Mana Crypt

Mana Crypt first appeared in HarperPrism Book Promos (PHPR), 1995 (catalogue date: 1 May). The original record is PHPR #5, at rare, illustrated by Mark Tedin. Original finish availability: nonfoil only.

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.

Mana Crypt is a zero-mana Artifact with a colourless colour identity. It taps to produce two colourless mana, providing acceleration immediately without a mana investment to cast it.

At the beginning of your upkeep, its triggered ability instructs you to flip a coin. Losing the flip causes Mana Crypt to deal three damage to you. Winning simply avoids that damage; it does not generate an extra reward. The mana ability is separate from the upkeep trigger.

The drawback is damage, not an optional payment of life. Its early acceleration is the reason the 2024 Commander announcement discussed explosive turn-two mana development; the ban was not tied to a particular artwork or finish.

Mana Crypt's first paper appearance was not in a booster set.

It was released as a HarperPrism Book Promo connected with the Magic novel Final Sacrifice in 1995.

The original card is collector number 5 and features artwork by Mark Tedin.

If you are searching for the first Mana Crypt printing, this HarperPrism promotional card is the version you want, not Eternal Masters or one of the later premium editions.

During Magic's early years, selected novels were connected to promotional cards obtainable through book coupons and mail-in offers.

Mana Crypt was associated with Final Sacrifice, part of the early Magic fiction line published by HarperPrism.

That unusual distribution method explains why Mana Crypt existed for years without belonging to a normal tabletop expansion.

It also gives the original printing a very different collecting history from conventional early Magic cards.

The PHPR #5 catalogue gives 1 May 1995 as its release date, at rare and nonfoil-only. That is a catalogue date, not a guarantee that every mail-order recipient received a card on that day. The printed copyright year and publication details should not replace the identified promo record.

Mana Crypt received a major paper collector version as a Judge Gift Card in 2011. G11 #5 credits Matt Stewart, is foil-only and supplies the illustration later used for several reprints. It forms a bridge between the novel offer and booster-set releases.

Eternal Masters on 10 June 2016 brought #225 at mythic rare, with Stewart artwork and both nonfoil and traditional foil. This is a conventional booster-set reprint, unlike the original book offer or foil-only Judge edition.

Kaladesh Inventions #16 followed in September 2016, with Volkan Baǵa artwork and an ornate Invention frame. It is a foil-only Masterpiece printing. The frame and illustration are both different from Eternal Masters; “Invention” is not another finish switch on EMA #225.

Mystery Booster also matters. Wizards’ 2019 reveal includes Mana Crypt in the reprint list; the catalogue groups its EMA-faced, Planeswalker-marked version under PLST #EMA-225. This is a nonfoil reprint of the Stewart face, not a new illustration or an original EMA booster copy. The product programme and the catalogue’s umbrella set label are different pieces of identification.

Double Masters, released on 7 August 2020, offers regular #270 with Stewart art and borderless #361 by Ron Spencer. Both have nonfoil and traditional foil versions. The borderless card is an alternate version in the same release, not a later standalone set.

Special Guests #17, released through The Lost Caverns of Ixalan in November 2023, adds Dominik Mayer borderless artwork with nonfoil and traditional foil. The six neon-ink variants have separate suffixed catalogue records and foil-only availability. They are Special Guests (SPG) records, even though they were distributed with LCI products.

Mark Tedin: the HarperPrism original records the card’s unusual beginning. Its early frame and illustration are distinct from every modern premium family below.

Matt Stewart: the Judge card, Eternal Masters, the EMA-faced PLST reprint and regular Double Masters #270 share this artwork family. Changing the set, promo origin or finish does not create another Stewart painting.

Volkan Baǵa and Ron Spencer: MPS #16 and 2XM #361 are separate alternate illustrations. One uses an ornate Invention frame; the other uses a borderless presentation. Compare them as different art choices before comparing foil surfaces.

Dominik Mayer: SPG #17 is the ordinary borderless presentation. The suffixed neon family keeps Mayer’s credit and related concept, with colour-specific artwork adjustments coordinated with the ink treatment. Wizards explicitly describes varied artwork in the neon programme; these are not six unrelated commissions by different artists.

SPG #17: ordinary borderless, nonfoil or traditional foil; it is not a Cosmium neon-ink record. The catalogue does not make every foil Special Guests Mana Crypt neon ink.

