Copy Artifact

Copy Artifact was released in 1993 as part of the Limited Edition Beta set for Magic: The Gathering. Created by Richard Garfield, the card was designed during the game's inception as a piece of the original core set, intended to provide players with a versatile, high-utility tool that rewarded strategic knowledge of an opponent's deck. It reflects the experimental and often volatile power level of the early game's design philosophy, where cards had to stand out as both impactful and thematic.

The artwork was commissioned from Amy Weber, one of the original artists who defined the game's early aesthetic. Weber’s illustration for Copy Artifact utilizes a distinct, painterly style that captures the surreal, transformative nature of the magical effect. Her contribution is highly regarded among collectors for its nostalgic value, as it captures the raw, illustrative character of the game’s formative years before digital art became the standard.