WOTC is returning to its roots for Magic: The Gathering's 30th Anniversary, giving players new and old a chance to experience (or relive) some of the game's historic moments. Perhaps the height of MTG collector-hood is owning a Black Lotus, the game's most expensive, most powerful and rarest cards. Here's how you can get your hands on one (or if you're just curious about MTG's most valuable card).

Black Lotus has only been officially printed three times in Magic's history, in Alpha, Beta and Unlimited, three of the earliest sets of Magic. It's part of "The Power Nine" a collection of cards so strong they had to be banned or restricted in nearly every format. Black Lotus has since become emblematic of Magic and its history, and copies of it are sought after by high-level collectors who are willing to pay boatloads of cash for it.

Black Lotus MTG: How Much is the Most Expensive Magic Card?

In 2021, a copy of Black Lotus in mint condition and signed by original artist Christopher Rush sold for over $510,000, as reported by Polygon. Copies of the card in slightly worse condition and not signed by the artist are still prohibitively expensive: A copy recently appeared on the History Channel show Pawn Stars, for which the seller was asking for $85,000.

After calling in an expert, the buyer declined to purchase the card at that price, but it shows just how valuable even an inferior copy of Black Lotus truly is.

This article was originally published on dbltap as Black Lotus MTG: How Much is the Most Expensive Magic Card?.