The Black Lotus | The History of Magic's Most Valuable Card

This is a story about the most desirable card in the history of Magic.
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🎵 Music:
Various Tracks by Lakey Inspired
📘 Chapters:
0:00 Pretty Pennies
6:20 The Most Powerful Card in Magic
11:19 Reserving the Right to Reprint
14:30 Keeping Promises
17:11 Seeking The Crown Jewel
24:27 Transcending Magic
28:42 Credits
📓 Sources:
bit.ly/3sFf5eH - $27k Alpha Lotus in 2013
n.pr/3LnJpAV - NPR segment on Magic and Lotus
bit.ly/39ZlV85 - IGN on opening Lotus at GP Chiba
bit.ly/3lj12ao - Zakeel on MTGPrice
bit.ly/3wkyymS - Klug Lotus Timelapse
bit.ly/3wj7GUy - Klug Lotus Timelapse Gif
bit.ly/3LnJLYh - Alpha Lotus sells for $87k
bit.ly/3a7uFcz - Kotaku on Alpha Lotus for $87k (9.5 grade)
bit.ly/3yDuWhz - Scrye Magazine 2002
bit.ly/3PnrnC2 - Prices of Lotus 2000-2007
bit.ly/3PuBaWT - Alpha, Beta, Unlimited by the numbers
bit.ly/3LnK6dv - All About Alpha
bit.ly/39UWG6U - Beckett posts about $87,00
bit.ly/3wj84T0 - Beckett Grading Process
bit.ly/3yEiH4k - QS on Alpha buyouts
bit.ly/3a7uLRt - PSA selling history on Unlimited Lotus
bit.ly/37QWq8k - $55k Charizard
bit.ly/3Lla5Cn - Honus Wagner Wiki
cnn.it/3PqZlFO - $9.5 million stamp
bit.ly/3wxvx1J - Seven Most Expensive Stamps
bit.ly/3LtB0Mw - The price history of the entire RL
bit.ly/3PqfafM - Promissory Estoppel and the RL
bit.ly/3wndRqK - Flu Game article
bit.ly/3LlS0Ee - Flu Game 12’s sell for $100k
bit.ly/3yEj1jp - Most Expensive Comic Book $3.2 million
bit.ly/3Mmezdp - McFarlane balls
bit.ly/3NlgRJO - Cabinet of Curiosities
bit.ly/3yHXQwP - Veblen Goods
bit.ly/39TTJU7 - Clip of Lotus being played
• Are MTG Reprints Off t... - KZbinr Law on Reserved List
• MTG Power 9 - A Closer... - NM Power 9
• UNBOXING: Air JORDAN 1... - Unboxing Air Jordan 12 Flue Games
• Video - Flu Game footage
• Big Mac hits 70th home... - Mark McGwire 70th Homer
• Action Comics #1 - Ori... Action 1 eBay spot
• Video - Identifying Fakes and How to Authenticate Magic Cards
• Vintage Magic Reviews ... - Lotus Graded 9.5
• 2/2 Wondrous Obsession... - Cabinet of Curiosities
• The History of Magic: ... - History of MtG
• Round 8 Eternal Weeken... - Lotus at Eternal Weekend
• Investopedia Video: Ve... - Veblen Good video
• Rare “Inverted Jenny” ... - Inverted Jenny video
• Stamp Collecting & Inv... - Inverted Jenny block
• Alpha Black Lotus and ... - OpenBoosters Lotus Grading (9.5)
• Open Black Lotus GP Ch... - GP Chiba
• Leonhart's Trip to Bec... - Touring Becket Grading Headquarters
• Video - T206 Honus Wagner vs Ty Cobb
• How Bill Mastro Altere... - Bill Mastro alters Honus Wagner
• Purchasing The Rarest ... - $54,000 Shadowless Box Set
• The story behind the O... - British Guiana 1¢ sells for $9.5 million
• Video - Zakeel Lotus Project
#mtg #magicthegathering #blacklotus

[@mahmoudtabsh1886]

That bend test wasn't testing the card. It was testing my will not to scream at a computer screen.

[@dingdongs5208]

who cares, its a magic card, its a game piece, people cringing over the value that might have been lost due to a bend are the reason basic game pieces that new players need cost 100s of dollars

[@montimuros2837]

@@dingdongs5208 Look, a Magic card is just a Magic card an a $1.000.000 check is just a piece of paper. Many things have arbitrary value, fictitious value, but that doesn't mean they have a "false value". It means they are valuable *because* people attach value to them. Which can be said about pretty much everything in life.

[@dingdongs5208]

@@montimuros2837 you can deposit that 1m dollar check in a bank to put that into your savings account, you cant do that with a black lotus

[@montimuros2837]

@@dingdongs5208 Markets collapse and you lose your savings. There's no such thing as absolute guarantees in life. A Black Lotus might be worthless in a few years. Or it might be worth a million dollars. What really matters is what it means to you as a collector. Hell, a own a literal rock that has sentimental value to me and I'm dead sure that I wouldn't be able to sell it at all.

[@aryasuri9421]

@@dingdongs5208 That makes 0 sense as an argument. Currency is also arbitrary if considered in a vaccuum.

[@annejellah]

I thought that bend test was gonna be a small bend but I screamed when he bent it all the way

[@gwalden]

I know I almost got a heart attack

[@sauceaddict9569]

Lol

[@jeesusmeesuss5247]

Yeah, I've seen quite a few p9 bent in RL in my day. Was one of the first well known tests that works.

[@sharkbaitshaun9581]

I felt like I was gonna dis

[@Celestial.frogboy]

I dont even play this specific card game but that bent even hurt me

[@JessGrinneiser]

(For the record) A 9.5 Black Lotus was sold in January 2021 for $500k (roughly 6 times over what was said at the end of this video)

[@jamesoncurry5224]

One was sold 1.5y ago for 1.3m fyi.

