Magic: The Gathering’s 15 Most Valuable Zero-Cost Artifacts

Darksteel Forge | Illustrated by Martina Pilcerova

Zero-cost artifacts have long been some of the most powerful and iconic colorless cards in the entire history of Magic: The Gathering. After all, the game’s very first set, Alpha, introduced several incredibly powerful examples, including six of the legendary Power Nine. Ever since, cards that cost absolutely nothing to cast have retained a certain cachet among Magic players and collectors.

But what are the most valuable zero-cost artifacts in the game’s history? Sure, the Power Nine entries are well represented here, but some of the other inclusions might surprise you. Let’s dive in — preferably into a Scrooge McDuck-style swimming pool full of money, given some of the extreme valuations you’ll find herein.

15. Mishra's Bauble (Serialized Retro Artifacts Bonus Sheet) – The Brothers’ War

Market Price: $650.00

2022’s The Brothers’ War was a heavily artifact-focused set that had a bonus sheet filled with some of the most memorable colorless permanents from throughout Magic’s history, all featuring singular “blueprint”-style artwork.

The most valuable among those cards were serialized renditions, and Mishra’s Bauble kicks off our list as a beautiful enabler for Arclight Phoenix spells-matter builds, though this copy will cost you a staggering $650 for the privilege of casting it for zero mana.

14. Chrome Mox (Kaladesh Inventions) – Kaladesh

Market Price: $779.57

Kaladesh from 2016 was another artifact-heavy expansion that also debuted the more troublesome energy mechanic. While energy decks dominated the competitive landscape upon debuting, it was the set’s Kaladesh Inventions that impressed collectors the most.

These stunning cards feature unique artwork and a distinctive card frame that makes them among the most beautiful cards ever printed in Magic history, which is saying a lot. Their price tags, including this nearly $800 Chrome Mox, also back up that claim.

13. Lion's Eye Diamond – Mirage

Market Price: $797.56

Black Lotus, the original zero-mana artifact capable of producing three mana in Alpha, is obviously extremely broken and overpowered, so Wizards of the Coast opted to try a different powered-down version in Mirage.

Oops. Turns out the “discard your hand” clause from Lion’s Eye Diamond is sometimes just flavor text, and sometimes it actively helps the player activating it. As such, a lofty near-$800 price tag for this nearly 30-year-old artifact makes some sense.

12. Lotus Petal (Kaladesh Inventions) – Kaladesh

Market Price: $952.08

11. Mox Opal (Kaladesh Inventions) – Kaladesh

Market Price: $1,180.58

Two straight Kaladesh Inventions masterpieces certainly earn their keep, as the Mox Opal in particular, illustrated by Chris Rahn, is a truly astounding work of art that looks as if it would fit perfectly in any museum next to classics from art history. Its nearly $1,200 price tag confirms its cachet and beauty.

For a card originally printed as a common in 1997’s Tempest, Lotus Petal certainly got a glow-up in Kaladesh, and a price point close to $1,000 showcases the card’s desirability and power — close to 30 years after it debuted.

10. Mox Diamond – From the Vault: Relics

Market Price: $1,710.33

Another zero-cost artifact from the mid-1990s comes courtesy of Tempest block’s second expansion, Stronghold, which debuted arguably the “king of the Moxen,” Mox Diamond.

While the original Moxen could simply tap for a specific color of mana, Mox Diamond can tap for any color, with the drawback of requiring you to discard a land as it enters the battlefield. Of course, that “drawback” can sometimes be a boon, especially in “Scary Terry” Premodern variants featuring Terravore.

9. Mox Amber (Serialized Retro Artifacts Bonus Sheet) – The Brothers’ War

Market Price: $2,486.08

This serialized Mox, originally printed in 2018’s Dominaria, received the blueprint-style Retro Artifacts frame in 2022’s The Brothers’ War to wide acclaim. It’s a beautiful illustration, and original artist Steven Belledin returned to provide the “sketch” version of his Dominaria Mox Amber.

While this Mox does rank as the most valuable serialized Mox from The Brothers’ War, it is not the most valuable serialized Mox on this list. That would be…

8. Mox Jasper (Serialized Retro Frame) – Tarkir: Dragonstorm

Market Price: $2,824.99

Steven Belledin’s standard-frame artwork for this powerful zero-cost artifact from Tarkir: Dragonstorm is amazing, but this serialized retro frame version is illustrated by Mr. Mox himself, the original illustrator of the Power Nine Moxen: Dan Frazier.

Frazier has had a longstanding affinity for the Moxen, and Wizards of the Coast even released a special Secret Lair focused on Mox cards he hadn’t previously illustrated.

7. Mana Crypt (Three-Color Cosmium Neon Ink Special Guests) – The Lost Caverns of Ixalan

Market Price: $3,499.96

The last non-Power Nine entry on this list hails from 2023’s The Lost Caverns of Ixalan and is the singular chase card from that set. Mana Crypt is an extremely overpowered mana rock that costs zero mana and gives you two colorless mana; Sol Ring, who?!

Beyond that, Mana Crypt actually aids and abets anyone who wants to employ coin-flipping strategies in their Magic decks, as the Crypt gives you an automatic flip every upkeep that can deal you 3 damage if you lose.

6. Mox Ruby – Alpha

Market Price: $4,595.00

5. Mox Pearl – Alpha

Market Price: $4,937.35

4. Mox Jet – Alpha

Market Price: $5,003.60

2. Mox Emerald – Alpha

Market Price: $6,041.39

2. Mox Sapphire – Alpha

Market Price: $8,219.21

You know them, you love them, you can likely only dream of obtaining them: the monocolored Moxen of the Power Nine are among the most iconic and recognizable cards across Magic’s colorful and varied 30-plus-year history.

Obtaining one of each of them, at these listed prices, will set you back a staggering $28,796.55 (before tax!), and that’s not even including the singular Magic: The Gathering grail, a card that’s on par with Base Set Charizard in the Pokémon TCG. The one, the only:

1. Black Lotus – Alpha

Market Price: Between $50,000 and $75,000

As you might expect, one of the most broken cards in Magic history also ranks as the most valuable zero-cost artifact of all time — and the most valuable Magic card overall. While ordinary Alpha copies trade for a fraction of its highest-end graded prices, a September 19, 2026 Goldin Auctions sale saw a PSA 10 Black Lotus sell for a stunning sum over $2.2 million.

Honestly, that’s understandable, as Black Lotus is a true blue-chip collectible on par with works of art and sports cars. With Goldin noting just five PSA 10 copies at the time of the sale, over $2 million is seemingly the “market” for this classic piece of cardboard.

That’s a Lot of Zeros

You know a list is jam-packed with eminently pricey goodies when the “cheapest” card is $650 and the most valuable starts at (roughly) $50,000. Zero-cost artifacts remain powerful and potent Magic cards, and while you might not ever obtain a non-proxy copy of Black Lotus, that’s OK. You can still appreciate these amazing and iconic cards for their place in Magic history.