The 15 Most Expensive Magic The Gathering Cards of All-Time
Are you wondering what the most expensive Magic The Gathering cards of all-time are? Let's get in to it!
Magic The Gathering, created by mathematician Richard Garfield and published by Wizards of the Coast, has redefined the landscape of collectible card games since its inception in 1993. With its rich lore and strategic gameplay, MTG has captured the hearts of millions of players worldwide. But it's not just the gameplay that draws us in; it's the allure of rare and valuable cards that hold immense worth in the MTG community.
Related: The 31 Most Expensive Pokemon Cards of All-Time
There are dozens of beloved TCGs worldwide; however, Magic The Gathering stands alone in many regards.
For starters, Magic institutes a Reserved List, which is an officially sanctioned list of cards that can never be reprinted. This is a unique concept that we rarely see in the sports card hobby or in other popular trading card games.
Consequently, what sets these cards apart is their rarity. Some cards are so scarce that their prices skyrocket, turning them into coveted artifacts for collectors and players seeking an edge in their decks.
Today, we delve into the realm of the most valuable MTG cards ever printed. After we are done, you may want to go check the attic and see if you have any of these iconic gems in a shoebox or a binder.
For the sake of this list, we are only allowing each individual card to appear once. Without further ado, let’s dive right in and highlight the 15 most expensive Magic The Gathering cards of all time!
15. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Dual Land Underground Sea BGS 9.5 – $36,100
Image credit: PWCC
To kick the list off, we have a very important piece used in many tournament decks. The Underground Sea/Land dual belongs to the blue and black color combination, allowing players to tap it for either blue or black mana. This gives it unparalleled value and usage for gameplay purposes, but it is also a great collector’s piece in a higher grade like this BGS 9.5.
T-13. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Mox Emerald PSA 10 – $37,200
Image credit: PWCC
The Mox Emerald marks the last member of the Power Nine and last Mox Cycle piece on this list. This green mana-producing card is one of five known PSA 10s, and it last sold for $37,200 during a PWCC auction.
T-13. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Ancestral Recall PSA 10 – $37,200
Image credit: CardLadder
According to the MTG Wiki, Ancestral Recall “allows the player to use one card to draw three more at an extremely low mana cost. It originated as part of the "boon" cycle, one of each color, which gave three of something (e.g. mana, life, damage) for the cost of one mana.” Interestingly enough, this is the only card of the original Power Nine to never be reprinted in any fashion, making it one of the rarest TCG cards you’ll ever come across.
12. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Birds of Paradise BGS 9.5 – $37,877
Image credit: PWCC
Birds of Paradise is another MTG card that has become revered based on gameplay usage and striking visual appeal. Mark Poole illustrated the vibrant birds shown above, and this card is pivotal in many deck strategies. Additionally, it is a grail for many MTG enthusiasts, earning a $37,877 price tag during a 2019 auction.
11. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Mox Ruby PSA 10 – $39,600
Image credit: PWCC
Here we have another piece of the Mox cycle, the Ruby. This is the only gem on the list that notched a PSA 10 grade, selling in March 2023 for nearly $40,000. Mox Ruby also belongs to the Power Nine, so it will always be one of the more heralded artifact cards in MTG.
10. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Nightmare BGS 9.5 – $42,877
Image credit: PWCC
This is a dark and haunting card, so it remains very popular for those who revel in the darker aesthetic of MTG. Nightmare is a powerful addition to any deck, but it’s unlikely that you’ll find it in as flawless condition as this one. The BGS 9.5 copy shown above recently closed at just shy of $43,000, so you may want to check your childhood binders and try to find this one.
T-8. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Chaos Orb PSA 10 – $44,400
Image credit: PWCC
With artwork reminiscent of Goosebumps’ The Blob That Ate Everyone, Chaos Orb is threatening both visually and in battle. By flipping the Chaos Orb into the air and letting it fall onto the playing surface, players can destroy any non-token permanent it touches. The affected cards are removed from the game, providing a powerful and unpredictable tool for strategic maneuvering. This makes it banned in most competitive formats, yet it is still a very valuable and sought-after piece in the MTG lore.
