LYNBROOK, NY.- A collection of significant, early Magic: The Gathering cards, including complete Alpha, Beta and Arabian Nights sets, with many BGS-graded examples in each, are the expected centerpiece lots in an auction planned for Wednesday, June 26th, at 10 am Eastern, by Weiss Auctions, online and in the firm’s roomy gallery located at 74 Merrick Road in Lynbrook.

Magic: The Gathering cards are hugely popular and highly sought after by collectors. A few graded standout cards include Alpha Black Lotus, 8.5; Alpha Mox Pearl, 9.5; Beta Time Vault, 10.0; Beta Black Lotus, 9.0; and Beta Earthquake, 9.5, among many others graded at 9.0 and 9.5.

Magic: The Gathering cards were first released 1993. The initial sets were the limited Alpha and Beta sets of cards, before the Unlimited format was introduced. The first expansion, Arabian Nights, was released in December 1993 just after the Limited Editions were printed and sold out.

“The Black Lotus is one of the most sought-after cards for Magic collectors,” said Philip Weiss of Weiss Auctions. “Its ability to be played for free and then tapped in order to gain three mana of any one color made it powerful and popular, and it was almost immediately banned from official play. These three sets combined could bring in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

Mr. Weiss added, “It’s important to point out that the cards will be offered as sets and not broken up into multiple lots. This gives investors a rare chance to get a complete set in one fell swoop.”

In addition to live bidding in the gallery, there will also be online bidding available, via the two platforms Proxibid.com and Invaluable.com. Telephone and absentee bids will also be accepted.

The auction will also feature a fine selection of linen-backed posters, to include a scarce Fairy Sisters poster; an 1880s Allen and Ginter non-sports card collection with more than 600 pieces, including cards, boxes and more; signed lithographs with a wide assortment of important artists featured; rare and out-of-print books; Hollywood photographs and American Bandstand material.

Also offered will be military medals and uniforms; Continental Congress and other historical autographs; antique advertising, including coffee tins from the collection of Barbara and Lowell Schindler; fountain pens and more. The non-sports cards include The Three Stooges, Batman, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Addams Family, Beatles, Monster Greetings and others.

Posters expected to do well include a 1920s Royal Northern Hospital poster by W. Lambert; a 1959 Egypt travel poster saying “Enjoy Your Holiday”; a 1950s Mexico Pan American Airlines travel poster by E. McKnight Kauffer; an 1890s Bi-Borax French advertising poster rendered by F. Poulbot; and an 1893 French “Amaranthe Bitter” advertising poster, printed by C.H. Levy.

Other posters will include a 1900s “Abiti Per Bambini” Italian advertising poster and a 1920s “Fair of Antique Dealers” French poster by A. Palland. The war medals category will feature an ID’d British Crimean War medal for George Dungate, 10th Hussars; and an ID’d British Waterloo medal for Henry Gronemann, 5th Line Battalion K.G.L.; plus other fine examples.

Weiss Auctions’ next big event is slated for Wednesday, July 24th, also in the Lynbrook gallery, featuring toys, trains, diecast, TV and Western toys, dolls and more. The sale will be highlighted by Part 3 of the Joseph P. Cutrofello collection of toy trains, with more of his boxed Lionel set collection (around 40 boxed sets), his Lionel HO collection and pre-war O and Standard Gauge.

The auction will also feature Part 2 of an incredible 1950s and ‘60s-era TV, Western and movie toy collection, all mint-in-the-box pieces, including gun and holster sets, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy, Aurora model kits, Howdy Doody and more; plus tons of diecast vehicles, including boxed Matchbox, Corgi, Dinky and Tootsietoy. Start time is 10 am EDT.