Up for auction is a BGS GEM MINT 9.5 graded Sylvan Library #157 from the 1995 Magic: The Gathering Japanese Fourth Edition — also known as the Foreign Black Border (FBB) printing — authenticated and graded by Beckett Grading Services (BGS). The card is printed in Japanese.

Sylvan Library is one of the most iconic and enduring enchantments in Magic: The Gathering history. Originally printed in Legends (1994), Sylvan Library allows its controller to draw additional cards each turn at the cost of life — a powerful and elegant card advantage engine that has seen play in competitive formats for over three decades. Its combination of card selection, library manipulation, and life payment has made it a staple in Commander, Legacy, and Vintage formats, and it remains one of the most beloved and sought-after green enchantments ever printed. The Japanese FBB 4th Edition printing of Sylvan Library features the classic Harold McNeill artwork in a stunning black-bordered presentation.

The Japanese Fourth Edition, released in 1995, is part of the Foreign Black Border (FBB) series — a group of non-English printings of Magic: The Gathering core sets that feature the distinctive black border rather than the white border used on English 4th Edition cards. FBB printings are significantly more collectible than their white-border English counterparts, as the black border is associated with the original Alpha, Beta, and Unlimited sets and is considered more aesthetically desirable by collectors. Japanese FBB cards are highly sought after by vintage MTG collectors worldwide, and high-grade copies of desirable cards like Sylvan Library command significant premiums.

Beckett Grading Services (BGS) is one of the most prestigious and widely recognized grading companies in the hobby. BGS grades cards on a 10-point scale with half-point increments, evaluating four distinct subgrades: Centering, Corners, Edges, and Surface. A grade of GEM MINT 9.5 from BGS represents an exceptional card — one that is virtually flawless, with only the most minute imperfections preventing a perfect 10. BGS 9.5 is widely considered the gold standard for modern graded cards and commands a significant premium over lower grades.

The card pictured is the exact card you will receive. It will be shipped safely and securely. We do not offer discounted shipping — please bid accordingly. Please feel free to contact us with any questions — additional pictures are available upon request. Please also check us out on MarylandTCG.com.