Dragons are one of the most popular and iconic creature types in Magic: The Gathering. They are high-impact cards that have defined gameplay since Shivan Dragon was released in the Alpha Set in the summer of 1993.
It goes without saying that big-impact creature cards are going to have a premium price tag, and that is definitely true with dragons.
We’ve compiled a list of the most sought-after dragon cards as of the time of writing. Starting with the most expensive, here are the Top 10 Most Expensive Dragon Cards in Magic: The Gathering:
The Rarest of Them All – Shichifukujin Dragon
Shichifukujin Dragon is the rarest dragon card in Magic: The Gathering and the entire game. Only one copy exists today. It was originally printed to commemorate the opening of the DCI Tournament Center in Japan.
The card’s name is derived from the seven deities of good fortune in Japanese mythology. The card was symbolic, meant to bring good luck to the Tournament Center upon its opening.
After the DCI Center closed a year later, the card was given to Hobby Japan, the gaming and publishing company that distributes Magic in Japan, where it is currently on display.
While Shichifukujin Dragon has never been sold, its value could easily be estimated beyond $1 million, based on sales of other rare MTG cards, such as a near-mint condition Black Lotus from Alpha edition and the one-of-one version of The One Ring.
#1 Shivan Dragon (Alpha) – $8,000
The Alpha edition of Shivan Dragon is the most expensive dragon card in Magic: The Gathering that is available for sale on the open market.
It’s no surprise that Shivan Dragon tops our list as one of the most expensive cards in the game. Since its printing, it’s been an iconic staple of the game, and the artwork speaks for itself.
If for some reason you don’t have $8k lying around to pick up this gem, you can acquire the Beta printing of Shivan Dragon for only $2,000.
#2 Murktide Regent (Secret Lair Showdown) – $2,500
Murktide Regent Secret Lair Showdown edition is awarded to everyone who qualifies for the Secret Lair Showdown Championship events. Only 32 players qualify for each of these SLS Championship events via qualifiers at MagicCons and similar events, so it’s easier said than done.
There are a total of four championships announced so far during this promotion period. That means there are likely only 128 copies of the Murktide Regent Secret Lair Showdown edition in existence, making it twice as rare as the next card on this list.
#3 Niv-Mizzet, Guildpact (Serial Numbered) – $750
There’s a significant premium for the serialized bling MTG has been printing in recent years, with the Niv-Mizzet, Guildpact Serialized version being a prime example. Only 250 copies were printed, making it extremely difficult to get your hands on one.
This Niv-Mizzet is in the Ravnica City Treatment serialized frame. According to MTG, “Serialized cards with the Ravnica City treatment can only be found in Collector Boosters. They are found in less than 1% of Collector Boosters, infrequent enough that they do not impact the drop rates for other treatments.”
#4 Zodiac Dragon – $500
We’re back to regular printings with Zodiac Dragon, although it’s hard to call anything printed in Portal Three Kingdoms a regular print.
This set was unique, as it had a limited print run specifically for the Asia-Pacific market, with cards printed in Japanese, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese. The English print run was even smaller, as it wasn’t the target market. That’s why most Portal Three Kingdoms cards, including Zodiac Dragon, are incredibly expensive.
#5 Niv-Mizzet, Parun (Retro Frame) (Serial Numbered) – $400
Niv-Mizzet, Parun is the second most popular Izzet Commander according to EDHREC, so it’s no surprise that the most premium and rare version has a hefty price tag.
This version is in the Retro Frame and is serialized up to 500 from the recent Ravnica Remastered set.
If you don’t care about the serialized foil stamp, you can get the identical foil retro frame version of Niv-Mizzet, Parun for under $2.
#6 Ramos, Dragon Engine (Schematic) (Serial Numbered) – $325
The first serialized cards were the retro frame cards in The Brothers’ War set, which included Ramos, Dragon Engine, and featured double rainbow foiling.
Ramos is one of the top 100 most popular Commanders in the entire game of MTG. It’s a pretty versatile five-color Commander, which is probably why it carries a premium price tag.
#7 Niv-Mizzet Reborn (Serial Numbered) – $250
If you’re wondering, there are a total of three serialized Niv-Mizzet cards on our list of the top 10 most expensive dragon cards in MTG. It seems WOTC loves printing this guy at exclusive rarities.
Niv-Mizzet Reborn actually sees more Commander play than the Guildpact version; however, it ends up being less expensive as there are twice the number of copies printed, at 500.
#8 Hellkite Tyrant (Retro Frame) (Serial Numbered) – $200
Like the previously mentioned Niv-Mizzet, Parun, this Hellkite Tyrant also features a retro frame and is serialized from the Ravnica Remastered set. It appears in about 4% of Commander decks, which is quite significant, making it one of the most popular dragons in MTG. Stealing all your opponent’s artifacts is pretty good!
#9 Utvara Hellkite (Retro Frame) (Serial Numbered) – $175
Utvara Hellkite is the kind of dragon that dragon decks love. Whenever you attack with a dragon, you get another 6/6 dragon! It’s a classic staple of almost every dragon-based Commander deck. For that reason, the serialized version easily commands its $100+ price tag.
#10 Nicol Bolas – $170
he final card on this list is fittingly Nicol Bolas, the big bad dragon that everyone knows about, thanks to his integral role in Magic’s storyline.
Nicol Bolas is one of the original five Elder Dragon Legends from the Legends set, which is where EDH originally got its name. While its abilities no longer make it as competitive as it once was, the nostalgia alone is driving up prices for this classic MTG card. Plus, who doesn’t want to play a game of EDH now and then the way it was originally intended?
If you enjoyed this list, you might also be interested in reading our article on The Most Expensive Cards in Modern Horizons 3.
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