Grim Monolith

Grim Monolith first appeared in Urza’s Legacy (ULG), 15 February 1999. The original record is ULG #126, at rare, illustrated by Chippy. Original finish availability: nonfoil, traditional foil.

Use the curated shortlist for meaningful edition differences, then the shared explorer for the wider catalogue. Editorial records reviewed 4 November 2026; current prices and legality can change.

Grim Monolith costs {2}, is an Artifact and has a colourless colour identity. It taps for three colourless mana, does not untap during your untap step, and has a four-mana activated ability to untap itself.

That makes it a burst of acceleration rather than three extra mana automatically renewed each turn. Unlike Mana Vault, its printed drawback does not include upkeep damage. The similarities are worth comparing without treating the two cards as identical.

The original is Urza’s Legacy (ULG) #126, released on 15 February 1999 at rare with art by Chippy. Nonfoil and traditional foil are both genuine original-set versions. This is not a case where the first foil arrived years later in a separate reprint product.

The World Championship Decks 1999 version, WC99 #kb126, reproduces the card from Kai Budde’s deck. WC00 #jf126 follows in Jon Finkel’s 2000 deck. Both are nonfoil, gold-bordered commemorative cards with special backs and reproduced signatures, rather than normal tournament-legal expansion printings.

A Magic Online promo is also catalogued as PRM #61567 in 2016. It is a digital entry and does not establish a later paper Judge foil, borderless reprint or Masterpiece.

Grim Monolith is on the Reserved List. Its short paper history is part of the collector story; the live explorer’s additional records should always be read with platform and product context.

The original nonfoil and foil share Chippy’s illustration and the Urza’s Legacy frame. The World Championship reproductions preserve the image while adding the gold border and deck-specific collector presentation. A different set code here does not mean a new painting.

For a paired display, comparing ULG #126 nonfoil with ULG #126 foil makes the surface the variable. Comparing either with WC99 #kb126 instead makes competitive-deck history and physical edition the variable. Those are more useful distinctions than grouping every record under “reprints.”

The ULG #126 traditional foil is the meaningful premium paper option in this shortlist. It belongs to Magic’s early booster-foil era and retains the original-frame presentation. The World Championship copies are nonfoil-only.

For a foil purchase, ask for photographs that show the actual reflective layer, edges and flatness. Do not infer an etched, textured, surge or serialized printing from a reflective catalogue render or a generic marketplace finish filter. None is established by the records reviewed here.

For an original deck copy: ULG #126 nonfoil provides the debut art and ordinary paper-play edition. Check current format legality and the actual offer separately.

For early foil collecting: ULG #126 foil keeps the same set and painting while changing the surface. Inspect condition under more than one lighting angle.

For championship history: choose WC99 #kb126 for Budde’s deck or WC00 #jf126 for Finkel’s. Their collector identity is the reason to choose them; they are not tournament substitutes.

For alternate artwork: this shortlist does not establish a second playable paper illustration. Avoid paying for a purported special edition that cannot be matched to a precise catalogue record.

Our first comparison is Urza’s Legacy #126 nonfoil versus traditional foil. It makes the premium decision honest: the original card, original Chippy art and original release are shared. Pick the surface and condition you prefer.

Pair it with Mox Diamond to see the opposite history: that card’s original was nonfoil-only and its later paper foil used different art in a separate product.

Mana Vault — Compare untap drawbacks and distinct premium artifact histories.

Mana Crypt — Contrast original booster foils with Judge and Invention product editions.

Mox Diamond — Compare another reserved artifact whose paper foil came from a later release.

Browse the complete Card Guides directory. For deck work, the shared Build a Deck action passes the selected printing to Deck Studio, where current legality and role eligibility are checked independently of this editorial guide.

Reviewed 4 November 2026 against accessible catalogue records and indexed catalogue extracts, with official product or policy references where applicable. Existing ManaScout text was audited rather than treated as evidence. Direct Scryfall API access was unavailable during this editorial review; the shared live explorer continues to use its existing integration.

• Catalogue: Urza’s Legacy (ULG) #126
• Catalogue: World Championship Decks 1999 (WC99) #kb126
• Catalogue: World Championship Decks 2000 (WC00) #jf126
• Wizards: official Reserved List and reprint policy
• magery.com: grim monolith
• themanagrove.com: grim monolith