---
title: "Mox Emerald 261 (Limited Edition Alpha) price, verified sales and population"
url: https://cardvolume.com/magic/alpha/mox-emerald/
category: Magic: The Gathering
updated: 2026-09-27
as_of: 2026-09-27
source: CardVolume (https://cardvolume.com)
---

# Mox Emerald 261 (Limited Edition Alpha): price, verified sales and population

> Mox Emerald is the green-producing Mox from Magic: The Gathering's first set, Limited Edition Alpha. Collectors search for it because it is both a Power Nine card and an early black-border Alpha artifact with strong condition sensitivity.

## Key facts

- CardVolume lists 7 verified sales of the Mox Emerald 261 (Limited Edition Alpha) as of September 27, 2026.
- No grade has the 5 verified sales in 90 days needed for a market price; the most recent verified sale was $4,375 for a Limited Edition Alpha printing CGC Authentic Altered on October 30, 2025 at Heritage Auctions.
- The highest verified sale on record is $18,000 for a Limited Edition Alpha printing BGS 8 on March 25, 2021 at Heritage Auctions.

## Market price by version and grade

Market price = median of at least 5 verified sales in the last 90 days for that exact version, grader and grade. "—" means not enough verified sales.

| Version | Grade | Market price | Sales in window | Last verified sale | Record sale | Population |
|---|---|---:|---:|---|---|---:|
| Limited Edition Alpha printing | PSA 6.5 | — | 0 | $5,650 (2019-12-08) | $5,650 (2019-12-08) | — |
| Limited Edition Alpha printing | PSA 4 | — | 0 | $5,000 (2020-08-27) | $5,000 (2020-08-27) | — |
| Limited Edition Alpha printing | CGC 7.5 | — | 0 | $8,750 (2023-10-21) | $8,750 (2023-10-21) | — |
| Limited Edition Alpha printing | CGC Authentic Altered | — | 0 | $4,375 (2025-10-30) | $4,375 (2025-10-30) | — |
| Limited Edition Alpha printing | BGS 9 | — | 0 | $14,375 (2023-10-20) | $14,375 (2023-10-20) | 51 |
| Limited Edition Alpha printing | BGS 9/Auto 9 | — | 0 | $13,750 (2024-04-11) | $13,750 (2024-04-11) | — |
| Limited Edition Alpha printing | BGS 8 | — | 0 | $18,000 (2021-03-25) | $18,000 (2021-03-25) | — |

## Verified sales

Each sale was confirmed on the linked page by an automated check or an independent second pass.

| Date | Version | Grade | Price (USD) | Buyer's premium | Venue | Source |
|---|---|---|---:|---|---|---|
| 2025-10-30 | Limited Edition Alpha printing | CGC Authentic Altered | $4,375 | included | Heritage Auctions | [link](https://comics.ha.com/c/search/results.zx?archive_state=5327&auction_name=43229&auction_year=2025&dept=1938&mode=archive&sold_status=1526~1524) |
| 2024-04-11 | Limited Edition Alpha printing | BGS 9/Auto 9 | $13,750 | included | Heritage Auctions | [link](https://comics.ha.com/c/search/results.zx?archive_state=5327&auction_name=43190&auction_year=2024&dept=1938&layout=gallery&mode=archive&page=24~1&sb=1&si=2&sold_status=1526~1524) |
| 2023-10-21 | Limited Edition Alpha printing | CGC 7.5 | $8,750 | included | Heritage Auctions | [link](https://www.cgccards.com/news/article/12259/artist-proof-lotus-results/) |
| 2023-10-20 | Limited Edition Alpha printing | BGS 9 | $14,375 | included | Heritage Auctions | [link](https://comics.ha.com/itm/memorabilia/trading-cards/magic-the-gathering-mox-emerald-limited-edition-alpha-bgs-trading-card-game-mint-9-wizards-of-the-coast-1993-rare/a/7333-36025.s) |
| 2021-03-25 | Limited Edition Alpha printing | BGS 8 | $18,000 | included | Heritage Auctions | [link](https://comics.ha.com/c/search/results.zx?archive_state=5327&auction_name=40166&auction_year=2021&dept=1938&layout=gallery&mode=archive&page=72~1&sb=1&si=2&sold_status=1526~1524) |
| 2020-08-27 | Limited Edition Alpha printing | PSA 4 | $5,000 | excluded | eBay via PSA Auction Prices Realized | [link](https://www.psacard.com/auctionprices/tcg-cards/1993-magic-gathering-limited-edition-alpha/mox-emerald/auction/-1350058544678895920) |
| 2019-12-08 | Limited Edition Alpha printing | PSA 6.5 | $5,650 | excluded | eBay via PSA Auction Prices Realized | [link](https://www.psacard.com/auctionprices/tcg-cards/1993-magic-gathering-limited-edition-alpha/mox-emerald/auction/7925531438189182037) |

## How to identify each version

- **Limited Edition Alpha printing**: Black border, no expansion symbol, original Alpha card frame, rounded Alpha-style corners, collector number 261 in modern cataloging, and Dan Frazier artist credit. Do not merge with Beta, Unlimited, Collector's Edition, International Edition, or 30th Anniversary Edition copies.

