A real estate agent in Minnesota is offering to exchange a brownstone for Magic: The Gathering cards.
Michael Russo, the former owner of Uptown's Steamship Games, is a longtime collector of MTG cards. He is currently selling a building in downtown Fairfax, which he is willing to exchange for the right selection of cards. He posted this offer in local gaming groups earlier this week and has already found multiple interested parties.
"[Game pieces] are another form of currency — we refer to it as 'luxury cardboard,'" Russo told Axios.
The 3,675 square-foot building is a historic property that was originally built in 1910. It is four stories with five bedrooms, three baths, a ground-level commercial space, and a renovated residential space. It also comes with a dryer, microwave, oven, refrigerator, and washing machine. The home is located about 80 miles southwest of Minneapolis.
Although exchanging real estate for Magic: The Gathering cards is a first, it’s common for these cards to sell for large sums of money. Many cards will skyrocket in value over time due to their rarity from limited runs. Since this card game has been around since 1993, some cards have not been printed in over ten years, making them highly valuable to collectors.
One of the most expensive cards that players can obtain is The Alpha Black Lotus. At an auction in 2024, this card sold for a record-breaking three million dollars. It was a private sale between Adam Cai of Pristine Collectibles and a mystery buyer. The previous record was set by rapper Post Malone, who purchased a rare Lord of the Rings-themed card for two million dollars back in 2023.
Anyone who is interested in the brownstone but does not have access to Magic: The Gathering cards can purchase the property for $129,900.
