An avid card collector has a message for parents: Do not throw away cards you find in your children’s rooms while cleaning, as they could be coveted rare collector cards.

Some cards that appear to be worthless are worth more than a luxury car, said Kai, chairman of trading-card retail chain Cat Footprints.

Citing an example, Kai said that a copy of the Black Lotus — one of the nine rarest and most valuable Magic: The Gathering cards — signed by the original artist sold at auction for US$500,000.

Magic, which is one of the most popular tabletop card games played worldwide, was invented in 1993 by US designer Richard Channing Garfield, and published by Wizards of the Coast. Players start the game with 20 life points and attack each other by casting spells detailed on the cards in their deck, and win if they take the other player’s life points down to zero.

The Black Lotus, Mox Pearl, Mox Emerald, Mox Jet, Mox Sapphire, Mox Ruby, Ancestral Recall, Time Walk and Timetwister cards — referred to by Magic players as the “power nine” — became valuable not only because they are rare, but also because they are very powerful cards that can tip the balance of the game in favor of the cardholder, Kai said.

However, as with most collector cards, the value of the power nine varies depending on card condition, print version and print quality, among other factors, he said, adding that he has copies of the nine cards in his collection.

Photo: Wang Kuan-jen, Taipei Times

“I’ve got an ‘unlimited’ version of the Black Lotus with a white frame that I paid NT$200,000 for, and have since been offered almost triple that for the card,” he said. “I paid NT$65,000 for my Mox Jet and have been offered almost four times that amount for it.”

Collector cards have become a form of investment for some people, he said.

“These days people trade cryptocurrencies, but those are intangible. They are a ‘virtual’ item,” he said. “However, these rare cards are ‘real’ items, and they are out of print. Their value to diehard players is astonishing.”

Wizards of the Coast has also guaranteed that rare cards retain their value by putting them on a “reserved list” and promising not to reprint them, he said.

Collectors also often discuss ways to preserve rare cards and protect them from damage, he said.

“Of course we put them in plastic sleeves, and we keep them in controlled-atmosphere conditions, and out of direct sunlight,” he said.

“However, most important is caution while handling them. Even a minor bend or scuff will drastically affect value,” he said.

Cards must be kept away from moisture and humidity, as well as sources of ultraviolet light, he said, adding that collectible cards must be kept out of reach of children.

In January 2017, the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office ruled on a case involving rare Magic cards.

A man, surnamed Cheng (鄭), left 165 cards, including three Black Lotus cards, with a girlfriend while he traveled. After the two separated, the girlfriend said she lost the cards. The court ordered the girlfriend to return the cards or compensate Cheng.

Kai advised collectors to exercise caution when buying rare cards, as there are people selling forgeries.

“It’s always best to buy directly from a trusted merchant. If you are buying directly from another player, then make the purchase in person so you can inspect the card,” he said.

Real Magic cards allow light to pass through when held up to a light source, and generally weigh 1.9g or less, he said.

“If you look closely, the Black Lotus is actually made up of three layers — the middle one blue. If you look for that you can avoid buying a fake,” he said.

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