Magic: The Gathering Alpha Mox Ruby (1993): The Power Nine's Red Gem
Among the Power Nine (the nine most powerful cards in Magic: The Gathering history), the five "Mox" artifacts occupy a special tier. These one-mana-cost artifacts produce one mana of their respective color when tapped, effectively providing a free extra land drop each turn. In a game where resources are carefully rationed through land cards, a free extra resource-generator is overwhelmingly powerful.
Mox Ruby, the red-producing Mox in the 1993 Alpha edition, is among the most actively collected of the five. Its ruby imagery and the red mana connection (red being associated with aggressive, fast strategies in Magic) give it particular appeal among certain collector communities.
The Five Moxes in Context
The five Mox artifacts are:
Mox Pearl: White mana producer
Mox Sapphire: Blue mana producer
Mox Jet: Black mana producer
Mox Ruby: Red mana producer (the subject of this guide)
Mox Emerald: Green mana producer
All five are restricted in Vintage format (the only format where Power Nine cards are technically legal for play) and banned in all other formats. Their power comes from the same fundamental principle: free mana generation breaks the game's core resource management system.
Alpha Edition: Why It Matters
The Alpha edition of Magic (August 1993) was the very first printing, produced in very limited quantities. Alpha cards are physically distinguishable by:
Rounded corners: The corners are more rounded than Beta and all subsequent printings.
No copyright date: Alpha cards lack a copyright date on the card back.
Black border: All Alpha cards have black borders.
Specific color variations: Alpha printing has slightly different color characteristics than Beta, which can be detected by specialists.
The limited print run of Alpha (estimated at approximately 2.6 million total cards) means each individual card was produced in very small quantities, perhaps 1,100 copies of each rare card per release.
Condition and Grading
PSA, BGS, and CGC all grade Alpha Power Nine cards. The grading scale from 1-10 (PSA) or 1-10 with decimal (BGS) governs values significantly:
| Grade | PSA | Approximate Value |
|---|---|---|
| Gem Mint | PSA 10 | $60,000-150,000+ |
| Mint | PSA 9 | $25,000-60,000 |
| Near Mint/Mint | PSA 8 | $12,000-28,000 |
| Near Mint | PSA 7 | $6,000-15,000 |
| Excellent/Mint | PSA 6 | $4,000-10,000 |
| Excellent | PSA 5 | $2,500-6,000 |
| Very Good/Excellent | PSA 4 | $1,500-3,500 |
Condition Challenges
Play wear: Magic cards were game pieces. Alpha cards from 1993 were sleeved (if the owner was careful) or played unsleeved (damaging). Surface scratches, edge wear, and scuffing are common.
Whitening of the black border: The black border on Alpha cards can show whitening at corners and edges from handling.
Centering: Alpha cards frequently show shifting in the printing process. Poor centering is common.
The rounded corner verification: The rounded corners must match Alpha specifications. Cards with damaged corners may look rounded when they're actually damaged non-Alpha cards.
Mox Ruby vs. Other Moxes
Mox Ruby values typically fall in the mid-tier of the five Moxes:
Mox Sapphire: Typically the most valuable (blue is the most powerful Magic color)
Mox Jet: Second most expensive (black is highly powerful)
Mox Ruby and Mox Emerald: Similar value range, typically the most accessible of the five
Mox Pearl: Similar range to Ruby and Emerald
The value differences among Moxes reflect the historical power level of each color in competitive Magic play.
Authentication
For any Alpha Power Nine, graded certification from PSA, BGS, or CGC is essential. The high values attract sophisticated fakes and altered cards. Always verify authentication certificate numbers on the respective grading service's website.
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