[@mtl10]

And two years later Post Malone bought "The" One Ring for $2Million

[@thewaxingmoonlotus]

so what if it was of this year? i got mine for 0.50 from a grandpa selling his sons cards in a mall the son was lazy is what he said and my grandma burned all my cards because its the devils work just because the word magic and then she lost it even more over the word gathering

[@RevanReborn3950BBY]

@@thewaxingmoonlotusmy friend has a grandma who tried to burn my whole collection. Not MY grandma, MY FRIEND’S grandma. Somehow no one has tried to call cos on her yet. (She’s my friend’s primary caregiver)

[@BigDaddy-yp4mi]

@@thewaxingmoonlotus It's scary what humans do when they don't understand something and are afraid of it.

[@PhillipUranus]

In 2013 my brother sold his entire collection for like $16,000 cash… He had the best collection I’ve ever personally seen… We’ve been playing since the summer of 94… A few weeks ago we decided to look up how much it’d be worth today and it’s like $90,000… He almost cried lmfao

[@Lh0000]

Feels bad man… feels bad…

[@yudistiraliem135]

If he invested the 16k in famous stocks it would likely to worth around that ballpark I believe. Or crypto. So the decision to sell at that price wasn’t bad at all.

[@son_guhun]

@@yudistiraliem135 If he'd bought bitcoin in 2013 with that money, he'd have (a LOT) more than 90k. As for stocks, yeah, as long as he picked one of the many winners, he'd have around that much

[@ljanmi187]

Been there

[@jennyxie5382]

You.gonna.cash it out someday. You can cash it out 50 years later for immense inflation but how many days you.have left in this world to spend all the money

[@Garl_Vinland]

Imagine if something dumb looking like Wood Elemental was the power 9 centrepiece. The word “Black Lotus” even sounds rare. Spiritual even.

[@lancepotter7424]

Something like "blue rose" not goblin pheasant haha lol

[@daveinthegrave2703]

The way I see it's a term that can be used in anything, and you know that's how legendary something is. Imagine being the kid on the block that was good at kickball and when you enter the scene you can hear other kids saying, "woah the black lotus,I thought he was an urban legend?"

[@Garl_Vinland]

@@daveinthegrave2703 If your nickname is unironically "The Black Lotus", thenyou are officially the edgiest kid on the block.

[@daveinthegrave2703]

@@Garl_Vinland Your the one that went through the mist of Avalon and came out unscarf,if that's what you mean.

[@bulldozer8950]

Clearly they reserved the coolest names for the most powerful cards.

[@maximusprime98]

for those wondering a cube is a collection of mtg cards which a group uses to build decks from then play against each other.

[@magnusvn]

maximusprime98 thanks, i honestly thought it referred to making custom cards when the person pulled out a fallout card lol

[@davidsosa507]

oh shit, thanks, I thought he was going to make one of those deck-holders that look like a cube. It almost made me mad

[@agr0nianTV]

Thanks man I had absolutely no clue what it was. Honestly this comment deserves to be pinned since alot of non-magic people seem to have been reccommended this vid.

[@thenintendobros9918]

So, like, basically you have a lot of cards, then get together with your buddies and make decks from 1 cube, then put them back in the cube when you're done playing? Pokemon player here, not mtg 😅

[@twitchyphilosopher]

@@thenintendobros9918 Does Pokemon have drafting? That's basically what a cube is for. You build a cube from a set of cards and then construct "booster packs" from that cube and proceed to draft as usual from those "packs." Once the draft games are over you can put all the cards back into the cube and draft again.

[@TheKrensada]

sure would be a shame if 30 years later they reprinted these cards in a 1000 dollar set.

[@TheFremontTroll07]

and say make it represent the 30th anniversary of the game

[@TheKrensada]

@@TheFremontTroll07 yeah. It would be a damn shame.

[@hummer_1041]

12:58 aged like a fine wine

[@jamescruz8678]

would also be a shame if these cards were also fake

[@AkinaSpeedStarsAE86]

Never seen this channel what-so-ever yet all of a sudden I see this comment 🤣

[@steveh6039]

Since the making of this video, there was a record high black lotus sold. It was a grade 10 alpha that was signed by the original artist, Christopher rush who died back in 2016. the card sold for a whopping $511,100.

[@cerealamog]

and then they took inspiration from charlie and the chocolate factory and roughly quadrupled that with the one the one ring

[@TheActMan]

I saw this in my recommended, I don't even play Magic or understand the rules but goddamn this was a good video.

[@OldAccount-sm2iq]

Hey acting male

[@calmexit6483]

Always happy to see King Halo himself. Thank you for maintaining such an undying passion for the Bungie of old's beloved story.

[@Jfreak1996]

What are you doing here, this is my corner of the internet.

[@slothsage7838]

Hey, Act Man. I recommend giving it a shot. Fun game to play with friends.

[@brandonb1881]

Dude, the production and information on this video was incredible. I went through his channel hoping there was literally anything other than magic being covered - I would have watched it. But in the end I understand that this can only be so amazing coming from someone making a video about something they absolutely love. I subscribed and I plan to watch some of his other videos. That was comparable to a documentary. Disclaimer: never owned or played magic in my life.

[@JackgarPrime]

I'm not a major collector specifically, but that bend test almost gave me a heart attack!

[@Hittingman]

JackgarPrime you should see the rip test.

[@gleasros0]

RIP

[@dannybosworth1749]

Same

[@ecmyk7863]

Dude.. I pissed my pants a little

[@NatsuDragn33I]

I collect nothing and that got my heart pounding O.o

[@jasan9973]

I love how this super rare MtG card is referenced in The Binding of Isaac as a moderately rare item with an unremarkable effect.

