Magic: The Gathering has the distinction of being the world's first trading card game, and it has come a long way since its wild early days in the mid-1990s. By now, Wizards of the Coast has printed over 15,000 cards of all different kinds, and some of these cards are so rare, valuable or unique that they can command serious price tags. There will always be a demand for these cards.

Some ultra-valuable cards on the infamous Reserved List are the priciest of all, such as the Power Nine and the original Alpha dual lands, but those are special cases. If the Reserved List is factored out, which ten Magic cards are the most expensive and valuable of them all, according to TCG Player?

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10. Scalding Tarn (Zendikar Expeditions Series)

mtg cards

Starting in 2015, Wizards released ultra-rare cards in the Masterpiece series. These cards appear only once in every 144 booster packs, starting with the Zendikar Expeditions series. Scalding Tarn is a fetchland, which says a lot, and so Scalding Tarn commands a $194.74 price tag. Any Jeskai control deck in Modern or Legacy would want a card like this.

9. Polluted Delta (Zendikar Expedition Series)

polluted delta mtg

The ninth most valuable card (aside from the Reserved List) is Polluted Delta, which is a fetchland, just like Scalding Tarn. Those two cards may be found together in Grixis-colored builds, such as Grixis Delver in Modern. This land is also essential for Esper control decks. Its price tag currently sits at $197.99.

8. Force Of Will (Amonkhet Invocations Series)

force of will mtg

The Amonkhet block brought an Egypt-inspired world to the game, and it also had a Masterpiece series: the Invocations. This series didn't have a clear theme, but it did include powerhouse spells such as Blood Moon and Force of Will, a Legacy must-have. This deluxe Invocation version, featuring the God Kefnet, goes for $249.95 on TCG Player.

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7. Sword of Feast and Famine (Kaladesh Inventions Series)

sword of feast and famine mtg

The Kaladesh block's Masterpiece series was based on powerhouse artifacts, and Sword of Feast and Famine, a fan-favorite from the Scars of Mirrodin block, made a guest appearance here. This mighty Equipment card is fancier and shinier than ever, and as a result, it costs around $284.95 on TCG Player.

6. Misty Rainforest (Zendikar Expeditions Series)

misty rainforest mtg

Misty Rainforest is clearly a must-have card from the Zendikar expeditions. It belongs to the same cycle as Scalding Tarn; that is, the enemy-colored fetchlands from the original Zendikar set in 2009 (Polluted Delta is from the Khans of Tarkir block). Misty Rainforest commands a cool price tag of $324.99.

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5. Mana Drain (Legends)

mana drain mtg

The counterspell called Mana Drain is the quintessential diamond in the rough, being an excellent counterspell from the otherwise unremarkable (and ancient) Legends set. The original Counterspell was already a good card, but Mana Drain managed to be better, and that, combined with its sheer rarity, gives it a price tag of $362.22.

4. Force Of Will (Judge Promos)

force of will 2

The counterspell Force of Will is so awe-inspiring that it commands a massive price tag, even though it has been reprinted more than once (it also appeared in Eternal Masters and other booster draft expert sets). This is the judge foil promo version from 2014, and due to its rarity, this card's value clocks in at $390.00.

3. Mana Vault (Kaladesh Inventions Series)

mana vault mtg

The Kaladesh series returns once again, and Mana Vault is a valuable treasure indeed. This is a card from the early days, when Wizards printed recklessly powerful gems in a sea of mediocre and obscure cards. Mana Vault can easily be exploited to tap for large amounts of mana, and that's worth taking some damage in the process. Mana Vault, in this form, is worth $399.98.

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2. Sol Ring (Kaladesh Inventions Series)

sol ring mtg

Yet another Invention has arrived, and Sol Ring is a head-turner for Commander players everywhere. Mana rocks like this are uncommon, being so aggressively costed for so generous an effect, and Sol Ring has long since established itself as a Commander format must-have. A desirable card like that, in a fancy new form like this, can easily go for $462.61 on TCG Player.

1. Mana Crypt (Kaladesh Inventions Series)

mtg cards

The most valuable Magic card not on the Reserved List, Mana Crypt is valuable for similar reasons as Mana Vault and Sol Ring: it can easily add a lot of extra mana to the mana pool and enable some explosive early plays in a game. It's even free to cast, and taking three damage when the coin flip comes up tails isn't as scary as it sounds. If the player can make a game-winning play on turn one or two with so much extra mana, what's a little Lightning Bolt to the face? A deceptively powerful card like this, in a sparkly Kaladesh Inventions form, is now worth $464.03 -- indeed a masterpiece of an invention.

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