Welcome to the matrix known as the antiques and collectibles trade. Today, I am offering you a choice between two different worlds. The world on the left is blue in color where everything is just as it seems. Things make sense, and the world seems to be governed by a mystical invisible force where everything works out in the end. This is in stark contrast to the world on the right that is red in color and where things dont always add up. Visiting this world is almost like a trip down the proverbial rabbit hole. Given a choice, which world would you choose? I am offering you a choice between only two worlds, so please choose wisely. On June 23, Wizards of the Coast released a new unique expansion for its Magic: The Gathering (MTG) collectible card game. According to the promotional materials being put out by the company, this new set will not be like anything to come out before and is based on a very popular and familiar theme. The set is aptly called The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-Earth, and fans are eagerly awaiting its arrival. This is the first crossover Magic: The Gathering expansion set that is based on The Lord of the Rings franchise. Unfortunately, things are not at all as they seem with the release of this new set. Taking a cue from the sports card trading world, Wizards of the Coast, owned by toy giant Hasbro, announced this new set will have something never before seen in an MTG product. Buried deep within the premium collector booster boxes being sold with the release of this set is a not-so-well-kept secret that has speculators, collectors, players, and enthusiasts excited. It is here that the company announced the release of a special, unique game card of which there will be only one, making this, by default, the rarest MTG card in existence. The card is currently being referred to as the special one ring card, due to the fact that it is a one-of-a-kind game card that has generated massive amounts of excitement and media attention. Within the first several days of the announcement, many high profile collectors and dealers placed various bounties on whoever finds this card. The first bounty was offered for a mere $100,000. It did not take long, however, for that bounty to be eclipsed by someone else offering $250,000 for the mystical card. On June 7, it was announced via Twitter and several major news outlets that trading card dealer Dave and Adams would offer a bounty of $1 million for the card, assuming it is found by July 17, 2023. Given the fact this card released in sets on June 23, that is not much time to locate it. From a business perspective, it makes perfect sense for Dave and Adams to place an expiration on the offer, as they are trying to get the purchasers of this product to open the sealed product, while ensuring they are buying it at the height of demand. Assuming this card is found and sold for $1 million, it would become the most valuable MTG card ever produced, eclipsing even the ultra-rare Alpha Edition Black Lotus that is now documented as being sold for more than $500,000 in near-mint condition. Unlike the special one ring card that was just printed this year, the Alpha Edition Black Lotus was printed in 1993 before anyone knew that MTG was destined to become a pop culture juggernaut. As such, almost no one bothered to save the earliest Magic: The Gathering cards upon their release in 1993. These cards have true organic collectability as a result and are quite valuable on the secondary market today. This is different than the special one ring card that currently has a bounty of $1 million, even though it was printed in 2023, while demand for other MTG products is at an all-time high. Isnt it amazing what people will pay for a mass-produced collectible that simply had its print run reduced by the manufacturer after the collectible already became a multi-billion dollar brand? Its almost like this is the result of some hype-driven promotional campaign to ensure all these collector booster boxes of this particular product sell out in record time (sarcasm implied). This is everything that is wrong with the current state of the collectibles trade. It is almost like a mystical invisible force is guiding the market where everything works out in the end--at least for the manufacturers, high profile dealers, auctions houses, and grading companies. And here you thought I was taking you to the red world where things dont always add up? Dont I wish? Happy speculating Magic: The Gathering collectors, and may the power of the special one ring card be yours. I already know how this ends, as do your wiser and older collectors with a lot of experience in these markets. That said, lets just say Hasbro is about to hit pay dirt! Shawn Surmick has been an avid collector since the age of 12. He currently resides in his hometown of Boyertown, Pa., and is a passionate collector of antiques and collectibles. His articles focus on various topics affecting the marketplace.