Unveiling the Rarest and Most Expensive Magic Cards

It’s safe to say that no one could have predicted the phenomenon Magic: The Gathering would become when the game was first released in 1993. The first two print runs of Magic — now known as the Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta sets — were produced in relatively modest quantities. Few who bought these early versions of the cards thought to keep them in pristine condition, and this has created the perfect storm, leading to increased collectible value of these first prints in the secondary marketplace.

Wizards of the Coast, the producer of Magic: The Gathering’s cards, has also proven to be experts at fostering a strong collector’s market. They’ve designated some of the most popular cards as “reserved.” If a card makes it to the Reserved List, it will never be reprinted again. The list is meant to protect the value of these original Magic cards.

Some collectors think the Reserved List has helped contribute to the eye-popping sales figures the MTG community has seen in the past few years. On the other hand, since the Limited Edition Alpha print run was so small, there were no more than 1,100 copies of each rare card printed, such as Black Lotus or Copy Artifact. You could make the argument that MTG cards are so expensive today because they have always been rare. What’s more, the advent of third-party certification for trading cards enhances their value and collectability.

Value can be subjective, but Magic: The Gathering cards are generally considered valuable if they’re extremely beneficial in play and/or hard to find. CGC Cards™ has scoured the web to bring you a list of the most expensive cards in the history of MTG. The sales data you’ll find in this article comes from completed sales on leading auction sites, such as Fanatics Collect, Heritage Auctions and Goldin Auctions, from 2019 onward. Additionally, we’re focusing on cards that have multiple copies and sales data records — sorry, One Ring fans!

With that in mind, here’s a look at the rarest and most expensive Magic: The Gathering cards, why collectors covet them and how much they’re selling for.

The Rarest and Most Expensive Magic: The Gathering Cards

Black Lotus

In the world of Magic cards, Black Lotus is at the very peak of collectability and value. With only 1,008 cards printed in the Alpha set and 3,025 in Beta, this extreme rarity drives the card value sky high. Besides its scarcity, Black Lotus is a prized card for its playability and is regarded as one of the most powerful cards in the Power Nine, a group of cards so potent that their use in gameplay was later restricted, and all of MTG.

In April 2024, a Black Lotus, Magic: The Gathering (1993) Limited Editon Alpha graded CGC Pristine 10 sold for an incredible $3 million in a private sale. As of August 2024, it holds the record for the highest price paid for any Magic card.

Other notable sales:

• $615,000 – Limited Editon Alpha pedigreed to the Jeff Ferriera Collection (Heritage Auctions, March 2023)
• $540,000 – Limited Edition Alpha, signed by Christopher Rush (Fanatics Collect Premier Auction, March 2023)
• $511,100 – Limited Edition Alpha, signed by Christopher Rush (Fanatics Collect Weekly Auction, January 2021)
• $220,000 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Premier Auction, April 2023)
• $186,000 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Premier Auction, July 2024)
• $174,000 – Limited Edition Alpha (Heritage Auctions, December 2022)
• $156,000 – Limited Edition Alpha (Heritage Auctions, November 2021)
• $132,000 – Limited Edition Beta, Artist Proof (Goldin Auctions, June 2023)
• $108,000 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Premier Auction, March 2023)
• $106,250 – Limited Edition Beta, Artist Proof (Heritage Auctions, October 2023)

The Mox Jewels

The Mox Jewels (often simply called the “Moxes”) are a set of five jewel artifacts that add one mana of a certain color type to the player’s mana pool. For example, Mox Jet adds one black mana to the mana pool when tapped, allowing for such an extreme mana acceleration that it gives players an unfair advantage in play. We’ve included a list of the Moxes here with some of the highest prices they’ve realized at auction, as of August 2024.

The highest price realized by a Mox Jewel was achieved by a Limited Edition Alpha Mox Jet, which realized $108,000 in a Fanatics Collect Premier Auction.

Other notable sales:

• $46,800 – Mox Sapphire, Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Premier Auction, April 2023)
• $39,600 – Mox Ruby, Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Premier Auction, March 2023)
• $37,200 – Mox Emerald, Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Premier Auction, March 2023)
• $34,800 – Mox Pearl, Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Premier Auction, March 2023)
• $29,999 – Mox Emerald, Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Fixed Price, March 2022)
• $28,200 – Mox Ruby, Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Premier Auction, April 2024)
• $27,600 – Mox Sapphire, Limited Edition Beta (Fanatics Collect Premier Auction, September 2022)
• $27,600 – Mox Pearl, Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Premier Auction, October 2022)

Lord of the Pit

During the 1990s, Magic: The Gathering players who came across Lord of the Pit on the battlefield often found themselves shivering in fear. With flying, trample and a huge 7/7 life counter, the dreaded demon was a force to be reckoned with. Nowadays, Lord of the Pit is sought by nostalgic collectors, who will pay a pretty penny for early prints of the card.

