MTG Scarcity Ranking: Rarest Cards & Sealed Products by Print Run
This scarcity ranking orders every Magic: The Gathering print figure in our database — Not available as a single exact total cards across 8 editions — from the rarest to the most common. Moreover, both tables draw their numbers live from the same database that powers every card and edition page. As a result, whenever we add a new edition or refine a figure, the scarcity ranking updates itself automatically.
How to Read This Scarcity Ranking
The cards table groups spells by edition and rarity, because every spell within the same rarity of an edition shares an identical print count — a direct consequence of the 11×11 sheet layout that Deconstructing Print Runs documents from the Carta Mundi factory archives. Basic lands, however, appear individually by art version, where print figures run far lower than most collectors expect.
The sealed table counts units produced, which we reconstruct through the complete production and distribution chain. Consequently, the two halves of the scarcity ranking reveal a surprising truth: a sealed master case is a rarer object than any single rare card. Finally, every figure follows the source levels that our methodology explains in detail.
Cards Scarcity Ranking: Copies Printed, Rarest First
Spells appear grouped by edition and rarity, while basic lands appear by art version. Premium rows contain figures that no other source has ever published.
| # | Edition | Card / Rarity | Copies Printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alpha | Rare | 1,008 |
| 2 | Beta | Rare | 3,025 |
| 3 | International Edition | Rare + Uncommon + Common | 4,500 |
| 4 | Alpha | Uncommon | 4,530 |
| 5 | Collectors Edition | Rare + Uncommon + Common | 9,000 |
| 6 | Unlimited | Rare | 🔒 |
| 7 | Beta | Uncommon | 13,590 |
| 8 | Alpha | Common | 16,030 |
| 9 | International Edition | Plains — Art variant 1 + Island — Art variant 3 | 🔒 |
| 10 | Arabian Nights | Rare (U2) | 21,600 |
| 11 | International Edition | Plains — Art variant 2 + Plains — Art variant 3 + Island — Art variant 2 + Swamp — Art variant 1 + Swamp — Art variant 2 + Swamp — Art variant 3 + Mountain — Art variant 1 + Mountain — Art variant 3 + Forest — Art variant 1 + Forest — Art variant 2 + Forest — Art variant 3 | 🔒 |
| 12 | International Edition | Mountain — Art variant 2 | 🔒 |
| 13 | Antiquities | Rare (U1) + Strip Mine — B — Even Terraces (Rare · U1) + Strip Mine — C — Tower (Rare · U1) + Strip Mine — D — Uneven Terraces (Rare · U1) + Mishra’s Factory — B — Summer (Rare · U1) + Mishra’s Factory — C — Autumn (Rare · U1) + Mishra’s Factory — D — Winter (Rare · U1) | 31,200 |
| 14 | International Edition | Island — Art variant 1 | 🔒 |
| 15 | Arabian Nights | Wyluli Wolf — Light Mana (C1) + Uncommon (U3) + Rukh Egg — Light Mana (C1) + Stone-Throwing Devils — Light Mana (C1) + War Elephant — Light Mana (C1) + Piety — Light Mana (C1) + Army of Allah — Light Mana (C1) + Fishliver Oil — Light Mana (C1) + Giant Tortoise — Light Mana (C1) + Basic land (C1) | 32,400 |
| 16 | Collectors Edition | Plains — Art variant 1 + Island — Art variant 3 | 36,000 |
| 17 | Arabian Nights | Uncommon (U4) | 43,200 |
| 18 | Collectors Edition | Plains — Art variant 2 + Plains — Art variant 3 + Island — Art variant 2 + Swamp — Art variant 1 + Swamp — Art variant 2 + Swamp — Art variant 3 + Mountain — Art variant 1 + Mountain — Art variant 3 + Forest — Art variant 1 + Forest — Art variant 2 + Forest — Art variant 3 | 45,000 |
| 19 | Beta | Common | 48,100 |
| 20 | Collectors Edition | Mountain — Art variant 2 | 54,000 |
| 21 | Unlimited | Uncommon | 🔒 |
| 22 | Antiquities | Uncommon (U2) | 62,400 |
| 23 | Collectors Edition | Island — Art variant 1 | 63,000 |
