A Magic: The Gathering Artist Proof Black Lotus, signed by its artist, Christopher Rush, has sold for $615,000. That’s roughly half-a-million pounds sterling for a small, flat piece of card that has been drawn on. The auction was held on Friday, March 24th, at Texas Auction house Heritage Auctions,

The near-mint condition card was part of a collection put up for auction by Jeff Ferreira, Christopher Rush’s friend and former agent. Rush passed away in 2016.

“The Black Lotus remains the most desired Magic: The Gathering card in the world,” says Jesus Garcia, Heritage’s Trading Card Games Consignment Director. “And it’s certainly no surprise this spectacular copy is now the auction record-holder, given that it’s signed by the artist who created it. We’re proud to have been a part of the remarkable result achieved for this – dare I say it? – magical offering.”

The Black Lotus is a Magic the Gathering card that was only printed in very early editions of the game and is banned from most normal versions of the play. This is because it breaks the game’s design, especially in the early rounds. It is one of the Power Nine; nine cards printed for the early sets of the game are overpowered, practically impossible to obtain, and roundly restricted from play.

Wizards of The Coast recently released reprints of The Power Nine as part of Magic’s 30th Anniversary in a set that retailed at about a thousand American dollars. This does not seem to have harmed the value of the original Black Lotus in any way.