards? ›The rarity of a card is indicated by the color of its expansion symbol. The symbol itself shows which set the card belongs to, and its color indicates its rarity. Common cards have a black and white symbol, uncommons are silver, and rares are gold.
Is Black Lotus legal? ›Black Lotus Legality
Black Lotus is banned in all formats apart from Vintage, and even then, you're only allowed to have one copy of it.
Not long after the initial release of Black Lotus in 1993, it was swiftly restricted and subsequently banned from all but MTG's Vintage format, making one solitary appearance in the 1994 MTG Championships before never being seen again.
How many PSA 10 Black Lotus are there? ›
Only six PSA 10 Black Lotus cards exist. There's been a small increase in value, then — but nothing like the threefold increase in the value of the Black Lotus that happened between 2019 and 2021, as the popularity of trading card games boomed during the pandemic.