One example of Lord of the Pit from the Limited Edition Alpha set realized a tremendous $105,000 in a Fanatics Collect Premier Auction held in January 2023.

Other notable sales:

• $8,700 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Weekly Auction, March 2023)
• $4,400 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Premier Auction, September 2023)
• $2,520 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Weekly Auction, August 2024)

Timetwister

Another card included in the Power Nine, Timetwister forces both players to shuffle all cards — including their hand, library and graveyard — back into their decks, essentially resetting the game. Timetwister basically reverses the clock on any ongoing Magic: The Gathering match, making it one of the most potent spells in the game. Because of its status as a Power Nine card, Timetwister is highly collectible and fetches significant prices at auction.

A Limited Edition Alpha Timetwister realized $84,000 in a Fanatics Collect Premier Auction in April 2023.

Other notable sales:

• $52,800 – Limited Editon Alpha (Fanatics Collect Premier Auction, May 2023)
• $21,600 – Limited Edition Alpha (Heritage Auctions, May 2019)
• $20,400 – Limited Edition Alpha (Heritage Auctions, March 2021)
• $18,600 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Weekly Auction, August 2024)
• $16,800 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Weekly Auction, February 2024)
• $15,600 – Limited Edition Beta (Heritage Auctions, July 2021)

Splendid Genesis

Although not part of the Power Nine, Splendid Genesis is very special in its own right. The card was created by Richard Garfield, the creator of Magic: The Gathering, to celebrate the birth of his daughter in 1997. Typically, promo cards created for a special event, such as this Splendid Genesis, are only given to friends, family and Wizards of the Coast staff. They weren’t available to the public, so their rarity cannot be understated.

As of August 2024, the most expensive Splendid Genesis to sell at auction realized $72,000 in a Heritage Auctions sale in June 2022.

Other notable sales:

• $36,600 – CGC Signature Series, signed and sketched by Monique Thirifay (Goldin, August 2024)
• $33,750 – (Heritage Auctions, July 2023)
• $28,200 – (Fanatics Collect Premier Auction, June 2024)
• $21,600 – (Heritage Auctions, March 2021)

Time Walk

Before it was restricted in 1994, Time Walk was a powerful spell that allowed players to take an extra turn right after their end phase. In a game where just one turn can make all the difference in a match, it’s no surprise that Time Walk was given a place among the Power Nine and ultimately added to the Reserved List. As always, the Power Nine demand a premium at auction, and Time Walk is no different.

As of August 2024, the highest-selling Time Walk is a Limited Edition Alpha example that realized $63,000 in an April 2023 Fanatics Collect Premium Auction.

Other notable sales:

• $27,600 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Weekly Auction, March 2023)
• $26,400 – Gamma Playtest (Heritage Auctions, July 2021)
• $25,000 – Limited Edition Alpha (Heritage Auctions, September 2023)
• $24,000 – Gamma Playtest (Heritage Auctions, September 2022)
• $22,800 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Premier Auction, February 2022)
• $21,000 – Limited Edition Alpha, signed by Amy Weber (Fanatics Collect Premier Auction, March 2023)
• $20,400 – Limited Edition Alpha (Heritage Auctions, March 2021)

Vesuvan Doppelganger

Vesuvan Doppelganger is a dangerous card if paired with the right creatures. True to its name, Vesuvan Doppelganger copies any creature on the battlefield, including its ability and normal characteristics. That means that this card essentially becomes a second creature of the player’s choosing, allowing for some game-breaking combinations.

Early editions of Vesuvan Doppelganger are valuable to collectors, as demonstrated when a Limited Edition Alpha example sold for $63,000 in a Fanatics Collect Premium Auction in February 2023.

