What's new

Man finds rare $30,000 card during live Magic: The Gathering deck opening

Zerg

Main: Rain
Pick a card, any card! Actually, pick a Black Lotus, if you can.

That’s because the Black Lotus is the rarest Magic: The Gathering card in the world. First introduced in the game’s original 1993 Alpha set, it initially saw a print run of only 1,100 (an additional 3,000 or so – also quite valuable - were printed in the 1994 Beta run).

So imagine one fan’s surprise when he found one, in mint condition, while opening up an Alpha pack live on the internet (the, uh, "magic" happens around the 8:00 mark):


The video was intended to show off the experience of opening up a vintage, sealed Magic deck, though it also shows off the experience of stumbling upon tens of thousands of dollars while wearing surgical gloves. Last year, an Alpha Black Lotus sold for $27,302 on eBay, and though that card was in near perfect condition, this one is in, well, perfect condition. Fresh fish, right out of the pack!

The Black Lotus is one of the game’s legendary ‘Power Nine’, a set of absurdly powerful rare cards printed during the game’s 1993-1994 infancy. They’re all valuable; in good condition, any of the Power Nine will easily fetch a few grand. But the Black Lotus is the Holy Grail, and it looks like one lucky guy just found the holiest one.
 
E

Eldriken

Guest
I saw this on Kotaku yesterday. Talk about an awesome stroke of luck.
 

Indecisive

We'll burn you all—that is your fate!
Its not in mint condition after he freaked out while holding the card in his hand. :p
Too bad he didn't get a Alpha Volcanic island :DOGE
No body is going to get the joke. :(
 

Indecisive

We'll burn you all—that is your fate!
I looked it up, so it doesn't exist cause nerds would have been raging?
Ya it does not exist. Their was a printing mistake a few cards were not printed in alpha. Volcanic Island being one of them. The first set it was printed was beta. Its something not many people know.
 

ZigZag

That Welsh Guy
Wait... why is this dude on a 10 minute limit? no one should be on one of those.
Also I have no idea how people spend $30,000 on a card but hey that's collectors for yah, very nice find!
 

VGMtheVagabond

Salt Mine CEO
Wait... why is this dude on a 10 minute limit? no one should be on one of those.
Also I have no idea how people spend $30,000 on a card but hey that's collectors for yah, very nice find!
Just because very few of them were printed. Also, it's a ridiculously good card.
 

ZigZag

That Welsh Guy
Just because very few of them were printed. Also, it's a ridiculously good card.
No I get that side of things... but it's a card... and that's $30,000 is all it boggles me how cards no matter how rare or good can make that much but hey ho it's a thing :p
 

Indecisive

We'll burn you all—that is your fate!
Wait... why is this dude on a 10 minute limit? no one should be on one of those.
Also I have no idea how people spend $30,000 on a card but hey that's collectors for yah, very nice find!
The price given is somewhat not accurate. Considering the pricing of cards has a grading system. Since this would technically be a 10.0 which is the best condition it means the price is subject to increase a good amount. Most of the Lotuses sell for 30,000 or less based on a not 10 grade. So 10 grade is like holy shit. People buy it for one format and that would be vintage. You only need one lotus per deck. And some people want to pimp their deck. Basically making it as rare as possible. Usually filling the deck with foreign cards or miscuts.

Just because very few of them were printed. Also, it's a ridiculously good card.
Okay on its own. OP with other cards.
 

Juggs

Lose without excuses
Lead Moderator
I love watching Yu-Gi-Oh pack openings, but apparently, did not know what I was missing if Magic Cards go for this type of cash.

This video is going hella viral though, I've seen it everywhere on the internet.