1993 Magic The Gathering MTG Beta Mox Sapphire R A BGS 10 PRISTINE

Released in October of 1993, the Beta printing is the second print run of the original Magic the Gathering Trading Card Game designed by Richard Garfield and released by Wizards of the Coast. According to the original Wizards of the Coast CEO Peter Adkinson, the Beta print run consisted of 302 unique cards and was limited to a total of 7.83 million cards total, with only approximately 3,025 of each rare card being released. Considered to be one of the ""Power Nine,"" the nine most coveted and overpowered released in the early days of Magic the Gathering, the Mox Sapphire designed by distinguished artist Dan Frazier has been a staple in competitive decks since the beginning. Commissioned for Wizards of the Coast, the Moxes had to be recognizable from over fifteen feet away as well as upside down, and Dan was reportedly paid only $50 in cash and $50 in stock, later selling his originals for between $26-43. Dan selected the Moxes initially because he thought that jewelry sounded easy to do, however his meticulous brush strokes have been recognized the world over. Dan succeeded with his assignment, as the blue of the sapphire instantly draws attention, and is immediately recognizable by anyone with even passing knowledge of the game. With a cost of zero for the player, the Mox Sapphire granted its user a blue mana to their mana pool, awarding any who wielded it a sizeable competitive edge. Unlike lands which can only be played once per turn, Moxes can be played as many times as you have the cards in your hand in a single turn, creating an ever-increasing power gap over those who did not have any. To date only four out of nearly 300 copies, submitted to Beckett for review have received their coveted Pristine 10 designation and only a single example received a better grade. One of the most playable Magic cards ever created, and with only 3,000 of these having been produced, this Beta example of Mox Sapphire offers fans an exceedingly rare opportunity to own this legendary card in pristine condition.