Post Malone Showcases His $2M One Ring Magic: The Gathering Card in Action

The Ring has a new owner, and he’s not just keeping it locked away. Three years after shelling out $2 million for the one-of-a-kind The One Ring card, Post Malone took it out of its protective casing and played it during an actual game of Magic: The Gathering.

The musician showcased the card on a recent episode of a popular gaming series, using it in a Commander match instead of merely flaunting one of the rarest cards in the game’s history.

“I’m taking it out of the obnoxious big block,” Malone declared, prompting gasps from the other players. “It would ruin game night.”

Typically, high-value trading cards are kept graded and protected to maintain their condition, but Malone decided to remove The One Ring from its case and use it as it was meant to be played.

His card functions just like the more common versions of The One Ring: when it enters the battlefield, it grants protection from everything until the player’s next turn, and it can be tapped to draw cards at the cost of accumulating burden counters that eventually drain life. What sets his copy apart is the 001/001 serial number — it’s the only one in existence.

This card is part of the 2023 The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth set, but Wizards of the Coast printed only one serialized 001/001 version of The One Ring to represent the unique Ring central to J.R.R. Tolkien’s narrative. Its rarity made it one of the most sought-after prizes from Tales of Middle-earth, with collectors on the hunt for it since the set’s launch.

The one-of-a-kind card was discovered by Canadian collector Brook Trafton, authenticated by PSA, and graded Mint 9 before Malone purchased it directly from him for $2 million in August 2023.

“When I found the One Ring, the first person who came to mind was Post Malone,” Trafton shared in a video about the sale. “I have played MTG since I was a kid, and while it would be amazing to keep this card, selling it is life-changing for someone like me. I just really hoped it would go to someone who would appreciate it as much as I do.”

Since Malone acquired the card, Magic has returned to Middle-earth with the release of a new The Hobbit set on August 14, centered around Bilbo Baggins’ adventure to the Lonely Mountain and featuring characters like Gandalf, Thorin, and Smaug.

While The Hobbit does include a new version of The One Ring, Malone’s serialized 001/001 copy from Tales of Middle-earth remains unmatched. Now that Post Malone has demonstrated he’s willing to use the Ring, we can only hope he has the fortitude to resist its allure. Otherwise, the whole “end of the age of Men” scenario might just be on the horizon.

The one-of-a-kind card was unearthed in June.