SPG #17a: three-colour Cosmium neon ink, sometimes sold as multicolour or rainbow. #17b: yellow. #17c: blue. Each is a distinct, foil-only physical treatment variant with Dominik Mayer artwork.

SPG #17d: purple. #17e: red. #17f: green. Each is also a separate foil-only neon-ink physical variant, not a nonfoil option or merely a language difference. The table supplies an individual record link for every suffix.

The letter suffixes are catalogue variant identifiers. Match the ink colour and actual-card photographs as well as the seller’s number: a broad description such as “LCI neon foil” does not identify which SPG variant is being offered. Wizards’ product guide and the individual catalogue records support the distinction; a suffix alone is not an authentication method.

The 17a–17f group can therefore be described collectively as neon ink only with these record-specific qualifications. Ordinary #17 remains separate. No etched, surge or serialized Mana Crypt is established by this reviewed premium family.

Elsewhere, the Judge G11 #5 and Invention MPS #16 are foil-only. EMA #225, 2XM #270 and borderless #361 offer both nonfoil and traditional foil. “Foil-only” and “different art” are independent properties.

For the first printing: choose HarperPrism PHPR #5, with Mark Tedin art and the book-promo origin. Ask for the actual card, not a digital Masters Edition image.

For classic promo foil history: compare G11 #5. For a conventional modern-set face with a choice of surface, compare EMA #225 and 2XM #270; the EMA-faced PLST reprint is another specifically marked nonfoil edition.

For a Masterpiece: MPS #16 has Baǵa’s illustration and Invention frame. For borderless artwork without neon ink, compare Spencer’s 2XM #361 with Mayer’s SPG #17.

For a neon collection: decide which specific ink colour you want, then match #17a, #17b, #17c, #17d, #17e or #17f. Do not buy from a stock image that could represent several different variants.

For Commander: every printing represents the same banned card as of this review. A new artwork, gold-looking frame or premium finish does not change legality.

Mana Crypt is one of ManaScout’s strongest examples of why printing history matters: an early novel offer, a Judge foil, a Masters mythic, an ornate Invention and borderless or neon art all describe different collector objects.

Our history-led pick is PHPR #5; our alternate-art comparison is 2XM #361 nonfoil. Spencer’s borderless painting provides a clear change without making a special reflective treatment part of the decision. Compare SPG #17 next if Mayer’s interpretation appeals.

Legality checked 4 November 2026: Wizards’ current list still bans Mana Crypt in Commander and Legacy and restricts it in Vintage. The Commander ban took effect on 23 September 2024. A restricted Vintage deck may include one copy across main deck and sideboard combined; casual house permission does not change the official status.

Mana Vault — Contrast a different fast-mana artifact’s original and Invention records.

Sol Ring — Compare an Alpha artifact with decades of artwork changes.

Ancient Tomb — Explore colourless acceleration in land form and its location treatments.

Mox Diamond — Compare another zero-mana artifact with a different restriction and foil history.

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: HarperPrism Book Promos (PHPR) #5
• Catalogue: Judge Gift Cards 2011 (G11) #5
• Catalogue: Eternal Masters (EMA) #225
• Catalogue: Kaladesh Inventions (MPS) #16
• Catalogue: Mystery Booster / The List record (PLST) #EMA-225
• Catalogue: Double Masters (2XM) #270
• Catalogue: Double Masters (2XM) #361
• Catalogue: Special Guests (SPG) #17
• Catalogue: Special Guests (SPG) #17a
• Catalogue: Special Guests (SPG) #17b
• Catalogue: Special Guests (SPG) #17c
• Catalogue: Special Guests (SPG) #17d
• Catalogue: Special Guests (SPG) #17e
• Catalogue: Special Guests (SPG) #17f
• Wizards: current banned and restricted list
• magic.wizards.com: commander banned and restricted announcement september 23 2024
• Wizards: collecting The Lost Caverns of Ixalan and Cosmium neon ink
• magic.wizards.com: mystery booster revealed 2019 11 11
• magicuntapped.com: the tale of mana crypt a look back at magics harperprism promos
• spellbinder.gg: mana crypt
• spellbinder.gg: mana crypt
• magery.com: mana crypt 17e
• facetofacegames.com: mana crypt 17a neon ink showcase rainbow special guests foil
• facetofacegames.com: mana crypt 17d neon ink showcase purple special guests foil
• facetofacegames.com: mana crypt 17e neon ink showcase red special guests foil