Signed Beta Black Lotus Art Proof Could be Worth $615,000

Last updated on June 5, 2025

Black Lotus – art by Chris Rahn

Lotus Alert! a Limited Edition Beta artist proof of Black Lotus is currently being auctioned off via Heritage Auctions. This collector's item has a little extra flair though: It's signed by the man himself, the myth, the legend, Richard Garfield, creator of Magic: The Gathering.

All the Details

Source: Heritage Auctions

Look, Black Lotus is a big deal in Magic, but this isn't an ordinary Lotus. First off, it's an artist proof, not an actual, official card. This was an alternate print of the original Black Lotus, given to artist Christopher Rush as a sort of showcase of what the official card would look like once it went to print. It has a blank back, and therefore isn't technically a tournament-legal card, more of a mock-up of said card. Artist proofs are often sold by the artists themselves, and the late American artist likely sold this one quite some time ago.

Second, it has Richard Garfield's signature on it. Signatures are only as meaningful as the personalities themselves, and there's perhaps no greater name in Magic than Urza Richard Garfield, the creator of the game.

And as with most collectibles of this prestige, the card is graded and slabbed, courtesy of Beckett Grading Services. In case you're curious why the slab is labeled BAS (Beckett Authentication Services) instead of BGS, they're part of the same parent company.

You'll notice the slab has two grades. NM 7 refers to the card itself, which is in great condition but has lost points for certain specifications, like centering and minor damage to the sides and corners. The “Beckett 9 Autograph” stamp refers to the signature itself, which is a different scale that represents the authenticity and aesthetics of the signature. According to Heritage Auctions: “BGS has certified only 1 copy earning a Near Mint 7.” Only five Black Lotus artist prints have ever moved through BGS with a higher grade than that.

Let's Talk Money

The artist proof has a current high bid of $1,100 with 22 days left to bid, but don't go thinking you can squeak in a win with a $1,500 bid and walk away the proud owner of this piece of history. The final price is expected to be substantially larger.

Back in March of 2023, another Beta Black Lotus artist proof was sold for $615,000. That one was signed by Christopher Rush himself, which is pretty much the biggest force multiplier you could get out of a signature. Notably, the 2023 Lotus was graded as an 8.5 (by a different grading company). Whether Richard Garfield's signature is worth more or less than Rush's hardly matters; the point is that the final price could very well end up in the hundreds of thousands.

There is some debate as to what the price for this item might end up being, as well as speculation around how many artist proofs of the card exist in the first place. Lillobby6 on Reddit states that “a Garfield sig is kinda detrimental in proof world.” The claim is that Garfield signs so many Magic cards that his signature isn't exactly worth much, and Christopher Rush passed away in 2016, which morbid as it may be to say it, does matter when it comes to the worth of a signature.

Source: Heritage Auctions

If artist proofs and signatures aren't your thing, but you're still made of money and don't know what to splurge on next, you might consider and actual Alpha Black Lotus, also being handled by Heritage Auctions. This Lotus, graded an 8.5 by CGC, is up to $3,500 with 22 days left to bid. It's probably not going to reach the peak of that $3,000,000 pristine Black Lotus that sold in 2024, but it should still fetch a pretty penny. And hey, that could be your next piece of Power Nine if you've been looking for a reason to try out Vintage or Old School!