What’s the best card in last year’s MTG set The Brothers’ War? One of the umpteen Urza cards? The massive artifact Portal to Phyrexia? Or how about the little Haywire Mite?
This Uncommon rarity card is punching way above its weight class at present, and seems fast on its way to becoming a Modern staple. As a result, the Haywire Mite’s card price has risen higher and higher, going up by 218% in total since The Brothers’ War released, and increasing by 75% in just the past month.
Haywire Mite’s price is now $3.50 and rising, according to MTG Goldfish. It’s not exactly Sheoldred, The Apocalypse, but that price point still makes it the 16th most expensive card in its set, more costly than 82% of Rares and Mythic Rare cards in The Brothers’ War. Not bad for a mere Uncommon!
It’s not just an unexpected winner in The Brothers’ War, either. Haywire Mite costs more than any Uncommon card from 2022 in a Standard set. In fact only one Uncommon card printed last year beats the mighty Mite, Irenicus’s Vile Duplication from the EDH-focused set Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate.
So what’s behind this unassuming 1/1’s standout success? Here’s a clue, it’s not the statline. Rather, this card’s efficient artifact and enchantment removal makes it stand out, and means fans are able to find space for it in all sorts of green Modern decks, especially Green Tron.
In the Modern format it can flatten Colossus Hammers, rip out Urza’s Sagas, eclipse Blood Moons and soften Hardened Scales, all while providing a handy chump blocker, and a little bit of life gain. It’s comparable to Caustic Caterpillar – though not a straight upgrade – and a brilliant sideboard card.
The great tragedy for Haywire Mite, though, is that it narrowly missed out on the ‘Mite’ creature type, which was introduced in the very next set with Skrelv, Defector Mite.
It might be a lot for a fairly common card printed in the last five years, but $3.50 is chump change compared to the most expensive MTG cards – and you should see how expensive rare Pokemon cards are getting.