Priciest Treasures Unveiled
Cardboard never looked this costly. In the world of Magic: The Gathering, a single card can outprice a Rolex or even a year of college. These aren’t just game pieces—they’re grails that summon six-figure bids and collector obsession. Let’s explore 20 glittering vaults of MTG’s most expensive legends.
1. Candelabra Of Tawnos ($2,430)
Untap X lands with a simple tap, that’s all it takes. Candelabra of Tawnos may look unassuming, but in the hands of blue mages and storm players, it’s explosive. Printed in Antiquities, its scarcity makes it a prized gem for combo lovers.
2. Imperial Seal (Portal Three Kingdoms) ($1,000+)
One mana tutor to the top of your library. Though it’s slower than Vampiric Tutor, it still enables devastating setups. Used to stack combos or grab clutch answers, Imperial Seal remains a precision tool for players who plan three steps ahead.
3. Juzám Djinn ($3,190)
A 5/5 for four mana with a tiny upkeep penalty? In 1993, that was horrifyingly good. Juzám Djinn became an icon of early black magic, both the spell and the strategy. Its menacing art and cult following keep prices terrifyingly high.
$10,000++ Juzam Djinn PRISTINE BGS 10 MTG Old School Magic Review by Vintage MTG (Vintage Magic)
4. Moat ($3,000+)
No flying? No passage. Moat shuts down entire strategies with its elegant, airborne filter. Pulled from Legends, this enchantment is both flavor-rich and format-breaking. Its price soars when flying decks dominate formats, but collectors don’t need wings to fight for a copy.
5. Chaos Orb (Alpha) ($4,000)
Flip the card. Watch it land. Anything it touches is destroyed. Chaos Orb is part spell, part mini-game, and 100% nostalgia. Banned for being physically interactive, its Alpha version is chaotic perfection for those who love Magic with a splash of madness.
Chaos Orb Flip In Slow Motion MTG Magic The Gathering by Gold is Magic
6. The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale (Approximately $4,200)
Board floods become board wipes when the Tabernacle hits the field. This land card demands mana taxes for every creature, turning swarm strategies to dust. With a low print run from the Legends set, it holds real estate in both decks and investment portfolios.
7. Splendid Genesis ($6000+)
This card did more than change a game. It was a life-marker. Created to celebrate Richard Garfield’s firstborn, it reads like a birth announcement disguised as sorcery. This card reminds us that Magic’s origins aren’t just corporate—they’re personal and deeply human.
8. Mox Emerald (Alpha) ($6,550)
Green mana acceleration without sacrificing a land? That’s what Mox Emerald offered to nature-loving strategists. The card’s Alpha version is as lush in value as in vintage storm combos. Quietly lethal and endlessly desirable!
Unlimited Mox Emerald Unboxing Power 9 CE Comparison Magic: The Gathering MTG by Gold is Magic
9. Time Vault ($7,000)
Take a turn, skip a turn, then cheat and untap it. Time Vault is one of Magic’s most abused artifacts. It’s complex and confusing yet undeniably powerful, and tournament-legal combos turned it from quirky to coveted. Mint versions usually cost more than your rent.
Time Vault Combo! For your enjoyment! by openboosters
10. Library Of Alexandria ($8,000)
Card draw for simply having a full hand? That’s the appeal of this Egyptian-inspired land. A favorite among control players, it rewards patience with pure advantage. Limited print and tournament bans only boosted its mythos. This card is wisdom, weaponized.
MTG Reserved List Buys #15! LIBRARY OF ALEXANDRIA!! 2000€ ARABIAN NIGHTS CARD. by NerdAndProudOfIt
11. Timetwister (Alpha) ($20,000)
Shuffle hands, draw seven, and reset the board—for three mana. Timetwister is deceptively tame on first read, but cracked wide open in combo builds. As part of the Power Nine, it’s a must-own for vintage lovers and collectors chasing the set.
TimeTwister ? by Alpha Investments
12. Bazaar Of Baghdad ($20,000)
Discarding three and drawing two sounds terrible, but it's a dream in dredge and reanimator builds. Bazaar of Baghdad is an engine disguised as mayhem. Arabian Nights gave it one printing only, and now it fuels both combos and the collector economy.
Ally Puts Her Hand Oils on a BAZAAR OF BAGHDAD! | $10K+ MTG COLLECTION ACQUISITION! by Titan Cards
13. Fraternal Exaltation ($23,750)
This one has art and text designed to celebrate family growth. It feels less like a game piece and more like a custom keepsake. With only about 220 copies ever produced, its 2023 public sale at $23,750 highlighted just how meaningful it is.
14. Mox Ruby (Alpha) ($47,000)
Red decks never looked so fast. Mox Ruby gave aggro players a rare chance to outpace control with ridiculous efficiency. It’s the least flashy of the Mox gems but no less powerful, and Alpha printings glow hot in high-end trade circles.
Mox Ruby Graded MTG Magic the Gathering by openboosters
15. Sliver Queen (Stronghold) (Approximately $600)
Five colors. Infinite tokens. Sliver Queen helped define Commander deckbuilding before Commander even existed. Her ability to flood the board made her iconic. Stronghold’s limited printing and nostalgia have made her a perennial favorite—and an eternal monarch of MTG’s price charts.
Opening Revised and Stronghold MTG!!! Sliver Queen!! by Johny MTG
16. Mox Sapphire (Alpha) ($50,000)
Unlimited free blue mana, no land drop needed. Mox Sapphire's legacy is one of tempo dominance and explosive turns. Among the Power Nine, it’s both aesthetically striking and a menace in vintage decks. Alpha versions are a collector’s fantasy and a competitive player’s forbidden dream.
17. Capture Of Jingzhou ($744)
It’s Time Warp by another name, but twice as elusive. Printed only in Portal Three Kingdoms, Capture of Jingzhou is the extra-turn spell that’s nearly impossible to find. Its gameplay is simple, but the rarity tells the real story—and collectors know it.
18. Ancestral Recall (Alpha) ($100,000)
Draw three cards for one blue mana. It ranges from $20,000 to $100,000. Ancestral Recall became the blueprint for what card advantage shouldn’t look like. This card is a cornerstone of the Power Nine and the ultimate early-game boost—feared by opponents and worshiped by control players.
19. The One Ring (Serialized 1/1) ($2,000,000)
A true one-off in Magic history, this Elvish-foiled card from Tales of Middle-earth exists in just one copy. The frenzy it unleashed peaked when Post Malone bought it for $2 million in 2023. Its unmatched rarity cements it as Magic’s most valuable and iconic modern treasure.
"Post Malone's Mind-Blowing Purchase: The 1/1 "The One Ring" Fetches $2.6 MILLION!" by J-Brock
20. Black Lotus (Alpha) ($3,000,000)
This is myth incarnate. Black Lotus lets you play three mana for free, fueling explosive turn-one plays. Banned in nearly every format, its scarcity and power have turned it into a six-figure legend. An Alpha CGC 10 sold for $3,000,000 in 2024.
"HOLY GRAIL" of Magic Cards: ULTRA RARE Black Lotus | Pawn Stars Do America (Season 1) by Pawn Stars
