The most valuable monsters in MTG

Key takeaways

• Demon Hidetsugu's neon red version is the most valuable, priced at around $794, rare due to a scarcity of 1 of every 1,828 packs.
• An Alpha Demonic Hordes card printed only from 1993 to 1994 can reach an average price of over $800, making it a highly sought-after collectible.
• In a secret layer drop exclusive to MagicCon Philadelphia attendees, a sorted Lord of the Pit card can cost upwards of $1,000 due to its extreme rarity.

Magic: The Gathering has dabbled in dark, satanic content since its very beginnings, the first set of card games, released in 1993. That set featured cards like Unholy Strength, Demonic Tutor, Dark Ritual, and others, and since then, demons have been a notable creature type within MTG.

While some people decried MTG's inclusion of demons and demonic imagery, fans embraced the creature type, and, as such, some monster cards are worth a fortune on the secondary market due to their combination of scarcity and interesting, demonic designs. Power and wealth are sure to tempt you. Let the most valuable monster cards sink in; Just make sure to hold on to your spirit.

Card prices quoted all come from TCGPlayer's past calendar year market price history (unless otherwise noted) and may fluctuate over time. Also, no promo cards are included here (secret layer drops don't count as promos).

10 Hidetsugu, Devouring Chaos (Neon Blue) – Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty

Market value: $31.03

Demon Hidetsugu was first introduced as a creature in 2005's Betrayers of Kamigawa expansion, and he then returned as Hidetsugu, Devouring Chaos from 2022 in Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty.

While multiple versions of that card exist, Neon Dynasty released four ultra-limited Hidetsugu cards featuring a special foiling method with bright neon colors. The least expensive of them is the Neon Yellow version, but the Neon Blue version kicks the list with a market value of over $30.

9 Giatora, Incinerator (gilded foil) – Streets of New Capena

Market value: $33.57

In several MTG sets released between 2021 and 2023, Wizards of the Coast used a variety of unusual and interesting foiling methods (neon hidetsugu included) with varying success.

For the 2022 Streets of New Capenna expansion, the rare foiling treatment is called “Gilded” and the card features Ziatora, the Jund (Black/Red/Green) Demon Dragon, which clocks in at a solid price point of $33.57. Ziatora is an impressively strong card, although six mana – including three colored pips – is quite expensive.

8 Ob, Nixilis, Captive Kingpin (Halo Foil) – March of the Machines: The Aftermath

Market value: $35.76

From one special foiling method to another, this card from the Infamous March of the Machines: Aftermath set features a foiling method called “halo foil,” which gives the cards a crisp, oil-slicked look. It also, like the Giatora, uses a gilded frame from the streets of New Capena, as Ob Nixilis is currently trapped on the plane of Capena.

This card weighs in at an average value of over $35 and is notable for creating an infinite combo along with All Will Be One – 2023's Phyrexia: All Will Be One Set – as long as you can deal exactly one damage to your enemy. A fairly modest task, which probably goes to this card's strong price point.

7 Hidetsugu, Devouring Chaos (Neon Green) – Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty

Market value: $69.68

The second Hidetsugu on this list, the Devouring Chaos card has a neon green finish that is definitely attractive. This more than doubles the price of the neon blue version – and it won't be the last time the Hidetsugu card will be featured here either.

While Hidetsugu's second ability is a bit clunky, it's still powerful and will definitely fit beautifully in 99 of a monster-themed Commander deck.

6 Retro Frame Lord of the Void (Serial Numbered) – Ravnica Remastered

Market value: $132.50

The addition of the “Retro Frame” to recent MTG sets is certainly welcome, as this author started playing games around Mercadian Mask when the card names were sometimes hard to parse due to the overly flowery font.

This serialized retro frame card combines that sweet vintage look with a very powerful card that originally debuted in the 2013 Gatecrass set, but this version comes from 2024's Ravnica Remastered. It retains its legendary rarity as a 7/7 flyer for seven mana that can steal the best creature from the top seven cards of your enemy's library.

5 Retro Frame Master of Cruelties (Serial Number) – Ravnica Remastered

Market Price: $220.00

Another ranked Ravnica Remastered card kicks off the top five, but this card is a true banger. Originally released in 2013's Overpowered Dragon's Maze expansion, this card features a fearsome First Strike/Deathtouch combination and also hosts an extremely strong trigger ability.

If you manage to attack with this Rakdos (Black/Red) legendary monster and your enemy doesn't block it, their life total becomes 1. Unfortunately, this card is not a one-card combo, as it cannot deal combat damage. If it's unlocked, but this capability is coupled with the lack of a serialized retro frame card, the price of this daemon is over $200 on the secondary market.

4 Lord of Pit – Alpha

Market Price: $656.99 (via PriceCharting)

Not unexpectedly, the first two demon creatures released in Magic's first set tip the scale deeply when it comes to price—so much so that TCGPlayer doesn't even have a listed market price for the alpha Lord of the Pit on the site.

While this card certainly isn't the big bomb it was 30 years ago when Alpha debuted, a 7/7 Trampling Flyer for seven mana is still—honestly—not terrible, though its weakness is pretty damaging if you hit it. Still, any Alpha card is going to be worth a bundle, especially a rare one, and this card's $650-plus price point reflects that.

3 Hidetsugu, Devouring Chaos (Neon Red) – Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty

Market Price: $793.99

The last version of the Hidetsugu on this list is its most expensive, with an average price point of just under $800. Kamigawa: Neon Ink treatments were only featured on 1% of the Collector Boosters in the Neon Dynasty set, and the Neon Red version, in particular, was only found more often than the Neon Blue version.

As such, this card was only found in one of every 1,828 Collector Booster Packs, and, even then, that pull was not guaranteed. As such, it's one of the rarest chess cards ever printed, and its sky-high price point is certainly deserved.

2 Monstrous Horde – Alpha

Market Price: $812.20 (via PriceCharting)

Surprisingly, the most valuable alpha demon is not Lord of the Pit – arguably one of the most iconic demon cards ever printed – but a very obscure demon with wonderfully creepy Jesper Myrfors artwork that was only reprinted in four base sets and was never reprinted. After releasing a revised version in 1994.

As such, this Alpha card commands a very high value for ungraded copies on the secondary market – averaging over $800 – and an Alpha Demonic Hordes graded 9 or higher among grading services can set you back over $2,000.

1 Lord of the Pit (Serial Numbered) – Secret Layer Drop (Secret Layer 295)

Market Value: $1,000.54 (via Price Chart)

As with the most valuable Dragon cards of all time, one of the most valuable cards was hailed from the Supreme Limited-Release Secret Layer drop that was only available to MagicCon Philadelphia attendees in February 2023 — unless you're willing to give up. $1,000 for one on the secondary market.

Only 295 of these cards were printed, and it appears that most people with copies are hanging on to them, as PriceCharting lists only five sales per year for ungraded copies. Not surprisingly, the extreme scarcity of this card means that TCGPlayer doesn't even list it with a market value.