As bizarre as some MTG Universes Beyond crossovers are, we might have just seen the wildest one yet. Reportedly, Magic: The Gathering had a brief bedazzled crossover with Swarovski, a famous jewelry brand. While this crossover never became official, test prints do exist, and they have recently reappeared for a massive asking price.
MTG X Swarovski Test Print Sheet
Magic’s 30th Anniversary Packs are some of the most controversial products in the game’s 30-year history. Despite this, the game’s three-decade celebration was almost even more controversial. Magic: The Gathering was working with Swarovski to produce some high-value collectibles in an effort to mark the occasion. These may look like MTG cards, but they are actually a collection of images made with finely assorted jewels.
There are reportedly a total of 12 uncut sheets produced as a test. Six are speculated to be with Wizards of the Coast, while the other six are in circulation. Iconic MTG Cards, like the five original Moxen and Black Lotus, are depicted in a jeweled state. Accompanied by the Theros: Beyond Death full-art Basic Lands, and other iconic MTG card art like Shivan Dragon, this is a bizarre, yet unforgettable way to celebrate Magic: The Gathering’s legacy.
Perhaps the weirdest aspect of this test print is the sixth color found on the sample MTG card back. The rumor of a sixth color has hovered for centuries, and this test sheet only heightens the mystery behind it.
Despite these being known in 2020, these Swarovski MTG uncut sheets have reemerged after a recent Facebook post. The sheet above has appeared for the first time, with claims that it is a one-of-one piece. While the seller wishes to stay anonymous, this extremely rare MTG collectible is now up for sale. All of that said, because of the ‘sixth’ color on the MTG card back, there is a chance that this could be a clever ruse.
Is This Fake?
At the time of writing, the anonymous seller is asking for $250,000 for this unique MTG collectible. If this is truly a one-of-one collector piece, the price seems realistic. Unfortunately, the source of this sale is ultimately just a Facebook post. Combine that with the incorrect MTG card back, and this collection piece could technically be from dubious origins.
Curiously, there are other variants of these Swarovski collectibles on the market that we can compare this to. Ancestralmtg, a rare MTG collectibles site, has multiple Swarovski test prints available for sale. In addition to the jeweled cards we’ve seen in the Facebook post, the site’s listings also confirm that a full set of Theros Beyond Death full art basic lands was printed in the same collaboration. Prices for individual cards range from $25,000 to $300,000. Card backs that have appeared on the site for these cards have both examples of Swarovski crossover cards with and without the sixth color.
Notably, this doesn’t confirm that the Facebook listing is either real or fake. That said, as some players mention, even with all the conspiracy theories lined up, these were supposedly printed back in 2020, and there was no debate of a sixth color ever being a possibility at that time. This ‘misprinting’ makes no sense. Regardless of whether this is real or not, buyers should always do their due diligence, especially with bizarre collectibles like this one.
A Bizarre Commodity
Magic: The Gathering and Swarovski being a bizarre pairing is an understatement. Not only would such a collaboration likely be unpopular, but from the initial reactions of MTG fans seeing this reappearance, they aren’t huge fans of it.
Many MTG fans don’t like the look of these at all. In the words of many, they look extremely tacky, with many noting that they’re not surprised that these never officially made it to production. Reportedly, these do commonly appear at larger Magic Cons at various booths, and look a lot better in person.
Any offers towards Magic’s most bizarre crossover are unknown at the time of writing, but this test collectible certainly isn’t for everyone. Good luck trying to play with an MTG item that’s more crystals than card. Despite that, if you want a very unique corner of Magic’s long history, it’s difficult to get more unique than this.
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