Card image via Scryfall. Magic: The Gathering card art is © Wizards of the Coast; artist Christopher Rush. CardVolume is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy, not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Alpha printing.
Black Lotus
Limited Edition Alpha
Values as of Sep 26, 2026 in USD. Market price = median of at least 5 qualifying sales of this exact version and grade in the last 90 days. Methodology
Sales history
| Date | Version | Grade | Price | Venue | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 20, 2026 | Limited Edition Alpha | PSA 10 | $2,208,000 incl. premium | Goldin Auctions, reported by ICv2 auction | Verified | Open |
| Dec 12, 2025 | Limited Edition Alpha | CGC 8 | $68,750 incl. premium | Heritage Auctions auction | Cross-checked | Open |
| Apr 29, 2024 | Limited Edition Alpha | CGC Pristine 10 | $3,000,000 | Private sale reported by CGC Cards private | Cross-checked | Open |
| Apr 11, 2024 | Limited Edition Alpha autographed copy | BGS 9/Auto 10 | $106,251 incl. premium | Heritage Auctions auction | Cross-checked | Open |
| Dec 2, 2022 | Limited Edition Alpha | BGS 9 | $174,000 incl. premium | Heritage Auctions auction | Cross-checked | Open |
Verified: an editor or automated check confirmed the figure on the source page. Cross-checked: an independent second research pass reopened the source and confirmed it. Reported: cited by research but not re-checked; never used in metrics. Asking prices are never listed here.
Price chart
Limited Edition Alpha · PSA 10
Fewer than two qualifying sales for PSA 10; no chart.
Limited Edition Alpha · CGC 8
Fewer than two qualifying sales for CGC 8; no chart.
Limited Edition Alpha · CGC Pristine 10
Fewer than two qualifying sales for CGC Pristine 10; no chart.
Limited Edition Alpha · BGS 9
Fewer than two qualifying sales for BGS 9; no chart.
Limited Edition Alpha autographed copy · BGS 9/Auto 10
Fewer than two qualifying sales for BGS 9/Auto 10; no chart.
Graded population
| Version | Grader | Grade | Count | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Limited Edition Alpha | CGC | Pristine 10 | 1 | Apr 29, 2024 | Open |
| Limited Edition Alpha | PSA | 10 | 3 | Sep 20, 2026 | Open |
Population counts copies graded by one company in one grade. It is not a print run and it grows with every submission. Why population is not print run
Grading math for this card
Prefilled with the latest qualifying sale for each grade where one exists. Replace any value with your own. We never suggest what grade your copy will get.
Formula from Grading: condition, uncertainty, and economics: grading pays only if your honest chance of the high grade exceeds (raw net + cost − other-outcome net) ÷ (high-grade net − other-outcome net). The 13% fee is an editable assumption, not a quoted tariff.
About Black Lotus
Black Lotus is the best-known rare artifact from Magic: The Gathering's first commercial release, Limited Edition Alpha. Collectors search for it because it combines early Magic history, the Power Nine identity, Reserved List status, and unusually large grade and provenance premiums.