[@AlluMan96]

They got the power-level of Ancestral Recall right on the money though and like the real deal, slapping that thing down only became better the more expansions were stacked on top.

[@Spawnofktulu007]

I treasure my BEWD DDS-001. I knew even as a kid it was the first Blue-Eyes anyone I knew was able to get their hands on. My dad was with me when I bought it. Now he's gone and the card means more as a memory and relic from good times with my Dad.

[@levisavage6568]

Sorry for your loss. I understand completely.

[@vanesslifeygo]

Nice, I remember looking at a damaged one and finding it funny how even a damaged old Blue-Eyes looks pretty good.

[@joefarrow1599]

Just like the first episode of the anime! Watch Kaiba doesn't come and rip it up...

[@raheelsiddiq1057]

Blue Eyes White Dragon or Dark Magician? Kaiba's deck or Yugi's deck? I chose Kaiba's deck when I started playing Yu-Gi-Oh game

[@animeking1357]

@@vanesslifeygo I agree. My very first Blue-Eyes I got from a class made who had accidentally gotten it wet. It's covered in scotch tape yet to this day it still looks gorgeous.

[@TheLogicalLowdown]

Friend of mine opened a alpha lotus in our local shop and he traded it on the spot for a pile of booster packs. Like once or twice a year I send him a link to the value of a lotus lol.

[@joshuabryant9845]

I shed a tear for that man.

[@T1Earn]

now send him this video

[@gohugo472]

why are you so evil lol

[@wardomatch5975]

I would have slapped them for their stupidity

[@flelixneon]

​@@carlosniebla7534 ???

[@Navak_]

5:39 I'll never forget the moment on the playground when a kid convinced me to let him use my 1st edition holo charizard and he scratched it on the pavement. Damn you, Peter.

[@socalwanderer4867]

fuck off

[@mueezadam8438]

Peter A. Saltamachio OOOOHHH SNAP

[@tosei91]

I have 1st edition charizard still, but it's in a horrible condition, since the kid i got it from back in the day used to use it in this competition that was popular in my elementary school, where they would try to get the card fly as far as possible.

[@ActualGoblinWarlord]

Honestly the original black lotus from Alpha, Beta, and Unlimited have such a incredible reputation and legend surrounding them that I don't think the price would go down even if it was reprinted.

[@SirGalahad83]

Exactly, alpha had only a 1100 print run and some are lost. So alpha lotus is quiet rare.

[@Vexas345]

Charizard got reprinted and it's skyrocketed in value. The people paying top dollar want the OG.

[@egoalter1276]

It obviously wouldnt. The peice of vintage cards, and anything thats banned in general doesnt come from gameplay utility.

[@jonmancill6824]

What people in the MTG community need to do is establish their own rules of the game. Just like our own constitution of the United States has been amended over time, don't allow the money grabbing company to ruin what the people love so create a committee of true pure fans that can add or adjust any rules or whatever needs to be done. With this talk of possibly tons of new prints happening that would ruin the rarity of certain cards, just and your own rules that every new reprint of old rare cards are banned from any and all sanctioned games and basically they're worthless because they can't be used. Fans need to have the mindset that any new reprints would be considered faked or counterfeits so they're nothing but garbage. Another rule would be that Anytime one of those reprints are seen it must be destroyed and so it's the community of true fans that take action to rid the world of those cards and if someone is caught with one of them they can be banned from any sanctioned games for a certain amount of time.

[@Asageun]

Wait until u hear about commander​@@jonmancill6824

[@kunalmandalia1165]

There's something timeless about this video. It'll be watched by future generations and they'll glimpse into the moments that made history in our lifetime. Great work.

[@benhunter5977]

You made a video that lured people that normally wouldn’t watch this stuff and made it interesting. Great job man.

[@wizagab]

The narrative link was a bit of a stretch though, he hasn't convinced me (hardly tried to) that this card has anything to do with unique sports moments like the MJ one. It just felt like he talked about completely different topics before finally talking about the card.

[@agr0nianTV]

@Ezra Mann-Thompson Ikt I thought the segway was really well done and made me interested enough to watch the whope video.

[@fernandotrevinocastro1018]

Didnt even know this was a magic video, then i read first comment and said "ah ok that game" then the video went into sports, stamps, and i was confused but when it started with sportcards i saw what he did there, great segway incredible lure

[@samgafford2371]

"The Black Lotus" is a damn fine name.

[@The_Kharski]

yes, but also it has nothing to do with a Lotus :p Other cool name: Dark Ritual, in French "Messe Noire" = Black Mass (as in religious mass)

[@samgafford2371]

@@The_Kharski interesting

[@axelrod45-yugiohandmore38]

Not as fine as "Divine Arsenal AA Zeus - Sky Thunder" though.

[@nameless8216]

@@axelrod45-yugiohandmore38 not as dope as the whole Evilswarm archetype. "Cairngorgon, Antiluminescent Knight" contains a combination of cairn (a memorial made of stones, which reflects the fact that he's a degenerated version of the entire fallen Gem-Knight race), cairngorm (the type of stone off of which he's based), and gorgon (the monster off of which he's based).

[@wickederebus]

@@nameless8216 Gimmick Puppet Des Troy.

[@pullingonthestrings]

My uncle literally has 2 of these cards. About 10 years ago, his collection of over 7000 magic cards was reduced by about 2000 due to a flood in his basement where he kept them, luckily his black lotus' were protected in airtight sealed sleeves. He recently asked me how much they were worth, and when I looked at sold listing on ebay, I think I saw that they were selling for about $16k each. He said he'll just keep them as an investment for his grandkids.

