Black Lotus sale for $3M is most expensive in MTG history

Jack Bye
MTG Black Lotus header

Black Lotus has regained its crown as the most valuable MTG card of all time following a record-breaking private sale.

A new record has been set for valuable MTG cards, as a copy of the legendary Black Lotus has reportedly been exchanged in a private sale for an unprecedented $3 Million.

Black Lotus is infamous among TCG players for being the most valuable MTG card in history. Debuting in the first-ever Magic: The Gathering set: Alpha, Black Lotus’ power cannot be denied. This source of free mana is chief among the Power Nine, the set of 9 strongest cards from the very inception of the game.

Recently, a challenger appeared to briefly take Black Lotus’ place. Following Tales of Middle Earth’s printing of the unique one-of-one copy of The One Ring, the golden ticket-style card was eventually found and sold to artist Post Malone at a price far outstripping even Black Lotus’ usual auction prices.

It seems that defying the odds, Black Lotus has once more risen to the spot of all-time most expensive MTG card, with a recent sale eclipsing even the $2 Million price tag of The One Ring sold to Post Malone.

TCG retailers Dave and Adam’s reported on the sale and some of the parties involved:

“The transaction took place in a private sale between Adam Cai of Pristine Collectibles and an undisclosed buyer”.

Even among Black Lotus sales, this recent acquisition represents a significant jump in price. The previous highest sale price for a copy of Black Lotus – also to Post Malone – wound up at $800,000. While a significant sum for any trading card, this cost pales in comparison to the $3 Million paid out to Cai.

With this Alpha Black Lotus selling for so much higher than the previous highest marker for the card, MTG players are wondering what exactly is so special about this Black Lotus copy.

CGC cards rated this Black Lotus at a ‘Pristine 10’, but many of the higher-value Black Lotus copies to be sold reach a grade of ten. Without a clear reason for the substantial price increase, some MTG fans are questioning whether there might be ulterior motives behind the sale.

Of course, the high-profile sale of The One Ring may have led to the floor being raised for this type of MTG transaction. With collectors being willing to cough up sums in the millions for the TCG cream of the crop, we may see more Black Lotus sales of this caliber in the future.

About The Author

Ecommerce writer with an MA in Creative Writing, covering MTG, DnD, and everything tabletop for Dexerto. Previously at WePC and VideoGamer. When not rolling dice and shuffling decks, he's playing old RPGs and wishing someone would remaster Skies of Arcadia already. You can reach him at Jack.Bye@Dexerto.com