Yes, the MTG One Ring Was Found, But the Market's Not Dead

News

By RC Staff

01 July 2023

You might have heard the news that the serialized MTG One of One Ring has been pulled. While it’s no doubt a disappointment to the scores of resellers, streamers, and card-ripping addicts out there, it was clear the frenzy couldn’t go on forever. Sales for Collector’s booster packs are already slowing down, and the prices likely will likely drop. That said, it’s not all doom and gloom for resellers. In fact, there might be an opportunity to make more money as the market shifts.

MTG One of One Ring Card Found

If you don’t know anything about Magic: The Gathering’s recent Lord of the Rings expansion, or the craze around the One Ring, this whole situation might be a bit strange. You can check out our article on the hunt for the serialized One Ring here, but here’s a quick TL;DR:

As a promotion for the new expansion, Wizards of the Coast printed exactly one (1) special One Ring card, and slipped it into a booster pack much like Willy Wonka. Only specially marked Collector’s booster packs had a chance to carry the Ring, and these sold out and resold for well over their retail price. At the time of the One Ring’s discovery, there was a bounty on it for two million dollars, but it’s yet to be claimed.

Now the One Ring has been found. It was pulled yesterday, June 30, by a collector in Canada. The One Ring card has already sent in to PSA, where it was graded as a 9. Considering that a significant portion of the aftermarket for MTG Lord of the Rings cards was propped up by the hunt for this one card, it’s understandable that sales are slowing down. That said, there’s still hope for resellers.

The serialized One of One Ring card was not the only rare card in the set. It was certainly the rarest (in any TCG actually), but there are other cards worth reselling.

MTG LotR Rings of Power Cards

It’s understandable that the hunt for the One Ring card occupied most collectors minds when it came to the set, there are three other notable sets of cards that are also rare, collectable, and already reselling.

They are the Rings of Power cards, based on the Rings featured in Tolkien’s work. They include the Elf Rings, Dwarf Rings, and the Rings of Men. These cards include both standard and serialized versions, which also receive a foil treatment. Let’s look at these cards from the set, and see what they’re selling for.

MTG LotR Elven Sol Ring Card

First forged and fewest in number, the Elven Rings of Power cards are limited to 3,000 total for the standard cards, and just 300 foil versions. It depicts one of the Trees of Valinor, with a hand reaching around it. Foil versions receive a “double-rainbow” treatment, to make the cards really pop.

Currently, standard Elven Sol Ring cards are selling for around $500. The serialized foil Elven Sol Rings have recorded a handful of sales for over $5,000, with some sales creeping in on $10,000.

MTG LotR Dwarven Sol Ring Card

Next are the Rings of the Dwarves. Standard cards are limited to 7,000, and serialized versions 700. The art shows a Dwarven hand and beard reflecting on a pedestal bearing the Ring.

In Tolkien’s work, the Dwarves were not greatly affected by their Rings of Power, as they were too blinded by their lust for gold. That attitude might be reflected in aftermarket prices for these cards. Standard Dwarven Sol Ring cards are selling for around $300, while foil versions of the Dwarven Sol Rings resell for close to $3,000

MTG LotR Human Sol Ring Card

Finally, the Nine Rings forged for men have been printed into a collection of 9,000 standard cards, and 900 foil Sol Ring cards. They feature a crowned king bearing a Ring, seeming to already be hollowing under its influence.

The most common of the Rings of Power command the lowest prices, but are still quite respectable. Standard cards resell for somewhere around $200, while the foil Human Sol Rings are going for $1,500 to $2,000.

Where to find MTG Rings of Power cards

If you participated in the hunt for the One Ring, this section will be familiar to you. MTG LotR Rings of Power cards can be found only in Collector’s booster packs, which are marked specially. While speculators and resellers did a number on the price of these packs, it’s likely prices will begin falling soon.

Wizards of the Coast abandoned MSRP back in 2019, and allows its retailers to sell products at whatever price they see fit, which is determined by demand. Right now, box sets of Collector’s booster packs tend to retail for somewhere between $200 and $400, which includes 12 sealed Collector’s booster packs. If our math is good, that’s somewhere around $25 per pack, each of which contains 15 cards.

Keep an eye on prices of these packs in the future, and it’s worth stopping in at local cards and hobby shops to see if they’re in stock. Many collectors and resellers poured into the market during the hunt for the One Ring card, and most will be leaving as fast as they came. It’s possible a vacuum may open in the market, and scared resellers will try to dump packs for less than they paid. Be smart, do your own research, and know that there are more cards worth selling than the obvious ones.

That’s all for now. Make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter for more updates like these, and breakdowns on everything worth reselling.