[@retrojimmyx]

I had a black border one from the late 90s. Won it playing against a friend. Was in a right scruffy state. Found all my decks in the attic and gave them away to a kid who played, in 2016. Hope he gets something for it.

[@nerdlantis5490]

20:20 I felt physical pain as I saw that.

[@JacobTyo]

I started shouting AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH at my monitor! D:

[@gorblah7863]

Buying a nuse at the dollar store. Do da la do la la dooooo!

[@IKMcGwee]

I don't even play a tgc of any kind and I cringed in pain from that.

[@scrapthatwithmatt9520]

Yepp, that hurt inside 😔

[@coreykemp2504]

I wanted to punch the guy, even though I knew it was a necessary test, it just felt wrong to treat a Black Lotus like that.

[@robbibob6392]

14:20 "players backlashed" I assumed it was the same "players" that make vintage, legacy, modern and even to some extent standard unaproachable to a lot of people.

[@umbaupause]

Oh they are players. They just play a different game than you might think.

[@soundrogue4472]

These same people who backlash do realize they could just make cards that are similar but function just different enough to make them different and or unique.

[@TheSnarkyBrit]

This is exactly what I thought. It has nothing to do with "preserving the game", it's only about people wanting to keep shit for themselves.

[@cosmicalryu]

Theres a reason i don't play modern or legacy

[@Sw3d15h_F1s4]

Exactly! Even if a card similar to black lotus were printed, they'd still have an original, rare and high quality card. The old ones would still be collectible, after all they aren't going to play with a card in a plastic tomb are ya

[@kevindavis4225]

I can't help but wonder if I ever opened a pack with one of these, or any other extremely valuable cards, when I was a kid. My grandpa used to buy me magic cards before I even knew how to play the game. I loved the artwork. All the mythical monsters and medieval warriors were right up my alley. Fast forward a year or two and a slightly older friend friend brought his cards over to teach me to play. I saw them and instantly recognized them. I went to get my own. When I returned with my box of cards we looked through them together. I didn't have a deck. I didn't even have any land's, so we used his two starter decks and he taught me the basics of the game. Since we were both quite young we gravitated to the bulky creatures and exciting removal spells. Ignoring the finer points like mana ramping. I don't recall this happening but wouldn't be surprised if I thought a card like this was boring and traded it for some stupid expensive creature with no abilities. Or maybe one of the countless times when we were playing on the sidewalk and the wind picked up and began to blow our cards across the yard and one of us just let something valuable go because it was "useless". Guess I'll never know, but it's kind of fun to think about

[@CarthagoMike]

Now I realize why all those people are buying packets from amazon, opening them, taking out the rare cards and then resealing and returning them. I thought I were just prank kids wanting only the good cards, but it is just scammy adults trying to get a profit from selling cards.

[@madmanvarietyshow9605]

I've only ever seen 1 Black Lotus back in the aughts when I was in high school. Guy had it in his collection. None of us knew how rare it was. He ended up losing all his cards in a freak house fire. A week later after looking online to try and replace his cards he found out how much a Black Lotus was worth. Feels bad man.

[@renendell]

Opening a Black Lotus: $27000 That Magic: The Gathering New Card smell: *Priceless*

[@masonkennedy8089]

Amen brother!! Fuckin love it!! Love my cardboard crack

[@cameronvadnais4388]

You're silly.

[@PsychoDiesel48]

@@masonkennedy8089 smells so GOOD! XD

[@armysean91]

I've been in love with the new card smell since day one. It's just one of those things that if you get it, you get it. If you don't, you don't.

[@camdenpierson459]

Just cited this video for a final project on American subcultures. Thank you for your amazing effort and incredible video, you have saved my final!

[@Bebhell]

I'm here for like the 4th or 5th time. This is one of my favorite videos ever made. Thank you so much for this, Sam

[@simoncenteno2755]

Damn, "Cabinets of Curiosities" sounds like a magic card.

[@HollowIchigo4243]

A blue one for sure

[@ShiroHimeSan]

Cloudstone Curio anyone?

[@mindyourlanguage2066]

"Search your deck to retrieve one copy of an artifact"

[@Ramsey276one]

Patryk Sikora Sorcery? Yu-Gi-Oh! Player here, reading InQuest years ago

[@RainyDayCollectibles]

Amazing project Sam! Loved the way you blended the collectible hobbyist communities together, shows that each community is unique in its own way but still very similar. Always excited to watch your videos and can say that I’ve officially made it in life now that I’m in one! Glad I could provide value and hope people enjoy the perspective I could provide! Cheers!

[@skuggikuwa8989]

Wow this intro was a perfect start for me. In Highschool I got my whole team into Magic cause I got into it. Eff those stereotypical ideologies we use to believe in during those days. Our basketball group merged with the magic group and even though the "magic kids" never got into Basketball all the "basketball kids" loved playing Magic.

[@user-jw9mv2gh7c]

My father showed me magic when I was really young, all of his cards were from the first 4 sets of cards. I never knew that these really weren’t the norm until I found magic on my own in a store. But I’m very glad I get to play with these power nine cards

[@iqcool]

March 2019 Update: a short time ago, another Black Lotus sold at auction for $166,000 USD. That is a $150K+ piece of cardboard.

[@ka6hi]

It's only worth 27k. You can't find one for less than 100k.

[@natecruz7114]

@@ka6hi if it was only worth 27k then it would not have sold for 166,000. "Worth" is subjective to the market and the buyers.

[@ka6hi]

@@natecruz7114 166 > 27

[@isaiahf-d846]

@@ka6hi what does that prove?

[@ka6hi]

@@isaiahf-d846 reread my first reply

[@Asrimal]

The bend test footage stressed me out.

