Illicit Auction
Mirage 183 • rare
- Set
- Mirage
- Collector number
- 183
- Rarity
- Rare
- Mana cost
- 3 generic mana red mana red mana
- Type
- Sorcery
- Colors
- Red
- Artist
- Scott Kirschner
- Market price
- $7.42
What it does
Each player may bid life for control of target creature. You start the bidding with a bid of 0. In turn order, each player may top the high bid. The bidding ends if the high bid stands. The high bidder loses life equal to the high bid and gains control of the creature. (This effect lasts indefinitely.)
Where you can play it
- StandardNot legal
- PioneerNot legal
- ModernNot legal
- LegacyLegal
- VintageLegal
- CommanderLegal
- PauperNot legal
- BrawlNot legal
- HistoricNot legal
- TimelessNot legal
- Penny DreadfulNot legal
- OathbreakerLegal
Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC. Card text via Scryfall. Not approved or endorsed by Wizards. As of the last catalogue refresh.
Where to find one
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Where it came from
Illicit Auction was released in 1996 as part of the Mirage expansion for Magic: The Gathering. Developed by Wizards of the Coast, this set was notable for being the first to be designed without the direct involvement of the game's creator, Richard Garfield, instead relying on the expertise of a dedicated internal design team. The set drew heavy thematic inspiration from Middle Eastern folklore and geography, aiming to provide a more cohesive aesthetic experience than earlier, more eclectic expansions.
The card was illustrated by Quinton Hoover, a prolific artist whose distinctively emotive and sweeping style defined much of the early Magic visual identity. Hoover's design for Illicit Auction captures the high-stakes, chaotic nature of the card's mechanics—which involve a bidding war for control of a creature—through a frantic, crowded composition. Upon its release, the card was received as a niche but intriguing addition to the Red color pie, often cited by players for its flavorful integration of gambling and competitive risk-taking.
Written by Pi, the helpful collecto.rs AI
Who's collecting this
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About Illicit Auction
Illicit Auction is a card in the Magic: The Gathering catalog on collecto.rs. Mirage 183 • rare. Catalog data is sourced from Scryfall. No public cards collectors track this one yet — adding yours would make you the first on collecto.rs.
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Where does the Illicit Auction catalog entry come from?
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