The MTG card Mox Tantalite has seen a 100% price spike, doubling in price since the Doctor Who Commander decks came out. Usually valued at around $7, the card’s price has risen steadily over the past few weeks, and it’s now hit $13.80 (going by MTG Goldfish prices).
The reason for this mana rock MTG card’s sudden popularity is quite straightforward. Mox Tantalite is a zero-cost artifact that taps for any color, but the reason it’s currently a medium-priced rare rather than an unprintable member of MTG’s Power 9 is that it has Suspend. It doesn’t come into play right away, instead it’s exiled with time counters, and you have to wait three whole turns before you can use it.
However, that makes this the perfect MTG Mana Ramp card for Timey-Wimey, the MTG Doctor Who deck featuring Doctors 9, 10, and 11. The deck’s theme is all about time counters and cards with Suspend or Vanishing. In this deck, not only will Mox Tantalite usually come out a turn or two earlier, becoming closer to a second Arcane Signet, the deck also has plenty of ways to gain incidental value from time counters, for instance creatures like Rose Tyler and Kate Stewart.
Before the Doctor Who decks, Mox Tantalite saw play with other Suspend MTG commanders, like Jhoira of the Ghitu and Alaundo the Seer. But it’s definitely been given a big ol’ boost by the recent precon deck release.
It’s been a quiet month when it comes to MTG price spikes: Wilds of Eldraine doesn’t seem to have had a dramatic impact, though we did see a few cards get pricier as players snapped them up for their Faerie tribal decks. We also saw a red Standard card that’s been in the format for ages go way up.
For more MTG price stories check out the most expensive MTG cards. You might also enjoy comparing them to the price tags of the most rare Pokémon cards. And don’t miss these MTG Arena codes, for some freebies.