[@zzafrica87]

yyyyy

[@sertaki]

:O

[@JakobLogan]

It hurt my soul

[@Effect_FX]

I've never been a huge card game guy, still pretty uncomfortable to watch.

[@jypsridic]

I almost puked

[@Sam_on_YouTube]

At 6:12, that expensive land next to the FAR more expensive black lotus, was one of the two valuable cards I found in my old magic collection. I sold it for a few hundred dollars. My other valuable card is an Invoke Prejudice. That's much harder to sell though. No reputable dealer wants it and I don't really want to interact with people who do want it.

[@rosarlei]

I don't even play magic (did a few times 20+ years ago) but I love your videos. The way you tell stories is something else entirely.

[@kotadis2919]

Notification from Rhystic Studies: "The Black Lotus" >>Me: Oh this will be good

[@luliby2309]

"Hard to imagine...such a lovely flower inspiring such greed."

[@silentwatcher5134]

"Over such beauty, wars are fought. With such power, wars are won."

[@luliby2309]

Almost as good flavor text as "It's time for the 'Smash Smash' song!" Almost... :P

[@jingitaxias8461]

@@silentwatcher5134 i was going to quote Gilded Lotus, but ya beat me to it! Props.

[@willemgreen8209]

Watching this in 2021 and a signed, mint condition Black Lotus was sold recently for over $500,000. Wild.

[@stonereilly7972]

I have watched this so many times, this video was in my bibliography for my student thesis. When someone says "video essay" this video is synonymous with it in my mind.

[@bustertimothy2176]

The bend test made me throw up in my mouth

[@alonzoc537]

same

[@fcliverpool6167]

I couldn‘t watch it !!!!

[@criznittle968]

Same. I don't know how my vomit made it into your mouth but it happened.

[@BigattckFirecat]

thank goodness it was a fake but ya

[@davidalvaradoda]

I Know I'm a nerd but damn. Y'all are fucking dumb.

[@AlphaInvestments69]

Wow...what an amazing video

[@tygonmaster]

Hey, Rudy. Bet your taco really got going when you saw that Lotus being bent. :^)

[@StefVanDerVelden]

That was one heck of a floppy bent test

[@tekplays5366]

it is...

[@deleno7290]

Unlike yours Kappa

[@themarketing9694]

Hey rudy you taco head!! Love ya Videos dude keep it up!

[@jules9736]

I saw the black lotus in my feed and so many memories from when I used to play magic flashed back to me. Thanks for the video.

[@dingleferry736]

Great video! Just some additional info for anyone curious: the 1998 Pikachu Illustrator card was sold to Logan Paul for $6 million in 2022. There have also been multiple sales for various pokemon cards (mostly Charizards) for over $100k in recent years ... not sure where these cards were at the time of publishing this video, just thought some updated figures might be appreciated

[@cas6648]

The amount of effort you put into your videos is astounding. I signed in just to comment after watching this. I don't play Magic but your videos have taught me a great deal about card game mechanics and why humans are drawn to certain things. There's something special about your videos. There is so much heart and soul in your work that the views and subscribers you gain are only secondary to your cause-it's not about that, and that's what makes your work special.

[@RhysticStudies]

these are such kind words. thank you.

[@sparkbag_]

"unlike food, water a home, they're unessential and are worth only the value we put into them" that's where you're wrong the black lotus holds infinite magic power

[@damianlee5438]

Actually you're wrong. It's not infinite magic power. It's only 3 magic power of the same color. :P

[@atomicorca3062]

@@damianlee5438 woosh

[@virtualmidwest3394]

you're a moron

[@atomicorca3062]

Big mad

[@God-ch8lq]

Why is it so powerful, it doesn't sound OP

[@TheMallex]

Saw thhis in my recommended and I really like your viedeo style! Even 4 Years later I apprechiate the new information I receved from you.

[@ManaPirate]

This is probably the most well presented video on collecting as a whole I've ever seen. Taking into consideration other collectibles as well as relating it to the history of collecting, amazing. Extremely well presented and this is the video I'll now share to those who want to know why collecting things like this can be worthwhile

[@NeoN-PeoN]

Homie, your backgrounds are ON POINT. Whoever is in charge of those radial-split gradients is a mastermind. If this is not a trend, I suspect it will be now. Give that dude a raise or yourself a pat on the back. Cause we gonna be seein more a dis.

[@RhysticStudies]

heh, thanks. I made them.

[@NeoN-PeoN]

Thank you for the reply! I thought that'd be the case. They are very clever and they look great. Kudos.

[@abe34fizzy]

Neon Peon Neon Peon its one of my favorite looks in photoshop, the way i do it is i make a gradient and then put an hd scan of construction paper over it then change the layer style to negative and invert the color(ctrl i) on that construction paper scan and voila beautiful clean organic look. The filter used from the filter gallery are also amazing the one used to simplify cards in a mosaic look is my go too for cool geographic minimal patterns. THIS VIDEO IS A GRAPHIC DESIGN MASTERPIECE!!!!

[@youtubeseagull]

could you give us a time stamp to exemplify that work? I would like to know what a radial-split gradient is.... oh is it every background ... 16:57

[@abe34fizzy]

Every background, Radial Split Gradient is just the fancy name for that specific kind of gradient, on photoshop theres a few basic ones, i dont know the exact names but there is on that either goes just dark to light (top to bottom or side to side) and theres a radial on wich is a gradient that radiates out from the center almost like a circular rainbow, and the gradient here is like a radial gradient but it has a beginning and an end (starts with one color then sort of whipes around back to the starting point wich gives it that solid line in the upper half of the frame)

[@MajinMaster97]

I really, really like that DJ put his black lotus in a cube. Restricting magic cards to the cold fate of a lockbox is antithetical to the game and the franchise as a whole. I 100% believe the secondary market has put a tight stranglehold on the game I am far happier with the idea of somebody getting to put the card to use.

