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What is this card?
The Middle Earth collectible card game hasn't been published for nearly 10 years, but it still has a loyal following, and there's still a market for many of the cards. However, it can be pretty tough to identify the cards. This guide won't be able to answer most questions, but it will be enough to get you started.
The Game
It was published by Iron Crown Enterprises, also known as I.C.E. between 1995 and 1998. During that time, there were two core sets published (large, stand-alone sets with everything needed for play), and 5 expansions. It featured paintings and drawings for the artwork, and touched upon much of Tolkien's writings and notes.
I.C.E. ran into a variety of problems, and lost their license to produce games set in Tolkien's world. Around the time of the Peter Jackson movies, Decipher (known for the Star Wars and Star Trek ccgs among others) put out a totally different game based more on the Lord of the Rings and the movies, using stills from the movies.
Identifying cards
Let's do the easy ones first.
Decipher Lord of the Rings
Artwork is a photo or scene from the Lord of the RIngs movies, and looks like this? Easy, this is from the Decipher Lord of the Rings game. I can't help you out with it, sorry.
Blue Border : Middle Earth : the Wizards Unlimited Edition
This was a reprint of the original base set, first edition of the game. All are copyright 1995, 1996. People generally don't value these cards as highly as the cards from the original set, partially because the blue border looks bad. Still, rares, fixed cards, and cards for memorable characters and items from the books are generally worth more
.
Grey Border : Challenge Decks and Balrog Reprints
A grey border and a 1997 copyright (lower left) indicates a card from a Challenge Deck. There were 10 preconstructed Challenge Decks that reprinted old cards. These decks also have a letter (A - J) in the lower right (either white on black, or black on white). These cards are generally not worth much; a single, complete, new Challenge deck is generally worth about $5 - $8, and individual cards, not so much. Here's an example:
A 1998 copyright means the card is from The Balrog. This was the last expansion for the game, and is highly sought after. The individual grey cards are reprints of older cards, included so that the new cards plus the reprints would make a playable Balrog deck. So, the grey border Balrog cards are not worth much on their own, but see further down for your black border, 1998 copyright cards from that same set.
Black Border, 1995 Copyright
This is the original limited edition of the game, Middle Earth : The Wizards aka MEtW. Now, to figure out if your cards are worth anything, find a card list - there is no way to tell from the cards what rarity they are. Rares as well as fixed cards are valued. Fixed cards only came in starter decks, and are harder to find these days.
Black Border, 1996 Copyright
Now things get more complicated. The card is either from Middle Earth : The Dragons (MEtD) or Middle Earth : Dark Minions (MEDM). Some general hints are : if many of the cards (especially the ones with charcoal grey background) are about Dragons, then the cards are probably from The Dragons. If some of the cards have a ruddy purple background, then those are Dark Minions. But to be sure, you're going to have to sort them and consult card lists. There are no fixed cards. Rares are broken down into R2 and R3 on most lists, the number indicating how many copies were on the print sheet. R2 cards are more scarce, and therefore more valuable.
The Dragons was printed in huge quantities, back with Magic the Gathering was booming. Lots and lots of these cards are still available; going price for a booster box of The Dragons is under $30 including US shipping at the time of writing. Dark Minions is not widely available, but it doesn't seem to be as valued either.
Black Border, 1997 Copyright
Lots of sets were printed this year. First, a few clues to help you out.
Middle Earth : Lidless Eye (MELE)
This was a set the same size as Middle Earth : The Wizards, and reprinted some of the same cards with new art. It allowed the players to take on the role of the bad guys - the Ringwraiths and their evil underlings. It was sold in both starters and boosters, and like MEtW, the starters are the only place to get the Fixed cards. So, those are somewhat valuable. And of course the Rares. Not too hard to find booster boxes for under US $85, shipping included. Starters (and thus Fixed cards) are much harder to come by.
Middle Earth : Against The Shadow (MEAS)
This was an expansion for Lidless Eye. Sold only in boosters, and every booster had two rare cards in it. Like earlier, there are both R2 and R3 cards. Given the larger number of rares out there, the R3s are generally not worth as much as rares from other sets. Generally hard to find sealed.
Middle Earth : The White Hand (MEWH)
This introduced Fallen Wizards, who had been corrupted by other interests (benign or fiendish) and are pursuing their own agenda, rather than working to help the Free Peoples. Like MEAS, there are two rares per pack, meaning that the R3 cards are fairly plentiful, but the R2 cards are more scarce. Seems to have been printed in larger quantities, can still find booster boxes under $50, including shipping.
Black Border, 1998 Copyright
You win! These cards are from Middle Earth : The Balrog (MEBA). Very hard to find, printed in limited numbers (perhaps because of the business difficulties I.C.E. was having at the time). This was sold in two decks. Get a card list and see if you have a complete deck. At the time of this writing, a complete Balrog deck will sell for around $175. Some single cards may be worth something, but I rarely see Balrog cards sold that way.
The Middle Earth collectible card game hasn't been published for nearly 10 years, but it still has a loyal following, and there's still a market for many of the cards. However, it can be pretty tough to identify the cards. This guide won't be able to answer most questions, but it will be enough to get you started.
