The 20 Most Expensive Magic Cards Ever Printed
Thousands of magic cards have been printed over time. These are the most sought after, broken, amazing, and expensive ones…
Did you ever wonder what the top 20 most expensive magic cards of all time were?
These are also possibly some of the most sought after cards in the world. If you own one of these, heads up, it’s probably worth more than you’d guess…
Well here goes: (prices listed reflect an average of online listings and no particular vendor)
UPDATED : MAR 28, 2010
#20
Shivian Dragon – Limited Edition Alpha – $200
During the dawn of Magic, Shivan Dragon was the best of the best when it came to a powerful, cool, game winning creature. Now it has been surpassed by nearly all the other dragons in MTG but it’s initial popularity made an original one tough to find in halfway decent condition. This card is a collectors item, and a collectors item only. Its age, rarity and popularity drive up the price. If you really want one, it is re-printed in numerous other core sets for less than $2.00 a piece.
#19
Library of Alexandria – Arabian Nights – $229
A very versatile card in vintage, this card basically allows you to start the game off with an additional card in your hand. In a game of card advantage, Library of Alexandria can continue to deliver well into the game.
#18
Birds of Paradise – Limited Edition Alpha – $232
Much like Shivan Dragon, the BoP have been reprinted into oblivion. Alpha cards are rare, mostly because they are older than half the kids that play the game. Not to mention this card was and still is one of the most sought after cards in the game. Lucky for collectors, it has been reprinted no less than 10 times in other sets…and counting…
#17
Bazaar of Bahgdad – Arabian Nights- $243
A 1993 printing makes this card hard to find. A novelty to have, it is a rare land that doesn’t really act like a land at all! For 0 mana, you can re-do part of your hand, which is not an ability found on any other card.
#16
Imperial Seal – Portal: 3 Kingdoms – $250
Liked it
Sorry. Make that 12,400 gumballs. I spend so much time talking about magic, I’m obviously failing math…
Have you tried spellchecking your article?
That would be the first step. Afterward, try to fix factual errors and list prices closer to reality.
it says the prices vary… they’re an average! so what if they give or take a little?
this is a good article!
i would run it through spellcheck though…
alleji is an idiot and this article is sweet.
Not bad. One thing, however. Time Vault is not a member of the Power Nine. Those are the Moxen, Time Walk, Time Twister, Ancestral Recall, and Black Lotus. Just thought I’d point that out.
This card is so broken, it’s fixed.
2900$ for that? that seems sort of odd and i dont understand it i started like 4 months ago on mtg and now still dont understand why people want to buy my 2 m10 foil ajani goldmanes for 25$ each its confusing.
Its a tournament staple, black lotus is. first turn mana acceeration like that translates to first turn wins! once you learn the ropes of the whole game and the history itll make a little more sense 
Blue Hurricane anyone? Worth more than a Black Lotus.
sweet
Update: Zodiac Dragon has passed grim tutor and mana drain for the 18th spot on the list
I wish I had these cards. Then I could sell them and use the money for something practical. It is beyond me how someone would be willing to shell out that much money for a card game…
@monoman… Me too, if I were to come in contact with one, id take a picture with it and sell it as fas as I possibly could lol the chance of owning a playset nowadays is an almost impossible feat
“This particular Alpha Black Lotus was given the highest possible PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) grading, GEM MINT 10, and features artist Christopher Rush’s signature. It’s currently owned by renowned MtG authority Daniel Chang.
An exact figure on the price of the most valuable Magic: The Gathering card is unavailable, but collectors have paid $15,000 for lesser Black Lotus cards.”
Imperial Recruiter. some potential yet otherwise a little useless. especially in its format.
Portal 3 Kingdoms. 1 red 2 colorless. When Imperial Recruiter comes into play, search your library for a creature card with a power no greater than 2 and put it in your hand. Shuffle your library.
Not the exact printing but thats what it does. $160 to $175.