[@drippy4622]

I almost played then watched this video. Just more nerds crying because other people wanna play their kids game. Meh, just puts into perspective how much of a loser someone can actually be

[@vrak24]

ballinghard Thats like saying you wont drive because other people are bad at it. Stop being a dumbass.

[@ahammer1838]

ballinghard damn imagine hating someone for liking a card game. Couldn’t be me.

[@drippy4622]

@@ahammer1838 someone who makes it so normal people can't play with their cardboard....yeah fuccem

[@ich3730]

keep in mind the secondary market is one of the reasons magic is over 20 years old now... its not a card game, its a COLLECTIBLE cards game.

[@christopherkochis9011]

when the homie's hands start shaking at pulling that alpha lotus, that just reminded me of the joy and thrill of the best card game ever.

[@IAm-yg6ml]

I was really wondering why'd you had gone to so much detail and lengths to give examples and instances of other objects like the black lotus in different forms. I thought that the initial expanation of an object having a seemingly high value compared to others like it was enough. But I completely 180-ed when you concluded with the "its just piece of cardboard, a shoe, a baseball, or a decorated paper". It truly rounded the video and set a mood that was instantly answered by the presentation of the origins of collecting, that it was less about the object itself but more about the story it tells. Love the video! I was initially expecting a video about a peculiar flower and something interesting about it, not Magic, and not at all collecting and the world of it. Truly great video, and I was well entertained!

[@nobodieparticular5849]

hard to imagine, such a lovely flower inspiring such greed

[@yesno4065]

The irony

[@magicanteater38]

13:00 that means that the black lotus could, in theory, be reprinted in a sliver bordered set.

[@douglasgoodwon8227]

gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=9764

[@claudius_drusus_]

It'll eventually get reprinted lmfao. Money talks...sentimental bs walks

[@mikezheng33]

They kinda did with the collector's edition (a non legal print)

[@creatingvideostobreakmyspe6049]

@@claudius_drusus_ I hear it can be made into a token

[@nuclearjello2243]

If you mean a token given by another card and not a physical token card, it's kind of already happened (Garth One-Eye)

[@Beesechurger_73]

A lot has changed since this video came out 😮

[@cromchgang316]

Lmao WOTC are a cool company

[@EverianKalim]

@@cromchgang316 Comments that aged poorly

[@Intestine_Ballin-ism]

​@@EverianKalimwhat happened? Reprints?

[@RotGodKing]

​@@Intestine_Ballin-ismstealing money from hard working people.

[@bljet4388]

​@@RotGodKingi've no idea about magic but can you give me quick lore

[@SkurkSE]

The youtube gods smiled at me today and this was my introduction to your work. Respect and I hope you have gotten something back. cheers

[@yepperdeedooda]

I have a card called Blacker Lotus. So that must be better because it's a cool silver border color.

[@jolove1623]

At the risk of r/whooosh Do you know what silver border cards are?

[@yepperdeedooda]

I just took all my brothers cards when he left for college and tried playing. I don't know prices as much.

[@jolove1623]

Blacker Lotus is a joke card. It was made in an "un-set." If you read the card rules, you need to rip up the card after you play it. But it is better than the black lotus in a rules sense.

[@SmuggyOcelot]

Its from an Un-Set, It’s actually a good card.

[@jasoncarto]

Un-set strikes again. There's also a Mox Lotus.

[@KingslayerGames]

Appreciate the shoutout at 20:45 ! Sweet vid.

[@RhysticStudies]

cheers guys! shoutout to my cousin Kyle Miller.

[@harleyjenkins3414]

I thought the ink patterns were really interesting, woulld love to check out a few of my cards for fun.

[@sadfrog2575]

I love the Reservoir dogs style introductions to the cards.

[@fleshandbloodbrothers]

Your editing, story telling and presentation are absolutely 10/10. I can't stop watching your videos! Goals!

[@fidly4]

Technically they just said they'd never print identical cards "in black or white border." So give us a red bordered black lotus!!!

[@actualFix]

fidly4 Gold Borders are a thing they did Pls Wizards, bring back gold borders!

[@Sir_Francis]

Now there's the loop hole we've been looking for! Love it!

[@totallycarbon2106]

Pretty sure they also said that white and black borders are the only tournament legal ones. Printing the power nine in the next un set would be hilarious though. That and wizards could make official proxies, maybe using the black card backs they have in magic arena.

[@jemmpolitics4627]

It'd be great for casual groups not playing at tournaments, that's for sure... (this is why EDH players proxy, to avoid the bullshit)

[@joshuaking7470]

Just throw Black Lotus into MTG Arena for a week...people will spend so much money trying to get one or hoping to get lucky getting one where a wildcard would be.

[@LonkinPork]

Some dude in a car group on Facebook made a post a while back about spray-painting his new rims and using his old MtG cards to protect his tires, and someone pointed out that in the picture he posted, plain as day, half-covered in black spray paint, was one of these bad boys.

[@Ramsey276one]

BLACKEST LOTUS XD

[@TheEternalLightning]

I Seriously Hope He Was Using A Fake...

[@Spidizzler]

Coming back to this after the PSA 10 Black lotus sold for a half million dollars is awesome to watch. This content has always been amazing, even when re-watching, proud to be a patron of this content.

[@jadenyuki3138]

I come back to this video every year when it comes to mind.

