Common
The foundation of every set and every collection. Commons fill booster packs and power the entire Pauper format — proof that the lowest rarity still holds some of the game’s best cards.
What Is It?
Common is the lowest rarity in Magic: The Gathering and the most numerous. You identify a common by the color of its set symbol — the expansion icon printed in the middle-right of the card, which is black for commons. Modern boosters contain the majority of their cards at common, so these make up the bulk of what you open and the bulk of any collection. Despite the name, “common” refers only to print frequency, not usefulness: many of the game’s most important spells, from Lightning Bolt to Counterspell, have been printed at common, and the entire Pauper format is built exclusively from cards available at this rarity.
Notable Cards
Some of the most iconic cards in the game are commons. Llanowar Elves, Lightning Bolt, Counterspell, and Dark Ritual have all appeared at common and remain format-defining. Cheap, efficient commons anchor competitive Pauper decks and provide the removal, ramp, and card draw that make budget decks viable. Because commons are printed in enormous quantities, most are worth pennies — but a handful of in-demand Pauper staples and hard-to-find early commons carry a real premium, and old-set commons in high grade can surprise collectors with their value.
Real Common cards
Representative cards you can identify and price in seconds.
Value & Collecting
For collectors and players, commons are where efficiency meets affordability. The vast majority are bulk, but the exceptions matter: a common that sees heavy Pauper play, an early-set common with limited supply, or a common that was later never reprinted can be worth far more than its rarity suggests. Condition and printing still affect price — a pristine copy of a sought-after common, or a foil version, can command a premium over its non-foil counterpart. The smart move is never to assume a common is worthless until you have checked the exact card, because rarity alone does not determine value in Magic.
Scanner Advantage
Tappr scans any common and instantly identifies the exact set and printing, then shows its live TCGplayer and Cardmarket price. Since commons come in overwhelming volume, the scanner is the fastest way to separate true bulk from the Pauper staples and premium foils hiding in a stack — so you never toss a valuable common into the discard box by mistake.
Common questions
01 How do I identify a common MTG card?
Look at the set symbol in the middle-right of the card. On a common it is printed in black. The symbol’s color is the quickest way to tell a card’s rarity at a glance.
02 Are common MTG cards worth anything?
Most commons are bulk worth only pennies, but some Pauper staples, hard-to-find early commons, and foils carry real value. Scan a common with Tappr to check its exact market price rather than assuming.
03 Why are some famous cards printed at common?
Rarity reflects how often a card appears in packs, not its power. Wizards prints strong, simple effects like Lightning Bolt at common so they show up frequently, which is also why the commons-only Pauper format is so deep.
04 What is the Pauper format?
Pauper is a constructed format where every card must have been printed at common rarity. It is the most affordable competitive format and shows just how powerful commons can be.
Related rarity tiers
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