CGC Trading Cards Certifies Five Extremely Rare Heroes of the Realm Cards from Magic: The Gathering

In the world of Magic: The Gathering, few cards are as rare as those with the special moniker Heroes of the Realm. Introduced by Magic creators Wizards of the Coast (WOTC) in 2017, these commemorative cards are printed in extremely limited numbers and not made available to the public. Their purpose is to honor the outstanding performance of WOTC teams, who are given the privilege of designing the text and artwork on the cards.

Since 2017, 20 different versions of Heroes of the Realm cards have been issued. CGC® Trading Cards was honored to grade five Heroes of the Realm cards that were issued to honor WOTC teams in 2020. Recent news reveals the cards will be offered for sale in the near future, representing what could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the general public to obtain Heroes of the Realm cards.

The heroic quintet

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Collectigull

Collectigull, which was an award given to the Studio X Booster Team, was the first of seven commemorative cards issued in 2020. The Booster Fun initiative was launched by WOTC in 2019 to create cards with special decorative frames that would be included in Magic booster packs. The Collectigull card showcases that type of frame.

The Collectigull certified by CGC Trading Cards was graded CGC 8.5, with a 9.5 for Surface, 9 for Centering and Edges and 8 for Corners.

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Keeper of the Secret Lair

Magic’s Secret Lair series, which kicked off in 2019, introduced small collectible sets of cards that featured reprints of cards with alternative art styles by select artists. The commemorative Keeper of the Secret Lair card features art by Brigitte Roka, who also worked on Magic’s Innistrad: Midnight Hunt series. It was issued to honor the Studio X Secret Lair Team and was the second Heroes of the Realm card issued in 2020.

The Keeper of the Secret Lair certified by CGC Trading Cards was graded CGC 9 with 9.5 for Centering and Surface and 9 for Corners and Edges.

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War of the Spark

War of the Spark is an expansion set released by Magic in May 2019. The commemorative War of the Spark card is a saga card, which is a special type of enchantment card. It was issued to honor the teams that worked on the War of the Spark initiative and is the third of seven Heroes of the Realm cards issued in 2020.

The War of the Spark certified by CGC Trading Cards was graded CGC 8.5 with 9.5 for Centering, 9 for Edges, 8.5 for Corners, and 8 for Surface.

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Champions of Archery

The Champions of Archery commemorative card was given to the team that worked on Magic’s Throne of Eldraine expansion set. Released in October 2019, the set drew upon the lore of King Arthur’s Camelot and Grimm’s Fairy Tales. The set was developed under the codename “Archery,” which may explain the subject matter chosen for the commemorative card. It was the fourth Heroes of the Realm card issued in 2020.

The Champions of Archery certified by CGC Trading Cards was graded CGC 9.5 with 9.5 for Centering, Surface and Edges and 9 for Corners.

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Myntasha, Honored One

Created by the team behind the Modern Horizons expansion set, which was released in June 2019, the Myntasha, Honored One card features a snow theme as a nod to the snow-covered basic lands central to Modern Horizons. The card features a unique mechanic that allows players to “open a sealed Magic booster pack and put the cards on the bottom of your booster pile in a random order.” It was the fifth Heroes of the Realm card issued in 2020.

The Myntasha, Honored One certified by CGC Trading Cards was graded CGC 9.5 with 9.5 for Centering, Surface and Edges and 9 for Corners.

Highly collectible, but not playable

Despite having black borders, which typically identify Magic cards that are legal for tournament play, the commemorative cards cannot be played in tournaments. The custom artwork on the back of the cards also would keep them from being played.

Text at the bottom of each Heroes of the Realm card identifies the person to whom the card was presented. The five Heroes of the Realm cards graded by CGC Trading Cards were presented to Robert Schuster, a former member of the WOTC Research and Development Team.

Schuster announced via Twitter on November 17 that he would be selling the cards and using the money from the sale to “improve the accessibility, safety and comfort” of his home. Reports that followed reveal that the improvements will include making the home wheelchair accessible for Schuster’s daughter. Follow CGC Trading Cards @CGCcards.com for further updates on the sale of this heroic quintet.