| 24 | Arabian Nights | Nafs Asp — Light Mana (C2) + Erg Raiders — Light Mana (C2) + Hasran Ogress — Light Mana (C2) + Oubliette — Dark Mana (C2) + Oubliette — Light Mana (C2) + Bird Maiden — Dark Mana (C2) + Bird Maiden — Light Mana (C2) + Moorish Cavalry — Light Mana (C2) + Camel — Light Mana (C2) | 64,800 |
| 25 | Alpha | Plains — Art variant 2 + Swamp — Art variant 2 + Mountain — Art variant 2 | 🔒 |
| 26 | Alpha | Island — Art variant 2 | 🔒 |
| 27 | Alpha | Island — Art variant 1 | 🔒 |
| 28 | Antiquities | Urza’s Tower — B (Uncommon · C1) + Urza’s Tower — C (Uncommon · C1) + Urza’s Tower — D (Uncommon · C1) + Uncommon (U3) + Urza’s Power Plant — B (Uncommon · C1) + Urza’s Power Plant — D (Uncommon · C1) + Urza’s Mine — A (Uncommon · C1) + Urza’s Mine — B (Uncommon · C1) + Strip Mine — A — No Horizon (Uncommon · C1) + Mishra’s Factory — A — Spring (Uncommon · C1) + Uncommon (C1) | 93,600 |
| 29 | Alpha | Plains — Art variant 1 + Swamp — Art variant 1 + Mountain — Art variant 1 + Forest — Art variant 1 + Forest — Art variant 2 | 🔒 |
| 30 | Arabian Nights | Nafs Asp — Dark Mana (C3) + Rukh Egg — Dark Mana (C3) + Erg Raiders — Dark Mana (C3) + Hasran Ogress — Dark Mana (C3) + Stone-Throwing Devils — Dark Mana (C3) + War Elephant — Dark Mana (C3) + Piety — Dark Mana (C3) + Moorish Cavalry — Dark Mana (C3) + Camel — Dark Mana (C3) + Army of Allah — Dark Mana (C3) + Fishliver Oil — Dark Mana (C3) + Giant Tortoise — Dark Mana (C3) | 97,200 |
| 31 | Beta | Plains — Art variant 3 | 🔒 |
| 32 | Arabian Nights | Common (C4) + Wyluli Wolf — Dark Mana (C4) | 129,600 |
| 33 | Beta | Island — Art variant 3 | 🔒 |
| 34 | Beta | Island — Art variant 2 | 🔒 |
| 35 | Arabian Nights | Common (C5) | 162,000 |
| 36 | Beta | Plains — Art variant 1 + Plains — Art variant 2 + Swamp — Art variant 1 + Swamp — Art variant 2 + Swamp — Art variant 3 + Mountain — Art variant 2 + Mountain — Art variant 3 + Forest — Art variant 1 + Forest — Art variant 2 + Forest — Art variant 3 | 🔒 |
| 37 | Antiquities | Urza’s Tower — A (Common · C2) + Urza’s Power Plant — A (Common · C2) + Urza’s Power Plant — C (Common · C2) + Urza’s Mine — C (Common · C2) + Urza’s Mine — D (Common · C2) | 187,200 |
| 38 | Revised Edition | Rare (R1) | 🔒 |
| 39 | Beta | Island — Art variant 1 | 🔒 |
| 40 | Unlimited | Common | 🔒 |
| 41 | Beta | Mountain — Art variant 1 | 🔒 |
| 42 | Arabian Nights | Common (C11) | 356,400 |
| 43 | Antiquities | Common (C4) | 374,400 |
| 44 | Unlimited | Plains — Art variant 3 | 🔒 |
| 45 | Unlimited | Island — Art variant 3 | 🔒 |
| 46 | Unlimited | Island — Art variant 2 | 🔒 |
| 47 | Unlimited | Plains — Art variant 1 + Plains — Art variant 2 + Swamp — Art variant 1 + Swamp — Art variant 2 + Swamp — Art variant 3 + Mountain — Art variant 2 + Mountain — Art variant 3 + Forest — Art variant 1 + Forest — Art variant 2 + Forest — Art variant 3 | 🔒 |
| 48 | Revised Edition | Uncommon (U1) | 🔒 |
| 49 | Unlimited | Island — Art variant 1 | 🔒 |
| 50 | Unlimited | Mountain — Art variant 1 | 🔒 |
| 51 | Revised Edition | Common (C1) | 🔒 |
| 52 | Revised Edition | Forest — B (C2+U2) | 🔒 |
| 53 | Revised Edition | Plains — A (C2+U3) | 🔒 |
| 54 | Revised Edition | Island — A (C3) + Swamp — C (C3) | 🔒 |
| 55 | Revised Edition | Plains — C (C3+U1) + Island — C (C3+U1) | 🔒 |
| 56 | Revised Edition | Plains — B (C3+U2) + Mountain — B (C3+U2) + Mountain — C (C3+U2) | 🔒 |
| 57 | Revised Edition | Swamp — A (C3+U3) + Swamp — B (C3+U3) + Forest — A (C3+U3) | 🔒 |
| 58 | Revised Edition | Island — B (C4+U1) + Forest — C (C4+U1) | 🔒 |
| 59 | Revised Edition | Mountain — A (C4+U2) | 🔒 |
Sealed Scarcity Ranking: Units Produced, Rarest First
These figures count units produced, not survivors. In fact, the number of units that remain sealed today represents only a small fraction of every row.