The Game
It was published by Iron Crown Enterprises, also known as I.C.E. between 1995 and 1998. During that time, there were two core sets published (large, stand-alone sets with everything needed for play), and 5 expansions. It featured paintings and drawings for the artwork, and touched upon much of Tolkien's writings and notes.
I.C.E. ran into a variety of problems, and lost their license to produce games set in Tolkien's world. Around the time of the Peter Jackson movies, Decipher (known for the Star Wars and Star Trek ccgs among others) put out a totally different game based more on the Lord of the Rings and the movies, using stills from the movies.
Identifying cards
Let's do the easy ones first.
Decipher Lord of the Rings
Artwork is a photo or scene from the Lord of the RIngs movies, and looks like this? Easy, this is from the Decipher Lord of the Rings game. I can't help you out with it, sorry.
Blue Border : Middle Earth : the Wizards Unlimited Edition
This was a reprint of the original base set, first edition of the game. All are copyright 1995, 1996. People generally don't value these cards as highly as the cards from the original set, partially because the blue border looks bad. Still, rares, fixed cards, and cards for memorable characters and items from the books are generally worth more
.
Grey Border : Challenge Decks and Balrog Reprints
A grey border and a 1997 copyright (lower left) indicates a card from a Challenge Deck. There were 10 preconstructed Challenge Decks that reprinted old cards. These decks also have a letter (A - J) in the lower right (either white on black, or black on white). These cards are generally not worth much; a single, complete, new Challenge deck is generally worth about $5 - $8, and individual cards, not so much. Here's an example:
A 1998 copyright means the card is from The Balrog. This was the last expansion for the game, and is highly sought after. The individual grey cards are reprints of older cards, included so that the new cards plus the reprints would make a playable Balrog deck. So, the grey border Balrog cards are not worth much on their own, but see further down for your black border, 1998 copyright cards from that same set.
Black Border, 1995 Copyright
This is the original limited edition of the game, Middle Earth : The Wizards aka MEtW. Now, to figure out if your cards are worth anything, find a card list - there is no way to tell from the cards what rarity they are. Rares as well as fixed cards are valued. Fixed cards only came in starter decks, and are harder to find these days.
Black Border, 1996 Copyright
Now things get more complicated. The card is either from Middle Earth : The Dragons (MEtD) or Middle Earth : Dark Minions (MEDM). Some general hints are : if many of the cards (especially the ones with charcoal grey background) are about Dragons, then the cards are probably from The Dragons. If some of the cards have a ruddy purple background, then those are Dark Minions. But to be sure, you're going to have to sort them and consult card lists. There are no fixed cards. Rares are broken down into R2 and R3 on most lists, the number indicating how many copies were on the print sheet. R2 cards are more scarce, and therefore more valuable.
The Dragons was printed in huge quantities, back with Magic the Gathering was booming. Lots and lots of these cards are still available; going price for a booster box of The Dragons is under $30 including US shipping at the time of writing. Dark Minions is not widely available, but it doesn't seem to be as valued either.
Black Border, 1997 Copyright
Lots of sets were printed this year. First, a few clues to help you out.
- Cards with a red background are from Middle Earth : Lidless Eye.
- Cards with a gear-like shape in the middle left margin, or with a bluish steel grey background, are Middle Earth : The White Hand. Like this one:
Middle Earth : Lidless Eye (MELE)
This was a set the same size as Middle Earth : The Wizards, and reprinted some of the same cards with new art. It allowed the players to take on the role of the bad guys - the Ringwraiths and their evil underlings. It was sold in both starters and boosters, and like MEtW, the starters are the only place to get the Fixed cards. So, those are somewhat valuable. And of course the Rares. Not too hard to find booster boxes for under US $85, shipping included. Starters (and thus Fixed cards) are much harder to come by.
Middle Earth : Against The Shadow (MEAS)
This was an expansion for Lidless Eye. Sold only in boosters, and every booster had two rare cards in it. Like earlier, there are both R2 and R3 cards. Given the larger number of rares out there, the R3s are generally not worth as much as rares from other sets. Generally hard to find sealed.
Middle Earth : The White Hand (MEWH)
This introduced Fallen Wizards, who had been corrupted by other interests (benign or fiendish) and are pursuing their own agenda, rather than working to help the Free Peoples. Like MEAS, there are two rares per pack, meaning that the R3 cards are fairly plentiful, but the R2 cards are more scarce. Seems to have been printed in larger quantities, can still find booster boxes under $50, including shipping.
Black Border, 1998 Copyright
You win! These cards are from Middle Earth : The Balrog (MEBA). Very hard to find, printed in limited numbers (perhaps because of the business difficulties I.C.E. was having at the time). This was sold in two decks. Get a card list and see if you have a complete deck. At the time of this writing, a complete Balrog deck will sell for around $175. Some single cards may be worth something, but I rarely see Balrog cards sold that way.
Guide created: 06/03/07 (updated 11/16/09)
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