Other notable sales:

• $12,500 – Limited Edition Alpha (Heritage Auctions, April 2024)
• $7,800 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Weekly Auction, March 2023)
• $6,900 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Weekly Auction, May 2023)
• $5,042 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Weekly Auction, June 2023)
• $4,320 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Weekly Auction, November 2023)
• $3,840 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Weekly Auction, August 2024)

Shivan Dragon

Regarded as one of the most iconic dragons in Magic: The Gathering, Shivan Dragon is a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. With Flying and a 5/5 life counter, Shivan Dragon is able to wreak havoc on the opponent’s battlefield and, if left unchecked, ends matches in short order. Shivan Dragon was so popular upon release that it was included in more than 20 subsequent sets, but the original Limited Edition release is the most sought after version, by far.

A Shivan Dragon from the Limited Edition Alpha realized $44,400 in a Fanatics Collect Premier Auction in November 2022.

Other notable sales:

• $33,600 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Premier Auction, April 2023)
• $13,200 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Weekly Auction, February 2023)
• $11,400 – Summer Edition (Fanatics Collect Premier Auction, July 2022)
• $7,800 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Weekly Auction, August 2024)

Chaos Orb

Sometimes, Magic: The Gathering’s card developers like to get creative with gameplay mechanics. In the early days of MTG, Richard Garfield and his team experimented with having players take physical actions to activate a card’s ability. Chaos Orb asks the player to throw the card into the air at a height of at least one foot. If the card flips at least 360 degrees before landing, Chaos Orb destroys any cards that it is touching when it lands, including itself. Chaos Orb was later turned into a coin flip card, then banned altogether due to ruling and management issues.

A Chaos Orb from the Limited Edition Alpha set realized an impressive $44,400 in a Fanatics Collect Premier Auction in April 2023.

Other notable sales:

• $12,600 – Limited Edition Alpha (Heritage Auctions, March 2022)
• $10,000 – Unlimited Edition (Fanatics Collect Fixed Price, August 2022)
• $9,000 – Limited Edition Alpha (Heritage Auctions, March 2021)
• $7,500 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Weekly Auction, December 2022)
• $6,300 – Limited Edition Alpha (Heritage Auctions, July 2021)
• $5,520 – Unlimited Edition (Heritage Auctions, February 2019)
• $4,680 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect, August 2024)

Ancestral Recall

Another Power Nine card, Ancestral Recall is known for its ability to either let the player draw three cards or force the opponent to draw three cards. With this ability, the player either gains a three-card advantage, or drags their opponent toward slowly (but surely) milling their decks, which leads to an instant loss if the opponent has no more cards to draw at the beginning of their turn.

The highest-selling Ancestral Recall was a Limited Edition Alpha graded CGC Pristine 10 and pedigreed to the Pawn Stars Beta Starter Break. It realized $38,500 in a CertifiedLink auction on December 7, 2023.

Other notable sales:

• $37,200 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Premier Auction, March 2023)
• $36,000 – Limited Edition Alpha (Heritage Auctions, March 2022)
• $32,400 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Premier Auction, September 2022)
• $25,800 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Premium Auction, January 2023)
• $21,600 – Limited Edition Alpha (Heritage Auctions, March 2021)

Copy Artifact

Copy Artifact is, unsurprisingly, on Magic: The Gathering’s Reserved List. The card’s ability lets players replicate any artifact currently on the field, either from the player’s side or the opponent’s side. It bears the exact same characteristics and abilities, and even assumes the identity of both an artifact and an enchantment, giving the player a surprising amount of adaptability to the changing battlefield.

A Copy Artifact from the Limited Edition Alpha set recently sold for $29,400 in a Fanatics Collect Premier Auction in February 2023.

Other notable sales:

• $4,080 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Weekly Auction, March 2023)
• $3,728 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Weekly Auction, January 2023)
• $1,710 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Weekly Auction, June 2024)
• $1,350 – Limited Edition Alpha (Fanatics Collect Weekly Auction, July 2024)

Phoenix Heart

Phoenix Heart is another card created for an event in Richard Garfield's life, this time to celebrate the announcement of his marriage to Koni Kim. Copies of Phoenix Heart were slipped into Garfield and Kim’s wedding invitations as favors for potential guests. As such, Phoenix Heart was never released to the public and meant only for Garfield’s closest family and friends. Some copies have made their way to the secondary market, where they have realized impressive prices.

One example graded CGC 8 realized $27,500 in a Heritage Auctions sale in April 2023, becoming the current highest-selling example.

Other notable sales:

• $26,400 – (Heritage Auctions, September 2023)
• $25,200 – (Heritage Auctions, June 2022)
• $22,500 – (Heritage Auctions, July 2023)
• $18,000 – (Fanatics Collect Premier Auction, February 2023)

Do you have one of these rare Magic: The Gathering cards?

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