| # | Edition | Product | Units Produced |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alpha | Case (6 booster boxes) | 323 |
| 2 | International Edition | Case (10 boxed sets) | 450 |
| 3 | Collectors Edition | Case (10 boxed sets) | 900 |
| 4 | Beta | Case (6 booster boxes) | 969 |
| 5 | Arabian Nights | Cases (10 boxes) | 🔒 |
| 6 | Alpha | Booster Box (36 packs) | 1,938 |
| 7 | Unlimited | Case (10 booster boxes) | 🔒 |
| 8 | Alpha | Starter Display (10 decks) | 2,610 |
| 9 | Antiquities | Sealed cases | 🔒 |
| 10 | International Edition | Boxed Set | 4,500 |
| 11 | Beta | Booster Box (36 packs) | 5,814 |
| 12 | Beta | Starter Display (10 decks) | 7,830 |
| 13 | Collectors Edition | Boxed Set | 9,000 |
| 14 | Arabian Nights | Booster Boxes (60 packs) | 🔒 |
| 15 | Unlimited | Booster Box (36 packs) | 🔒 |
| 16 | Alpha | Starter Deck | 26,100 |
| 17 | Antiquities | Booster boxes | 🔒 |
| 18 | Unlimited | Starter Display (10 decks) | 🔒 |
| 19 | Revised Edition | Sealed cases | 🔒 |
| 20 | Alpha | Booster Pack | 69,768 |
| 21 | Beta | Starter Deck | 78,300 |
| 22 | Beta | Booster Pack | 209,304 |
| 23 | Unlimited | Starter Deck | 🔒 |
| 24 | Revised Edition | Booster displays | 🔒 |
| 25 | Revised Edition | Starter displays | 🔒 |
| 26 | Arabian Nights | Booster Packs (reconstructed) | 653,400 |
| 27 | Unlimited | Booster Pack | 🔒 |
| 28 | Antiquities | Booster packs | 1,887,600 |
| 29 | Revised Edition | Starter decks | 🔒 |
| 30 | Revised Edition | Booster packs | 🔒 |
Scarcity Ranking: Frequently Asked Questions
Which card sits at the top of the scarcity ranking?
Currently, every Alpha rare leads the table with exactly 1,008 copies printed of each — including Black Lotus and the Moxen. That figure comes straight from the Carta Mundi factory archives: 1,008 Rare sheets in an 11×11 layout carry one copy of each rare per sheet. However, the ranking recalculates itself whenever we add an edition, so the top spot always reflects the full database.
Are basic lands really scarcer than most spells?
In the boxed editions, yes. Each art version of a basic land received its own print quantity, and in Collectors’ Edition and International Edition the per-version counts fall below the print run of many booster-edition commons. The exact per-version figures belong to our premium dataset.
Why does sealed product rank so much higher in scarcity than single cards?
Because each sealed unit contains many cards, the unit counts sit orders of magnitude lower. For example, Alpha shipped in just a few hundred master cases — fewer than the 1,008 copies printed of any single Alpha rare. Furthermore, these figures count production: the number of units that survive unopened today is far smaller.
How does this scarcity ranking stay accurate?
Both tables generate themselves directly from the database that powers the whole site — the same figures you see on each card page and edition page. Moreover, every value carries a source level that our methodology explains: factory-confirmed, derived by reconstruction, or estimated.