Expansion symbol

Template:Navigation CRThe expansion symbol is a small icon found on the right side of the middle line or type line on a Magic card and is a characteristic of that card. Each expansion symbol is unique to a particular set, identifying a card as belonging to that set. Every expansion and all Core Sets since Sixth Edition have used expansion symbols.

Expansion symbols were black-and-white through the Stronghold expansion. Since the Exodus expansion, expansion symbols have incorporated colors to identify the rarity of each card: common cards have black symbols, uncommon cards have silver or black-to-white fade symbols, and rare cards have gold symbols. A fourth expansion symbol color, purple, was introduced in Time Spiral to represent the 121 bonus Timeshifted cards in the set. Mythic Rare was added with Shards of Alara, its symbol is red-orange.

The Chronicles expansion consists entirely of white-bordered reprints. It is unusual because it does not have its own expansion symbol and instead uses the expansion symbols of the cards' home expansions.

Expansion symbols matter

There are three cards from Unhinged that mention expansion symbols:

• Greater Morphling, for this card's expansion symbol becomes the symbol of your choice until end of turn.
• Symbol Status puts a 1/1 colorless Expansion-Symbol creature token into play for each different expansion symbol among permanents you control.
• World-Bottling Kit lets you choose a Magic set for . Remove from the game all permanents with that set's expansion symbol except for basic lands.