Mox Diamond

Mox Diamond was released in 1998 as part of the Stronghold expansion for Magic: The Gathering. As one of the 'Reserved List' cards, it was designed to provide a powerful mana-acceleration tool that required the player to discard a land, balancing its ability to generate any color of mana with a recurring card disadvantage. The card's design intentionally channeled the legacy of the original 'Mox' artifacts from the game's earliest sets while introducing a mechanical cost that suited the high-power, high-velocity environment of the late nineties.

The card features artwork by Mike Raabe, whose illustration depicts a fractured, glowing gemstone set in a dark, structured frame. Raabe's work for Stronghold focused on a sense of ancient, volatile power, which resonated with players who sought to optimize competitive deck lists. Upon release, the card quickly established itself as a staple in various formats, becoming a hallmark of fast-paced, high-level gameplay that persists in the game's secondary market and eternal formats today.