Notes on the file
Written from the record above. Every figure quoted here is one of the figures in the table; anything that could not be traced back to a verified sale was cut rather than corrected.
What this card is
Black Lotus Alpha #232 is a copy of the original Black Lotus card from Magic: The Gathering's Alpha edition, the game's first print run. It is widely regarded as the most valuable and sought-after Magic card among collectors, with graded copies commanding six-figure prices at auction.
The set it came from
Alpha was the debut Magic: The Gathering set, released in 1993 with a limited print run before the larger Beta and Unlimited editions followed. Black Lotus, a Power Nine card offering three mana of any single color at zero cost, appeared only in this initial small-run printing and its immediate successor sets, making Alpha copies the scarcest and most desirable version.
Why the grades diverge
Sales span grades from CGC 4.5 through BGS 9, with professionally graded copies from PSA, BGS, and CGC all appearing in the market. Higher grades (BGS/CGC 8 and above) consistently drive the largest realized prices, while lower-grade examples still trade for tens of thousands due to overall scarcity.
What the record shows
Pricing shows significant variance tied to grade, with mid-grade copies (BGS 7-8) typically selling between $50,000 and $87,000. Overall, the multi-year sales history reflects sustained high demand and six-figure ceilings for top-graded examples.
- What is Black Lotus Alpha #232?
- It is a copy of the Black Lotus card, one of Magic: The Gathering's Power Nine, printed in the original 1993 Alpha edition set.
- Why is the Alpha Black Lotus so valuable?
- Alpha was Magic's first, smallest print run, and Black Lotus provides powerful free mana acceleration, making Alpha copies both historically significant and extremely scarce.
- What grades have sold at auction for this card?
- Realized sales referenced range from CGC 4.5 and BGS 6 up to BGS 9, PSA 8, and CGC 8.5, among other grades.
- Who grades Black Lotus cards?
- Copies in the market have been graded by PSA, BGS, and CGC, three of the major third-party grading services for trading cards.