Why this card matters
Verified factBlack Lotus matters because it is both an early Magic game piece and a collectible object from the first commercial Magic set. The card's catalog identity is an Alpha rare artifact by Christopher Rush, and Wizards' official Reserved List page includes Black Lotus under Limited Edition. That policy does not establish a price floor, but it is relevant supply evidence because it states that Reserved Cards will not be printed again in functionally identical tournament-legal physical form. For CardVolume, the useful claim is narrow: Alpha Black Lotus is an original 1993 printing with strong collector recognition, not a guaranteed financial result. [1][2]
Identifying the exact version
AnalysisThe exact version is the first step. Alpha, Beta, and Unlimited are not interchangeable comps. Alpha and Beta are both black-bordered early printings with no expansion symbol, while Unlimited is white-bordered. The practical Alpha/Beta distinction is the corner cut: Alpha cards have a larger, more rounded corner radius than Beta and later Magic cards. Modern catalog pages assign Black Lotus number 232, but that number is not printed on the original Alpha card. Signed, altered, artist-proof, 30th Anniversary, Collectors' Edition, and International Collectors' Edition examples should be treated as separate variants, not blended into Alpha raw or graded comps. [1][3]
What moves the price between versions and grades
Verified factThe documented sales show that grade, grader, signature status, public auction venue, and provenance can move the observed price dramatically. A CGC Pristine 10 Alpha Black Lotus was reported by CGC as a $3,000,000 private sale in April 2024, while a PSA Gem Mint 10 Alpha Black Lotus sold through Goldin for $2,208,000 including buyer's premium in September 2026. Lower graded Alpha copies at Heritage are still large transactions, but they are separate markets from PSA 10 or CGC Pristine 10 copies. Condition rarity matters, but a population number is not a print run or a count of surviving copies. [4][5][6][7]
Authenticity checks
AnalysisFor authenticity, compare the physical card against official or stable catalog references for Alpha Black Lotus and against known authentic Alpha card features. Use multiple checks together: card size, corner radius, black border, rosette and print texture, text, back design, wear consistency, and the slab record if graded. Do not use destructive tests. A valid cert lookup alone is not enough because copied cert numbers and fake holders exist in the broader graded-card market. For high-value copies, require original photos, front and back slab images, provenance where available, and a specialist review before relying on the sale. [1][6]
Telling the versions apart
| Version | How to identify it |
|---|---|
| Limited Edition Alpha | Black border, no expansion symbol, original 1993 frame, collector number not printed on the card, and the larger rounded Alpha corner cut. |
| Limited Edition Beta | Black border and no expansion symbol like Alpha, but with the standard Magic corner radius rather than Alpha's larger rounded corners. |
| Unlimited Edition | White border, no expansion symbol, same early frame family, and a 1993 core-set printing distinct from Alpha and Beta. |
| Limited Edition Alpha autographed copy | An Alpha copy with an authenticated autograph or autograph grade; compare only to other signed/autographed examples. |
What people get wrong about this card
Based on the claims our guides decline to adopt: Risk and strategy · Case studies and corrections
Supply events
- May 4, 2016 · card reprintWizards' official Reprint Policy lists Black Lotus from Limited Edition as a Reserved Card and says Reserved Cards will not be printed again in functionally identical tournament-legal physical form. Source
“Reprint” can mean four different things; each affects a different pool of substitutes. Read more
Frequently asked questions
How much did a PSA 10 Alpha Black Lotus sell for most recently in the sources opened here?
What is the highest documented Black Lotus sale in this record?
How do I tell Alpha Black Lotus from Beta Black Lotus?
Is Alpha Black Lotus on the Reserved List?
How many CGC Pristine 10 Alpha Black Lotus copies exist?
Sources
- Black Lotus - Limited Edition Alpha catalog page — mtg.wtf (accessed Sep 26, 2026)
- Official Reprint Policy — Wizards of the Coast (accessed Sep 26, 2026)
- Alpha Rare Authentication — MTG Information (accessed Sep 26, 2026)
- Black Lotus Graded CGC Pristine 10 Sells for $3 Million, Breaking Record! — CGC Cards (accessed Sep 26, 2026)
- 'Magic: The Gathering' PSA 10 Alpha Black Lotus Sells for Over $2.2 Million — ICv2 (accessed Sep 26, 2026)
- Heritage Auctions Lot 36009: Alpha Black Lotus BGS Mint 9 — Heritage Auctions (accessed Sep 26, 2026)
- Heritage Auctions Lot 36002: Alpha Black Lotus CGC NM/Mint 8 — Heritage Auctions (accessed Sep 26, 2026)
- Heritage Auctions search results: Black Lotus archive sales — Heritage Auctions (accessed Sep 26, 2026)
Not yet established
- The exact transaction day for the $3,000,000 CGC Pristine 10 private sale was not stated beyond the CGC article date and April 2024 context.
- A direct primary Goldin lot page for the September 2026 PSA 10 sale was not opened; the sale is recorded from ICv2's report.
- Full current PSA, BGS, and CGC population tables were not independently opened for every grade.
Research: Codex research pass (live web) · automated source checks · independent cross-check · generated Sep 26, 2026 · awaiting editor review · updated Sep 26, 2026. Found an error? Report it.
