1993 Magic The Gathering MTG Alpha Black Lotus AUTO PSA 10 GEM MINT

When collectors think of iconic cards from the various trading card games (TCGs) released over the last few decades, the Base Set Charizard springs to mind. They need to realize, however, that the Pokemon Company only created the Pokemon TCG due to the success of Magic: The Gathering (MTG). The Black Lotus, illustrated by the late Christopher Rush--the undisputed king of early MTG—laid the groundwork for their success. While other TCGs may venerate utility, rarity, or breathtaking beauty, Rush's magnum opus, the Black Lotus, offers all three in spades. The first collectible card game ever made, Magic creator Richard Garfield had yet to learn of the game's potential. Thus, the company short-printed the initial Alpha, resulting in a pittance compared to some print runs of modern-day MTG. According to the original Wizards of the Coast CEO Peter Adkinson, the Alpha print run consisted of 295 unique collectible playing cards, including 116 different rare cards, limited to 2.61 million cards, with only approximately 1,008 of each rare card, such as the Black Lotus released. Illustrated by Christopher Rush, the same artist who designed the symbols for mana, the Black Lotus ranks as easily the most recognizable and coveted Magic card. The rays of sunlight breaking through the forest's canopy and illuminating the Black Lotus remains popular with collectors for its beauty, simplicity, and recognizable design. Game Creator Richard Garfield, who found it amusing to empower a flower, created the concept of the Black Lotus. It contrasted nicely with traditional fantasy archetypes such as rings or other physical equipment, and he found it funny to endow a flower with such overwhelming power. The card's utility comes from its ability to add three of any mana color to its' user's mana pool, meaning that it was the lynchpin of any competitive deck and could be used in any of them interchangeably. As a result of its necessity for competitive play, Wizards of the Coast added the Black Lotus to the Magic: The Gathering cards reserved list, a list of older cards that the company promises not to reprint in a legal competition format. Thus, the Black Lotus will likely never see a playable re-release, making any of the few official copies left even more desirable. PSA has graded only six examples of this card in PSA 10 out of 105 they reviewed, making this example an immediate showpiece in any collector's portfolio. Further adding to this aura of exclusivity, the case sports the signature of artist Christopher Rush; however, PSA did not authenticate the signature. The popularity and playability of the Black Lotus became a detriment to the card itself, causing players to use many of the original 1,008 Alpha Black Lotuses in competitive play. These were the days when card sleeves were an afterthought, and many carried around their decks with rubber bands. The featured example boasts impeccable centering and edges nearly devoid of the paint chipping or whitening characteristic of many cards from this issue. The progenitor of the trading card game Magic: The Gathering's Alpha Black Lotus has no equal and stands atop the pinnacle of the industry. Without it, Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! would not exist today, let alone the hundreds of other games that have spawned in the wake of its success. The industry will likely celebrate the legacy that Christopher Rush has left generations of players with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a piece of history. This month's PWCC Premier Auction offers fans a chance to bask in the illuminating card that started it all: the Black Lotus.