Magic: The Gathering has been going strong since its inception in August 1993, setting the mold for how trading card games are made. This game sets some rules to restrict the power of certain cards, from mana costs to rarity, and new players may be wondering how to tell commons apart from rares, and how to tell which cards are particularly valuable.
Most Magic cards are worth between 10 cents and a single U.S. dollar, but some cards can be worth over $100 or more -- and the really valuable cards can be worth thousands and can be auctioned off, such as Black Lotus. However there are a few general trends that valuable cards follow, serving as a fine starting point for new players to be able to identify which ones are worth more than others.
As a general rule, Magic cards are released in blocks or in standalone Core Sets, and other cards may be released in specialized products. Such products are not regular card sets, nor are they used for games of booster draft Limited. Such products are meant to bring back fan-favorite cards in special editions, mainly as collectibles. Such fancy cards can also be put into Commander decks, Modern decks and Legacy decks just to show off. Cards from these sets have special frames and are usually premium foil; the Masterpiece series is a fine example.
The Battle for Zendikar block launched this trend with its special Expedition lands, from the ten fetchlands to classics such as Wasteland and Eye of Ugin. Next came the Kaladesh block's Inventions series, featuring artifacts with unique card frames and alternate art of classics like Sword of War and Peace, Sol Ring, Wurmcoil Engine and more. Then, the Amonkhet block introduced the Egypt-inspired Invocations, featuring spells such as Cryptic Command, Blood Moon, Maelstrom Pulse and others.
For a time, Wizards also released the From the Vault series, each being a small collection of foil cards with distinct themes. From the Vault: Annihilation, for example, featured destructive cards such as Damnation, Wrarth of God and more. From the Vault: Legends was popular, and these cards had mythic rare expansion symbols on them.
Not all valuable Magic cards are from special sets, however. Many valuable cards are from regular expansion sets or specialized sets, such as Commander Legends or Double Masters, and appear in draft. To begin with, most valuable cards are either rare or mythic rare, with gold or bronze-red expansion symbols, respectively. This doesn't go both ways, though, since there are many rare cards and even some mythics that are worth little. Bulk rares are a thing, and new players might not see the difference between them and truly valuable rares.
Players can consult sites such as TCG Player, StarCityGames and MTG Goldfish see a particular card's market value, with the card's value varying based on the site, the card's physical condition and even in which set the card was printed. Some cards are printed multiple times, and some printings are more valuable than others.
For example, a Tarmogoyf from the Time Spiral block is generally worth more than its Modern Masters 2017 cousin, but the UltImate Masters box topper version is valuable too due to rarity. Also, as a general rule, rare dual lands are usually worth at least a few dollars or more, such as the shocklands from the Ravnica blocks, the "fast lands" from the Scars of Mirrodin block (such as Darkslick Shores) and the ten fetchlands, such as Wooded Foothills and Polluted Delta. Some of them are found in the Khans of Tarkir block, and others in the Zendikar block.
New players may also hear about some notoriously costly cards by name. An incomplete list would include Force of Will, Time Walk, Mana Drain, Ancestral Recall, Imperial Seal, Time Vault, Underground Sea and, most of all, Black Lotus itself. Depending on its condition, a card of this caliber may go for several thousand dollars due to its rarity, condition, immense gameplay utility and sheer collector's value. Such cards are tough to find, as expected.
Otherwise, a novice player can meet a more experienced player and browse their binder of rare cards, since most dedicated players will have a binder or two made up entirely of valuable rare and mythic rare (and some uncommon) cards. New players can learn the names and appearances of these cards, and use them as reference.
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