[@semperludens9241]

This video has been in my recommended list for a full month. I didn't bother watching it because of the title and the thumbnail. They gave me the feeling it was going to be either a ranting video, a booster opening or a clickbait repackaging of a viral lotus opening clip. I'm glad I eventually watched this video though. Never expected it to be a well researched documentary. Seeing a Scrye guide pop up and the old MTG index gave me goosebumps. Huge nostalgia hit for me. Thank you for the video.

[@RhysticStudies]

thanks for giving it a shot. I'm glad it could deliver. cheers.

[@THEFRISKIESTDINGO]

I didn't even have a deck of my own as a kid but I felt a rush of happiness for gloves man when he found the lotus. People who would make fun of that are boring. I think people who are into something enough to wear a mask and gloves while they open a box of cards are the most interesting people.

[@giveittomebaybe5112]

That’s right

[@poindextertunes]

i mean i havent the first clue what goes into a game of mtg but I think money is cool. and that guy could’ve potentially made a lot of it just by pulling a card 🤷‍♂️ i can appreciate that for sure

[@AstroTibs]

3:49 I love how you matched the background to the card. Nice work.

[@cal_laz]

This was really entertaining and informative! Never felt like it was a half an hour which is a testament to the quality. Well done!

[@TheGloriousLobsterEmperor]

Man if you're gonna bring up expensive YuGiOh cards, we may as well also bring up Tyler the Great Warrior. A one of a kind card designed by a cancer patient with the help of the Make a Wish Foundation after he was diagnosed with a very rare form of liver cancer. In fact, he still has the card and is alive today. Thanks to the help of a doctor who had dealt with the rare cancer before. Apparently he's been offered somewhere in the $10million for it. So damn, that's expensive.

[@flaetsbnort]

Is it tournament legal?

[@astralman]

I actually remember reading about that. Being tournament legal was part of the wish, however it wasn't exactly super competitive when it was printed and power creep hasn't done it any favors. yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Tyler_the_Great_Warrior

[@dreadfirewyrm8337]

Theres a few cards similar in nature to this (although not part of Make a Wish) that were made in very small quantities for Magic as well. They are commemorative cards Richard Garfield had made for his marriages, and the births of his children. I don't think any of them have come up for sale and some we have never actually seen.

[@astralman]

I've heard he actually printed multiple copies each to hand out to friends and family. For one-of-a-kind Magic card status that honor goes to"Shichifukujin Dragon " and "1996 World Champion"

[@dreadfirewyrm8337]

@@astralman he did make multiples of those. I forgot about 96 world champion card. I heard that one has passed through a few hands over the years.

[@TimmytheSorcerer]

Yes, this vid is almost a year old and maybe I've already posted a comment, but I just wanted to say that I still watch it over and over again. Simply fantastic, thank you for making this! 👊

[@--CHARLIE--]

I do the same thing lol.

[@kesh2733]

This is one of the most emotional videos I have ever seen, i almost cried after seeing the bend test

[@arilyell3757]

the production quality of these videos is incredible, terrific content

[@zeroeleven6551]

My biggest issue with the reserved list is how prohibitive it makes legacy. Great video though

[@Nateson]

Love the sudden noir turn of the video, great stuff

[@harleyjenkins3414]

Yeah those effects when naming the power nine, were sweet. So much time and effort, I appreciate iit.

[@undyne3366]

Nateson! Didn't know you watched mtg videos

[@kylesanderfer856]

NATESON?! You play MTG? Love your videos btw

[@landosayk]

wtf nateson

[@kylenelson6045]

Hey nateson, watch your overwatch videos, and I think it’s cool that enjoy my 2 favorite hobbies

[@chatteringbone]

Watching this video 5 years later after it was uploaded. Excellent video quality, excellent history. Thank you for making this video!

[@Flopsaurus]

Fascinating look into the value of collectables, thanks for the video!

[@ZdsZodyrus]

It's so difficult for me to explain to other people just how much I love my Pokemon card collection, and why I continue to collect them. I've been doing it for over 20 years, and I own over 10,000 cards, including massive amounts of rares. I am finally about to complete my "first release" collection, wherein I have a copy of every Pokemon from the first time it was printed into a card. And even when I finish it, I'm still gonna keep collecting. It's just a passion that stretches forever, and I don't think I'll ever stop

[@Sweze]

reporter: "Man collecting pokemon cards for 10 years loses it in a tragic forestfire

[@Drecon84]

Promissory Estoppel definitely sounds like a black card.

[@IronsidePitchBoi]

Drecon84 I was thinking Orzhov.

[@sh1pme2themune9]

Yeah, definitely makes me want to die.

[@Eric_The_Cleric]

@@IronsidePitchBoi Azorius/Esper might work here, too, seeing as the BWU combination focuses heavily on laws and control.

[@geoffreyprecht2410]

@@IronsidePitchBoi Sounds like Orzhov, functions like Azorius.

[@rainyatsu4588]

Nah, its an orderly legal term, that's totally a white card.

[@goth_casket]

This is really good content. I just ran across your channel with this video as my first watch. I subscribed and will support. I love content like this. The editing is finessed. Good job. 👍

[@mildlyfrostedbegels]

Hey yo, that was one of the best explanation video I ever watched. Congrats on your great work man

[@lucianopaltoe8987]

I never played magic the gathering what am i doing here and why am i so INTRESTED

[@yahrielguerreromartinez4815]

luciano pava-bro-ti you Can buy the magic the gathering game on mobile which is free even in console. It’ll teach you how to play magic and I’m just saying, we need more interested people like you who wanna join the mtg community

[@androkguz]

Because Rhystic Studies makes amazing videos that keep you interested

[@dougjones9222]

MONEY

[@mariacabello1238]

The important point are the collectible things, not the game treated. That and that the video is awesome itself.

