CGC-certified Black Lotus Realizes Record $615,000 in Heritage Sale

An autographed Black Lotus card certified by CGC Trading Cards® has obliterated the record for the most expensive Magic: The Gathering card to sell at auction. The Black Lotus was the highest-selling collectible in the Jeff Ferreira Collection Featuring Christopher Rush Collectibles Trading Card Games Signature Auction, which was presented by Heritage Auctions on March 24-25, 2023.

The Black Lotus, Magic: The Gathering (1993) Limited Edition Beta Artist Proof graded CGC 8.5, with sub-grades of 8.5 for Centering, 9 for Surface, and 8.5 for Corners and Edges (lot 36014), is pedigreed to the Jeff Ferreira Collection. The $615,000 paid for this card is the highest amount realized by any Magic: The Gathering card through Heritage Auctions. The CGC certification label includes a notation that Ferreira has verified that this Black Lotus has been autographed by Christopher Rush, the legendary artist who illustrated Black Lotus and many other early Magic: The Gathering cards.

Click images to enlarge.

Every CGC-certified item in the auction was from the Jeff Ferreira Collection, a special group of Magic: The Gathering cards that Ferreira verified were signed, painted or customized by Rush. Some of the other highlights in the auction included:

• a Plains, Magic: The Gathering (1998) Unglued Basic Land graded CGC 7.5 with sub-grades of 9 for Centering, 7.5 for Surface and Corners and 7 for Edges (lot 36042) that realized $10,625
• a Blank Card, Magic: The Gathering (2004) World Championships Decks, with a painted Black Lotus and Darth Vader graded CGC 7 with sub-grades of 9 for Centering, 7 for Surface and Corners and 7.5 for Edges (lot 36045) that realized $8,125
• a Blank Card, Magic: The Gathering (2004) World Championship Decks, with a painted Black Lotus and R2-D2 graded CGC 8 with sub-grades of 9.5 for Centering, 8 for Surface and Corners and 9 for Edges (lot 36046) that realized $7,500
• a Plains, Magic: The Gathering (1998) French Ice Age Artist Proof, with a Black Lotus Drawn on Back graded CGC 8 with sub-grades of 8.5 for Centering, Surface and Edges, and 7.5 for Corners (lot 36059) that realized $4,000
• a Blank Card, Magic: The Gathering (2004) World Championship Decks, with a painted Black Lotus and Olaf graded CGC 7.5 with sub-grades of 9.5 for Centering, 7.5 for Surface, 6.5 for Corners and 8 for Edges (lot 36047) that realized $3,000

All prices realized include a buyer’s premium.