Dragons are some of the most powerful creature types in Magic: The Gathering, and are a big threat whenever they are played. They can be expensive purchases since they often have great effects. While Magic: The Gathering is no stranger to expensive cards, some Dragon cards are costly either due to their rarity or effects on the battlefield.
These cards can reach eye-watering prices, but they will sell for a high price if you can get your hands on them. While market values do fluctuate based on demand, there are Dragon cards that command extremely high prices. Most of them were given out at events which means they aren’t getting a reprint anytime soon.
It’s not impossible to get your hands on these cards but be prepared to pay a tidy sum to obtain one. With the help of TCGPlayer.com and their price guide, these are the most expensive Dragon cards you can get your hands on. The order will go from most expensive to least expensive, to give you an idea of the prices you can expect. If you are an avid collector, it will help you prepare your finances to properly purchase these items without a problem. Here are the MTG most expensive dragon cards!
#1. Shivan Dragon (Alpha)
Shivan Dragon is a powerful Dragon card that can boost its own attack, but that’s not the reason behind its high price here. It’s part of the Alpha set, which is one of the oldest Magic: The Gathering sets. Copies are being created but not from the Alpha set, and that drives up the price significantly. The only way to obtain more copies of this card will be to purchase it from the people who are selling it.
It’s the most expensive Dragon card with a market price of nearly $9,000 USD. If you want to find a copy of this card for gameplay purposes, there are versions out there that sell for less than a dollar. It’s highly unlikely you ever want to play this card, and it should stay well protected for future display.
It’s not hard to find a place for Shivan Dragon in a casual deck, but it likely won’t be a solid competitive pick. While Shivan Dragon was one of the creatures to beat back in the old days, the card doesn’t do very much now and is outpaced by many modern uncommon threats.
#2. Ramos, Dragon Engine (Schematic) (Serial Numbered) – The Brothers’ War: Retro Frame Artifacts
Ramos, Dragon Engine is already a powerful card, but its high price has to do with the set it came from. The Brothers’ War created 500 copies of this card, with the copy number on the lower left corner. As with the Shivan Dragon, there aren’t going to be more reprints of this card and it will be a collector’s item.
This card has a market value of $1,064 USD for the near-mint foil versions. You might be able to find a copy for yourself that costs less than the market price, but you must search several places. You won’t be playing this card much, especially if it’s a near-mint foil. It’s best left as a collectible or you risk lowering the value.
Generally, the only place you’ll be playing this Ramos is as your Commander in a thick case – where the card does not see any shuffling and does not need to go in your deck.
#3. Niv-Mizzet Reborn (Serial Numbered) – March of the Machine: Multiverse Legends
March of the Machines is the most recent Magic: The Gathering set with its own Multiverse Legends foil printing. Niv-Mizzet Reborn is the most expensive Dragon in the set, going for $550.99 USD at the market price. It’s not the easiest card to play as it costs one of every color of mana, but it’s great for bringing different colored cards into your hand.
The high price is due to its foil printing, and getting the individual copies won’t be cheap. If you have the regular Niv-Mizzet card from the War of the Spark set, that’s the copy you want to use for playing in older formats. At the market price, it’s not a card you want to bring out in casual play too often.
#4. Tiamat – AFR Ampersand Promos
Tiamat isn’t the dragon you normally expect to see in Magic: The Gathering, and that’s because it comes from the Adventures in the Forgotten Realms set. Players familiar with Dungeons & Dragons will recognize Tiamat, and it’s a powerful dragon to play. It costs seven mana, and you must have access to all five colors. The cost is worth it if you play with Dragons, since it brings five dragons not named Tiamat from your deck to your hand. Considering no other card has the Tiamat name, that’s any five dragons you want.
The reason Tiamat takes the fourth spot is because its Ampersand Promos version has a market price of $373.75 USD. This was an extremely limited set of Adventures of the Forgotten Realms Promo cards that are difficult to come across in the wild.
Some stores sell it above that price, while others sell it for less. Expect to pay a lot of money just to bring that card into your collection. Dungeons & Dragons fans who love Magic: The Gathering and like dragons won’t want to miss out.
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#5. Zodiac Dragon – Portal Three Kingdoms
The Portal Three Kingdoms is one of the oldest Magic: The Gathering sets, released in 1999. While the cards are legal in the Eternal format, you aren’t likely to find many players using cards from that set. One such card is the Zodiac Dragon, a 9-mana dragon that returns to your hand if it is ever put into your graveyard.
The Zodiac Dragon has decent stats, but it’s an expensive card to play. Its market price is $215 USD, but it’s possible to find copies worth even more. It’s cheaper than other cards listed thus far, but it’s not as amazing in terms of capability. You can likely find other dragons that suit your deck better, but if you are interested in collecting all the Dragon creature cards, it will not be one of your cheaper purchases.