T-8. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Shivan Dragon BGS 9.5 – $44,400
Image credit: CardLadder
When it comes to TCGs, this may not be the first dragon creature that comes to mind. Pokémon’s Charizard and Yu-Gi-Oh!’s Blue Eyes White Dragon are both highly collectible in their respective franchises, but this Shivan Dragon BGS 9.5 Gem Mint is a stunner. It has sold for as high as $44,400 during a November 2022 PWCC auction.
7. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Mox Sapphire PSA 9 – $46,800
Image credit: CardLadder
At #7, we have another Power Nine member and a wildly rare component of the original Alpha set. Mox Sapphire performs similarly to the Mox Jet, and both subsequently became highly contentious in competition. Many collectors try to assemble all three of the gems together, but that comes at the wallet’s expense.
T-5. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Vesuvan Doppelganger BGS 9.5 – $63,000
Image credit: PWCC
Illustrated by Quinton Hoover, the Vesuvan Doppelganger card is another rare piece from the 1993 Alpha set. On a card like this (or any TCG for that matter), you have to examine centering, surface, edges, and corners when grading. The fact that this rare shapeshifter obtained a 9.5 grade 30 years after printing is truly astounding, so it’s no wonder why it reached a sale price of over $60,000.
T-5. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Time Walk PSA 10 – $63,000
Image credit: PWCC
Another Power Nine member, Time Walk grants the player an additional turn during a match. And just like pretty much all of the Power Nine, this high-octane MTG card is banned in most formats. Time Walk features both remarkable artwork and stunning coloration, yet this is one of only ten PSA 10s ever cataloged.
4. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Mox Jet BGS 9.5 – $65,100
Image credit: CardLadder
The MTG Mox gems are instrumental cards in a player’s deck, and it just so happens that three of the original Mox cards belong to the Power Nine. Consequently, they provide immense power in a game and real monetary value to collectors. This Mox Jet is overwhelmingly pivotal in a match because it adds more mana for a player and provides a loophole for the “one land per turn” rule. This card is valuable in a Gem Mint condition like this one, yet it is banned in most competition formats.
3. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Timetwister PSA 10 – $84,000
Image credit: CardLadder
The impeccable artwork on this Timetwister Alpha card is second to none. Illustrator Mark Tedin weaved an intricate picture that visually highlights the immense power that the Timetwister possesses. Timetwister belongs to the original limited edition “Power Nine,” and many of the others appear on this list as well. This gem sits as one of three PSA 10s in existence, with one recently selling for $84,000.
2. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Alpha Lord of the Pit BGS 10 – $105,000
Image credit: PWCC
It is estimated that just over 1,000 of these copies exist, making it one of the rarest MTG cards in existence. Furthermore, it achieved a BGS 10 Pristine grade, which is one of the most exclusive grades in all of trading cards. The artwork on this card is some of Mark Tedin’s best, and the black bordering gives this one even more visual appeal. It last sold for $105,000 during a January 2023 PWCC auction.
1. 1993 Magic: The Gathering Black Lotus Limited Edition Artist Proof Autograph CGC 8.5 – $800,000
Image credit: Heritage Auction
To end this list of most expensive Magic The Gathering cards, we have one of the most iconic TCG cards in existence. There are several iterations of the Black Lotus, but this white back, artist proof arguably takes the cake as the rarest.
This particular Black Lotus doesn’t even stem from the original Alpha set, but rather a later Limited Edition Beta set. However, it contains a crisp autograph of the illustrator’s autograph at the bottom of the copy. This particular copy recently closed at $616,000 during a Heritage auction in March, making it the most expensive MTG card ever sold at public auction.
However, singer and noted MTG collector Post Malone confirmed during a 2022 interview with Howard Stern that he paid $800,000 in a private sale for one.
Which on our list of most expensive Magic The Gathering cards is your favorite? Let us know @CardTalkPod on Instagram and Twitter!
