Understanding MTG card rarity
Last updated: August 18, 2026
Every Magic: The Gathering card has a rarity, shown by the colour of the set symbol in the middle of the card. Rarity tells you how often a card appears in booster packs — not, despite the name, how good or valuable it is. Here's what each level means and how to read it.
Common
The most frequently printed rarity, marked by a black set symbol. Commons are the workhorses of every set: efficient creatures, cheap removal, and the format-defining staples of Pauper. They're inexpensive and easy to collect in quantity, which makes them the backbone of budget decks. Browse common singles.
Uncommon
One step up, marked by a silver set symbol. Uncommons include many of the most-played role-players in Magic — signets and mana rocks, flexible removal, and key build-around pieces. They hit a sweet spot of power and price, and a huge share of any good Commander deck is uncommons. Browse uncommon singles.
Rare
Marked by a gold set symbol, usually one per pack. Rares are where you'll find most of a set's marquee cards: powerful bombs, key lands, and the cards decks are built around. Prices vary widely — plenty of rares are affordable while a few chase cards command a premium. Browse rare singles.
Mythic Rare
The top standard rarity, marked by an orange-red set symbol, introduced in 2008 with the set Shards of Alara. Mythics are printed less often than rares and are reserved for a set's most exciting cards — splashy legendary creatures, planeswalkers, and format all-stars. Rarer to open doesn't always mean stronger, but many of a set's headline cards land here. Browse mythic singles.
Special and bonus rarities
Beyond the four main tiers you'll occasionally see cards with a purple ("special" or "bonus") set symbol — reprints and premium versions slotted into special booster positions rather than the normal print run. They're the exception, not something you build a deck around, but they're worth knowing when you're comparing printings of the same card.
Does rarity equal power or value?
Not directly. Rarity controls how often a card is printed, which influences supply — but a card's price is set by demand and condition far more than by its symbol colour. A heavily-played common that every deck wants can outprice a mythic nobody plays, and you can build genuinely competitive decks almost entirely from commons and uncommons — browse our singles under $5 to see. When two printings differ in rarity, compare them the same way you'd compare finishes or conditions: on price and playability, using our grading guide and finish guide to know exactly what you're getting.
Every printing's page lists the rarity, finishes, and conditions we have in stock. Start browsing the catalog.