Just to run something up the flagpole, any rare printed in Alpha/Beta/Unlimited only, is likely to have a total print run for the individual card of between 13,000 and 26,000. If I had more information on the breakdown of how many booster packs vs. starter decks were ever printed, I could make a more exact estimate.
Wow, nice interesting cards. =)
(Ahaha, of course, i knew all of them existed )
lol i have one 
I’ve seen a card that was far more expencive than this one.
On that website you can buy it for €1000,-.
that’s not cheap.
Yew: neads ;”Tew Yews ,Spel -Chek,Yew Nab….Keap Point Dexter Happee
I have almost all if these where would I sell
Them
I would recommend taking high quality photos of them and using E-bay. Just make sure you get all your facts right before posting them 
I know a private collector as well that purchases cards such as these if you’d prefer help.
You forgot ‘Black Lotus’. Thats the most expensive card I know.
there are 3 pages to this article
Short, Offense Version- U R IDIOT
Long, Constructive Version -
seriously, these lists are terrible. This one is not even close to accurate. Take into account Japanese Foils (Jace TMS is about $400 in Japanese Foil, Goblin Welder goes for over $300, Tarmogoyf $400+, etc..) I have never seen Time Walk listed for more than Ancestral (and seriously, play some serious games of Vintage and resolve both a few times, then tell me which one is better), but most importantly, certain misprints, alters, and Summer Magic cards all go for more than a Lotus regularly (Summer Hurricane was over $6000 the last time I checked, which was ages ago).
Similar commentary could be made about all of your MTG lists. Wrath of God as one of the most annoying cards? Play against a Vintage Stax deck some time, there are at least 5 cards in those decks that will make you cry if you think getting Wrathed is irritating.. Top “Kill” (Removal) Spell Wrath? It’s not even playable in Vintage anymore. Ever hear of Swords to Plowshares, Path to Exile, Malestrom Pulse, Vindicate?
My point is that you have a huge amount to learn about this game, and should do some more learning before making such lists.
@Killane … Please read these articles a little closer before blowing up about them. Obviously this list does not take into account irregularities and foreign cards. I think anyone reading it that knows half a thing buying/selling magic cards could figure that out, but thanks for pointing it out, just in case someone else misses it too.
As for my other aricles, for example, the kill spell article, please READ it rather than skimming it… you’d see that the WoG list is completely incorrect, and I ackowlede that.
Blue Hurricane is the most expensive card, not Black Lotus
I like this kind of article, entering the legend of MTG oldies. But these days, the top of the ranking has changed. I think an Alpha Underground Sea is coming second to Alpha Black Lotus. And both Tundra and Volcanic Island in Alpha are getting more expensive and scarce than an Alpha Time Walk (which is my all time favorite) or even some Alpha moxes. And also Alpha Timetwister is much cheaper than that if you’re chillin’ around in my opinion. Anyway, good job, nice article !
Sorry, I mean Alpha Tropical Island, Volcanic Island doesn’t exist in Alpha.
This has to be one of the dumbest lists ever written. Lump duals and moxen together and you’ll probably come up with a better one.
Beta, Black lotus is worth ~$2400. Highest value non-promo card.
Yea the prices are wrong most of which have gone up some dropped.
i.e Black Lotus is now close to $5,000…just saying
false list, the number 1 prices card was a card that the creator made only a small amount of when his kids were born, it was a green card but the name evades me, of course it was never tournament legal and was just for collectors but it was the most valueable and is still to this day, if any one has its name please post it.
splendid genesis http://magiccards.info/uqc/en/4.html
Now I feel really bad for destroying my friends black lotus card back in 4th grade (1995). It was on accident…but what a mistake.
i have a black lotus for sell, signed by the creator of magic. who wants it?
Hmm. This list could probably do for some updating, as Imperial Seal is now over $700 mid.
i have a lot of this cards and don’t know nothing about them, someone give to me about 10 years ago, i need a price list to sell them a good price.
i have a lot of this cards and don\’t know nothing about them, someone give to me about 10 years ago, i need a price list to sell them a good price.
