Image courtesy of Scryfall.com
Auction Trends for Signed Plague Nurse Cards
If you’ve been lurking the auction houses and card marketplaces for signed copies of Plague Nurse, you’re tapping into a niche that blends gameplay value with artful provenance. This Phyrexian cleric, a green-leaning creature with Toxic 2 and a flavorful ability that buffs your other Toxic creatures, sits in an intriguing spot in the collectible ecosystem. From a pure playability angle, Plague Nurse is a solid, context-heavy piece in Phyrexia: All Will Be One that can enable a Toxic offense in longer games. From a collector’s perspective, its signed variants—when they exist—signal a moment in time: the artist’s signature meeting a card that’s already relatively accessible because of its common rarity. 🧙🔥💎
Released with the Phyrexia: All Will Be One set in 2023, Plague Nurse is a creature — Phyrexian Cleric — with a modest mana cost of {3}{G}, a 3/4 body, and a compact but potent ability. The card’s text reads: “Toxic 2. {2}{G}: Each other creature you control with toxic gains toxic 1 until end of turn. Activate only once each turn. (A player dealt combat damage by a creature with toxic also gets poison counters equal to that creature's total toxic value.)” That line makes it a natural complement to Toxic-focused decks that want to stack value on every hit. In a signed copy, the interest often shifts from purely mechanical synergy to the story and aura of the autographed piece. ⚔️🎨
What moves the market for signed copies?
- Signature provenance: An autograph from the artist can push a copy beyond standard market values, especially if the signer has a dedicated following or a recent, high-profile run. In the case of Plague Nurse, the original art is by Marcela Bolívar, which can become a talking point for fans who collect work from her catalog.
- Condition and COA: Signed cards still benefit from near-mint or mint condition, and a robust certificate of authenticity or artist-issued COA can bolster confidence for buyers who only trust signed pieces with solid provenance.
- Edition and foil status: The card exists in non-foil and foil variants. Signed foils (when they exist) typically command higher premiums than signed non-foils due to scarcity and desirability among collectors seeking eye-catching display pieces.
- Demand within a niche: Plague Nurse is a common card, but in the right community—signed by a respected artist, or part of a limited signing run—the appeal expands beyond standard play circles into signed-collector territory. The balance between rarity and autograph can yield a noticeable but not overwhelming uplift.
- Condition-sensitive bidding: Auctions for signed copies often hinge on graders and mishap-free edges. Buyers should factor in potential restoration or rebagging costs if the signature sits on a damaged card.
In practice, we’ve seen signed versions of commons and uncommons from recent sets sometimes fetch modest premiums, unless the autograph itself holds exceptional allure or comes with a robust documentation trail. For Plague Nurse, the combination of a flavorful Phyrexian theme, a playable body, and the signature’s limited footprint can produce a ripple effect—especially when collectors pair the card with related signed Phyrexia art or other signed pieces from Marcela Bolívar. The current baseline price for a standard non-foil copy hovers around a few cents to a few dimes on marketplaces, while a signed copy (where available) tends to push into higher, albeit still accessible, territory for dedicated collectors. 🧙♀️
Practical strategy for buyers and sellers
For buyers, the key is to set expectations and do your homework. Here are a few tips that align with market realities:
- Establish a price ceiling based on recent completed sales for signed cards from the same artist or set. Don’t anchor to peak tournament-season spikes; keep a pragmatic eye on long-term trend lines.
- Demand quality. A crisp signature on a clean card with accompanying COA often outperforms a worn card with a faint autograph in value terms.
- Verify authenticity. Use trusted platforms and request verification details from sellers. If a signature is part of a formal signing event, request documentation or a photo of the signing session when possible.
- Consider cross-collection appeal. Signed Plague Nurse can synergize with other signed Phyrexia art or Marcela Bolívar pieces, creating a mini-gallery effect for display rather than purely investment focus.
- Keep an eye on foil variants. Foil signed copies tend to carry a consistent premium due to their visual appeal and added rarity—perfect for display shelves and showpieces alike.
For sellers, framing the listing with context helps. Point out the artist, the set, and why this particular signed copy matters to fans. The market rewards clarity, verifiable provenance, and compelling photography that captures the autograph glow under light. And yes, the market loves a little nostalgia—Phyrexian lore, the thrill of the hunt, and a card that looks as menacing as the web of toxins it describes. 🎲
Strategic play upstairs, collecting downstairs
While auctions churn around signed copies, your casual Commander night or casual standard-aligned games still benefit from understanding the card’s baseline. Plague Nurse’s Toxic 2 and its buffing ability enable a dynamic, multi-creature threat when you tilt your board toward toxicity as a theme. In a modern or pioneer context, the card’s utility is less about brute power and more about tempo and synergy: you invest a few mana to accelerate a toxic chain that punishes opponents who rely on vanilla boards. The surface-level play and the deeper lore intersect nicely here, giving signed copies a layered appeal that resonates both at the kitchen-table level and among the gallery-curious. And since collectors adore stories, the narrative of a green creature with “Phyrexian Cleric” flavor, standing as a counterpoint to a sea of black and colorless horrors, makes the signed version even more compelling to tell at the next trades table. 🧙🔥
All of this is a reminder that the value of signed Plague Nurse cards rests on more than just the card’s numeric power. It’s about the confluence of art, signature, provenance, display appeal, and the ongoing excitement around Phyrexia’s lore—the kind of interwoven fandom that has kept Magic’s community vibrant for decades. If you’re scoping the market this season, treat signed copies as a cross between a collectible artwork and a playable asset, with a dash of speculative curiosity that’s entirely MTG at heart. 💎⚔️
And if you’re wanting a small, practical way to celebrate the hobby while you browse auctions, consider arranging your desk with a personalized workspace accessory. It’s a quiet way to show your fandom while you hunt for that next signed piece. If you’re curious, the product linked below is a clean addition to any MTG station—no drama, just a tidy space for card sleeves, deck boxes, and a little bit of set-lore inspiration between bids.