#6. Nicol Bolas – Legends
Most players are familiar with Nicol Bolas as the overarching villain before New Phyrexia hit the scene. The powerful dragon Planeswalker caused trouble across several planes and had powerful abilities to match. Before Nicol Bolas became a powerful threat in recent times, he made an appearance in an older set where he was just a legendary Dragon.
While you can find Nicol Bolas as a creature in multiple reprints, his earliest appearance in Legends commands the greatest price due to its age. Expect to pay its market value of $190.28 USD if you want a copy in your deck. This card will remain a collectible; it’s much easier to acquire a reprint of Nicol Bolas and use it for other formats. Nicol Bolas is costly to play, and there are several methods of dealing with it. If you do manage to damage a player with Nicol Bolas, you can turn the tides as that player loses their entire hand.
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#7. Old Gnawbone – AFR Ampersand Promos
Another dragon from the Adventure of the Forgotten Realms set, Old Gnawbone, is expensive because it’s another AFR Ampersand Promo card. It’s a bulky Dragon that can generate several Treasure tokens if you can get it into play quickly. Since it’s a green card, you likely have mana ramp or other methods of bringing Old Gnawbone into play quickly.
The market price of Old Gnawbone’s promo foil is $148.63 USD. It’s expensive, but it won’t set you back nearly as much as Tiamat would from the same set. Even then, if you want play with this card in Commander, it may be worth it to pick up a regular copy of Old Gnawbone, since the AFR Ampersand Promos aren’t cards you want to use every day.
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#8. Inferno of the Star Mounts – AFR Ampersand Promos
For decks that need a powerful hitter, you can’t go wrong with Inferno of the Star Mounts. It’s another dragon from the Adventure of the Forgotten Realms, but it fits with red decks perfectly. You will need some mana ramp to take advantage of its abilities, but it can cause big problems in casual play. If you get its power to 20 using its firebreathing ability, Inferno of the Star Mounts can deal 20 damage to any target. Of course, the creature’s power needs to be 20 exactly as a result of the ability, so its difficult, but not impossible, to trigger that aspect of it more than once per turn.
The market price for the Ampersand promo is $118.53 USD. It’s still expensive, but the prices are starting to come down. You still won’t use an Ampersand promo in regular play, but you won’t break the bank trying to obtain a copy for yourself. It’s better to pick up a regular copy of Inferno of the Star Mounts for other formats, then leave your foil version in a safe place.
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#9. Balefire Dragon – Ultimate Masters: Box Toppers
Balefire Dragon is a familiar dragon for players who remember the Innistrad set. That said, the Balefire Dragon from the Ultimate Masters: Box Toppers is considerably more expensive. The market value is $110.10 USD, which is slightly cheaper than Inferno of the Start Mounts but it is still an expensive purchase.
If you are planning on playing it, decks that can get it out quickly are advised. It’s a great way to deal damage quickly, though it likely won’t last long against creature-based decks because of how game-ending it is. Even if you can get around those methods, dig through your old Innistrad cards to find a copy. You don’t want to play expensive collectibles very often, and the cheaper versions are better for casual games against friends.
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#10. Lightning Dragon – Prerelease Cards
Prereleases are great events where you can pick up a nice promotional foil copy of a good card. Lightning Dragon was the promotional prerelease back in 1998, and it’s almost like Inferno of the Star Mounts. It’s cheaper to get into play but you must play its echo cost the next turn or you must sacrifice it. Honestly, this is not a playable card in today’s environment, as there are much better things to do in a Dragon deck for four mana.
The prerelease version of Lightning Dragon goes for a market value of $111.01 USD. It’s just slightly cheaper than the Inferno of the Star Mounts, but it will still set you back. It has been reprinted a few times and you are more likely to get those cards for actual play. If you want a nice collector’s item, it’s another large purchase that you must endure.
That said, according to TCGplayer, you can get lucky and find a relatively cheap copy of this, but expect to pay a decent price for a Near Mint Lightning Dragon.
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#11. The Ur-Dragon – Secret Lair Drop Series
Another card from the Secret Lair Drop series, The Ur-Dragon is great for EDH Dragon decks since it reduces the cost of playing Dragons by one while in the Command Zone. It’s another foil card with limited printing, which raises its price significantly. The ability to put cards into your hand, then put a permanent on the battlefield, is not an ability to take lightly. The Ur-Dragon probably won’t see play for long if you can’t protect it, as few players want you to benefit from its effects.
The Secret Lair Ur-Dragon’s market value is $77.35 USD, making it the only card on this list that goes under $100. That doesn’t mean it’s a cheap purchase, but it’s also a great place to start your collection if you want something unique. Out of all the cards in this list, it’s the most affordable Dragon and the most powerful.
Notably, this card is seeing a reprint in the upcoming Commander Masters set, so it may become more affordable for those wanting to try out some Dragons in Commander in the near future.
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