**Identity note:** Seed identity corrected from unnumbered to collector number 261 using MTG catalog references. The original printed card did not display a modern collector number, but current databases identify it as LEA #261.

## Why this card matters

Mox Emerald belongs to the Power Nine, a collector shorthand for the most famous early Magic cards, and the official Reserved List names Mox Emerald among cards from Limited Edition that are reserved from functionally identical tournament-legal reprints. That policy does not prove value, demand, or surviving supply, but it is a primary-source reason collectors separate the original Alpha copy from later collectible treatments. For CardVolume purposes, the relevant object is the exact Alpha artifact, not the cheaper ability-equivalent idea of a zero-cost green mana source.

## Identifying the exact version

The Alpha version should be treated as its own variant. It has a black border, no expansion symbol, early Magic layout, Dan Frazier artwork, and the highly rounded Alpha corner shape. Beta and Unlimited copies use the same card name and similar art context but are separate editions; Collector's Edition and International Edition are non-tournament products with square-corner origins; 30th Anniversary Edition is a later commemorative treatment. A listing title that says only "Mox Emerald" is not enough evidence for pricing without photos, edition confirmation, language, condition, and grader if slabbed.

## What moves the price between versions and grades

For this card, the largest comparison errors come from mixing editions, graders, and condition buckets. A BGS Mint 9 Alpha sale is not a raw Alpha comp, and neither is it a Beta or Unlimited comp. Heritage's 2023 BGS 9 lot also reported subgrades, which matter because high-end buyers often inspect centering, corners, edges, and surface even after a numerical grade. The official Reserved List affects the reprint discussion, but the sale evidence still has to come from exact-version transactions, not from the policy itself.

## Authenticity checks

Compare the card against official and specialist references for Alpha layout, card back, type line, rules text, corners, print registration, and the Dan Frazier credit. Use multiple checks together and avoid destructive tests. For slabbed copies, match the cert record to the label and card, then still inspect the physical slab and photos because copied cert numbers exist. Expensive Alpha cards also deserve provenance review, seller-history review, and careful comparison to Collector's Edition alteration risks before treating a listing as a valid comp.

## Common misconceptions

- **Myth:** "The Alpha population or an auction-lot population is the print run." **What the evidence says:** A grader population is only the count graded by that company in that category; it is not a census of all copies and should not be used as the print run.
- **Myth:** "Any Mox Emerald sale is a comp for Alpha." **What the evidence says:** Edition, language, treatment, grader, and grade must stay separate; Beta, Unlimited, Collector's Edition, and 30th Anniversary Edition are not the same object.
- **Myth:** "Reserved List status means the price must rise." **What the evidence says:** The policy is evidence about reprint treatment, not a price floor or prediction. Demand and recent exact comps still need to be shown.

## FAQ

### How much is an Alpha Mox Emerald BGS 9 worth?

A documented Heritage Auctions sale for a BGS Mint 9 Alpha Mox Emerald closed at $14,375 on 2023-10-20, with buyer's premium terms shown on the lot page [5].

### Is Alpha Mox Emerald on the Reserved List?

Yes; Wizards of the Coast lists Mox Emerald under Limited Edition in its official Reserved List policy [2].

### How do I tell Alpha Mox Emerald from later printings?

Confirm the Alpha printing by its black border, no expansion symbol, early frame, Alpha-style rounded corners, and exact Alpha catalog identity rather than relying on the card name alone [1].

### How many BGS 9 Alpha Mox Emeralds exist?

Heritage's 2023 lot description said BGS had certified 51 copies in Mint 9, but this should be read as a grader population observation from that lot, not total surviving copies [5].

### Is the 30th Anniversary Edition Mox Emerald the same as Alpha?

No; Wizards' 30th Anniversary Edition gallery shows a later commemorative Mox Emerald treatment, which must be separated from the 1993 Alpha printing [4].

### Can a valid slab cert prove the card is genuine?

No; a cert lookup is useful but not complete authentication because copied cert numbers and mismatched physical items are known risks [6].

## Sources

1. [Mox Emerald Price From Limited Edition Alpha LEA](https://www.echomtg.com/mtg/items/mox-emerald/73/) (EchoMTG)
2. [Official Reprint Policy](https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/official-reprint-policy) (Wizards of the Coast)
4. [Magic 30th Anniversary Edition Card Image Gallery](https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/card-image-gallery/30th-anniversary-edition) (Wizards of the Coast)
5. [Magic: The Gathering Mox Emerald Limited Edition (Alpha) BGS Trading Card Game MINT 9](https://comics.ha.com/itm/memorabilia/trading-cards/magic-the-gathering-mox-emerald-limited-edition-alpha-bgs-trading-card-game-mint-9-wizards-of-the-coast-1993-rare/a/7333-36025.s) (Heritage Auctions)
6. [PSA Certification Verification](https://www.psacard.com/cert) (PSA)

## How to cite

> Mox Emerald 261 (Limited Edition Alpha). CardVolume, https://cardvolume.com/magic/alpha/mox-emerald/ (accessed 2026-09-27).

Machine-readable: https://cardvolume.com/api/v1/cards/magic--alpha--mox-emerald.json · Method: https://cardvolume.com/methodology/