For most Magic: The Gathering players, the year 1997 is the year of the Mirage block. But for collectors, February 1997 is important for another reason. It is the release date of Visions, the second set of the block.
The Traditional Chinese (T-Chinese) version of this card set is very rare today. It is highly sought after by collectors of “Old Border” cards. Here is why this specific edition is so special.
Why Mirage was skipped
In 1996, when Wizards of the Coast (WotC) released the main set Mirage, they did not have a good distribution network in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Because of this, Mirage was never translated or printed in Traditional Chinese.
When Visions boosters arrived in February 1997, local players started the story directly with the second set. They did not know the beginning of the story, and they did not know the new game mechanics.
The collector fact: the special rules card
Because players skipped Mirage, they did not know the two new mechanics of the block: Phasing and Flanking.
To fix this problem, Wizards of the Coast put a special “Rules Card” inside Traditional Chinese Visions boosters. This card had no illustration, only text explaining the rules. Most players threw this card away in 1997. Today, this rules card is very rare and proves that a booster pack is authentic.
Key cards to look for
If you are looking for valuable cards in Traditional Chinese, here are the best ones from the Visions set:
- Vampiric Tutor: The most famous card of the set. It is very popular in the Commander format. The dark art looks beautiful with the traditional characters.
- Tithe: A very important card for white decks in the Premodern format. It is very difficult to find an old copy in perfect condition today.
- Necromancy: In English, this card has a very long text that fills the whole card. In Traditional Chinese, the text takes less space and looks much better.
The value of the cards today
An important detail: in 1997, Foil cards did not exist even in english. They appeared later, in 1999. This means that for the Visions set, the regular Traditional Chinese version is the rarest version available in this language.
Wizards of the Coast printed very few copies for the Asian market in 1997. Over time, many cards were lost or damaged by players. Today, finding these cards in good condition is a real challenge. Whether you want to play them or collect them, Visions in Traditional Chinese is a great piece of Magic history.
Rarity level
Chinese Traditional – Visions
Visions is less rare than the other sets of the same period, but it has an important place in Magic history. It is a small set of only 167 cards, but it contains legendary cards for formats like Commander and Premodern. Because the set is small, it is easier to complete. However, finding the key cards in good condition is still a great challenge. For collectors, owning Traditional Chinese Visions cards means owning a piece of history from the golden era of the old border frame.