An ultra-rare Magic: The Gathering card just sold for a record $3 million

• An ultra-rare Magic: The Gathering card just sold for a record $3 million.
• The "Black Lotus" card from 1993 is considered one of the game's most powerful and sought-after cards.
• The new record exceeds Post Malone's $2 million purchase of a one-of-a-kind Magic: The Gathering card last year.

An ultra-rare Magic: The Gathering card just shattered records and sold for $3 million, according to CGC Cards.

The "Black Lotus" card sold is considered to be one of the most powerful and sought-after cards in the game, so much so that the card is banned from most competitive Magic: The Gathering game formats. 

CGC Cards, a grading and certification company for trading cards and other collectibles, said last week the sale occurred via a private exchange between Adam Cai of Pristine Collectibles and "a mystery buyer."

"This particular Alpha Black Lotus is not only rare but also in impeccable condition, graded CGC Pristine 10. Its sky-high price demonstrates the high value collectors place on CGC Cards' Pristine 10 grade," CGC Cards said in an announcement of the sale last week.

The previous record sale for a Magic: The Gathering card took place last year when rapper Post Malone acquired the one-of-a-kind "One Ring" card for $2 million. That card was issued as part of Magic: The Gathering's crossover with JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings universe. 

Malone also acquired his own Black Lotus card in 2022 for $800,000. That card was "an artist proof" and signed by the original artist of the card, Christopher Rush.

The buyer of the $3 million Black Lotus card remains unknown.