Unplayable Mystery Booster 2 MTG Cards Cost Over $200

Last updated on October 17, 2024

Oracle of the Alpha | Illustration by Nico Vecia

Mystery Booster 2 is, by design, one of the wackiest sets in Magic history. It includes everything from reprints of omnipresent EDH staples like Arcane Signet and Command Tower, to crazy playtest cards like Indicate and Brigid, Who's Seen Some Stuff.

Wacky does not mean cheap, though: some of the most expensive MB2 cards, including the technically unplayable Alchemy “reprints,” are soaring well over the $200 mark. 

Oracle of the Alpha is actually the second-most expensive card in the whole set, topped only by the Future Sight bordered version of Urza, Lord High Artificer.

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Oracle of the Alpha has sold for more than $300 on TCGPlayer, and copies are currently listed for around $250-$300 on eBay.

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Closely following Oracle of the Alpha, Rusko, Clockmaker is Mystery Booster 2‘s third most expensive card, recently sold on TCGPlayer for over $200 and is still listed around the $100 mark.

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Most of MB2’s Alchemy reprints fetch shockingly high prices: Tenacious Pup sits around $80, Toralf's Disciple at about $90, and Forsaken Crossroads around $70.

From MTG Arena to Tabletop

Alchemy cards were, until now, digital-only designs for MTG Arena‘s online formats like Historic or Timeless. These seven reprints are unplayable in sanctioned formats represented by the acorn symbol which serves as the modern version of silver-bordered cards. These cards can only be used in casual play, likely because the MTG Comprehensive Rules don't cover digital-only mechanics.

Some Alchemy cards, for example, ask you to “conjure” other cards. On MTG Arena, conjuring creates non-token cards out of thin air, which is streamlined in a video game's digital environment but can be quite the hassle on the tabletop. Oracle of the Alpha is easily the biggest headache, conjuring nine cards that need to be shuffled into the user's library – not just any MTG card, but a whole set of Magic's infamous Power 9!

Some players don't seem to mind shelling out big bucks for these cards or the hassle they create while playing. As long as your playgroup is okay with these funky cards as part of your rule 0 conversation, you can always play them in your Commander pod or in your favorite Cube. A card that creates Time Walks, Ancestral Recalls, and Black Lotuses is also the perfect power spike to spice up a custom Vintage Cube, where the Power 9 would feel right at home.

Extremely Rare 1 Percenters

Mox Emerald | Illustration by Volkan Baga

Scarcity is probably the other factor making Oracle of the Alpha or Rusko, Clockmaker worth twice more than The One Ring or outpricing a post-ban Mana Crypt.

Alchemy reprints show up exclusively in traditional foil, and only in a small percentage of MB2 boosters. According to WotC's official article describing Mystery Booster 2's contents, you'll open a traditional foil Alchemy card in less than 1% of boosters, always replacing the Future Sight card slot.

Prices for Mystery Booster 2 cards may decrease in the coming days, as more and more players receive and crack open their Festival in a Box Secret Lairs. On the other hand, MB2 did sell out, and the number of copies is unknown, so it's impossible to say where their final prices may land.

For the time being, Alchemy has finally lived up to its name by turning acorns into gold.