[@agr0nianTV]

Ikr this was randomly in my recommended and I had to click on it since I had no clue what it was about. Honestly I was picturing a vid on an organization basically an irl White Lotus from Avatar :P It ended up being a really solid documentary so I watched the whope thing anyways.

[@openboosters]

Wow!! that was an amazing video!! Holy busshsh! Well said and explained!

[@implode3]

Do you like seeing your videos used?

[@BrunoCasagrandaNeves]

@@implode3 does a scientist likes being cited? Does a writer like being referenced to? Does a composer likes to listen to interpretations of their songs? With all due respect, I believe that, considering a meaningful end/performance and the proper references, that's what all creators dream of.

[@Armando-Rios]

P

[@yugen]

Holy Bzschzch!

[@andykapsar4667]

the craziness!!

[@16kauffmanh]

This video is such a great companion piece to your latest video about the Gonti deck

[@trexasaurus5322]

I watch this video occasionally, even 4 years later. Absolute masterpiece

[@danceyrselfkleen]

Literally no point in doing that. It’s actually kind of weird.

[@trexasaurus5322]

@@danceyrselfkleen so you’ve never watched the same movie twice? I find that hard to believe

[@TrialoftheMonkeys]

Absolutely love your videos man. Thank you so much for all your effort.

[@golDroger88]

All I have to say is: collectability=/=rarity. The Reserved List was a mistake. An Alpha Birds of Paradise is obviously not the same as an 8th edition one, the Alpha Birds is not less collectible because there are other printings. Imagine if buying those base balls prevented everyone else from playing with a baseball and then defending that fact stating something like "you're not entitled to a right to play baseball, if you wanna play baseball then pay for this collectible item". Magic is a game.

[@Arvaniz]

Yes!! Someone finally said it. Collectability should never stand in the way of playability. I'm sick and tired of everyone saying "If you can't pay Vintage/Legacy/Modern (or Magic in general), then don't play it."

[@movezig5]

Here's hoping the counterfeiters force WotC to make the game for the players again and not the scalpers.

[@evileyeball]

I believe some cards should be removed from the reserved list yes, Things like Narwhal, Fungal Bloom, Elvish Farmer, etc etc. Should we get rid of the whole thing? Maybe not? Should I be able to buy a decently priced Underground sea for my Dimir EDH deck, ABSOLUTELY!! Can I now? Absolutely not :(

[@Lithl]

@@evileyeball Thunder Spirit is probably the card that most needs to come off the Reserved List. Specifically, because it's the perfect kind of card to print for Limited (1WW for a 2/2 flying first strike), and the Reserved List does not permit functional reprints.

[@parker435]

I also want to watch rudy cry about it, and be able to find others to play legacy with.

[@TheRazeryan]

Great video, super informative, well researched, good references. Really appreciate the info

[@mo938]

This man tells the most incredible stories. Thank you Rhystic Studies.

[@nukie404]

I remember seeing a rich kid in school with a lotus, during the 5th~6th edition era (almost 20 years ago!). Since we played in school, even though it was obviously banned, it saw a lot of play (inside a protector of course). Nice to see the lotus still holds a special place in Magic, and that bend test URGH.

[@Raaanch]

I posted up with a fresh cup and just absorbed this entire video. Absolutely stunning work as always, Sam. A perfect video which narrates the iconic card. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have followed Zakeel and Openboosters when they got their lotus'. Amazing. Thank you.

[@seronymus]

Thank you Sam, very cool!

[@coiorr8370]

wow thank you i appreciated the tone and rhythm of your the story so adventure and curiosity like the price and story around things that can go up and i regret that i didn't buy at the time . i maybe had also just a quarter of the amount of money. i ristarted playing a few days ago. i still have some old card. i appreciated the end where you explained the amount of time it took to do it and who helped you. for all the good time I spent on this video I'm thankful. c.

[@Grooviebones]

I occasionally come back to this video and a striking thought is prevalent every time I do... this is, quite possibly, one of the most memorable intros in any medium I've seen.

[@ShadowNyte96]

This is the video that got me into playing Magic, I'll probably never own a legit Black Lotus, but I'm glad I tried the game out finally. So thanks for getting me interested enough to try it out!

[@onogg]

you will own one

[@refriedrhys]

@@onogg ok

[@wherewolf0]

I am not a Patron of yours, I don't have a job as I have studies to focus on first, but I do very much appreciate and enjoy your content so let me offer these words to you - I have no interest in playing magic, but the talk of design and your passion has made me appreciate the flavour of cards despite not knowing exactly how they work. I hope that you can continue making these video essays - I think many people that have yet to come across your channel would greatly enjoy your work as well.

[@eeliot2961]

This video got me back into magic. Thank you. Great video too

[@gummybeargamertheorist3686]

I don’t know how or why but every 4-6 months I come back to this video, and I watch it and smile because this video is a masterpiece and it is mandatory to do anything involving KZbin and magic.

[@MTGDeckmasters]

The quality of this video is undeniably top notch. You make the best and most informative mtg videos on the internet and now I want a lotus!

[@PROTOTYPE131]

Never played MTG in my life, can't say I really care for it either. But I must say, this was one well put together video and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. Well done! *applause*

[@tristanblackford7903]

Never played in your life and can't say you care for it? Makes a lot of sense..

[@tristanblackford7903]

@No Fun Intended thanks I guess lol

[@professorhojo7205]

@@tristanblackford7903 muppet

[@agr0nianTV]

Agreed

[@bazookafox]

First time watching your videos. Absolutely loved it. Very informative and interesting

[@ethanblack5642]

I comment to help statistics I am posting this just after younintroduced the black lotus and I just want to say this was a great intro and a wonderful segway from sports(what most people are familiar with) to card collections to card games Keep up the wonderful writing!