Image courtesy of Scryfall.com
Grading Magic: PSA and BGS and a Rare Duo in Commander’s Spotlight
Two-faced cards aren’t just a mechanical novelty—they’re a logistics and valuation challenge for the grading world. The duo known as Murderous Rider // Swift End trades a dark, lifelike menace on the front for a precise, exile-and-destroy plan on the back. Born from the March of the Machine Commander (MoC) era, this card sits at the crossroads of nostalgia, commander strategy, and the nuanced economics of collecting. 🧙♂️🔥💎
Let’s ground ourselves in the card’s basics before we dive into the grading ecosphere. Murderous Rider // Swift End appears in the March of the Machine Commander set as a rare, nonfoil, two-faced card. On the front, Murderous Rider is a Creature — Zombie Knight with lifelink, a solid 2/3 body, and a self-preserving clause: when this creature dies, it’s put on the bottom of its owner’s library. The back face, Swift End, is an Instant — Adventure that costs the same mana and can be used to destroy a target creature or planeswalker, at the cost of 2 life. After that, the card exiles, with the option to cast the creature later from exile. All praise to Josh Hass for the art and the twist that doubles as both removal and recursion fuel. The card’s color identity is Black (B), and it hails from a set designed for the commander format, where splashy two-faced spells shine in EDH tables everywhere. 🎨⚔️
What grading actually does for a card like this
Grading, at its core, certifies condition and authenticity, turning a treasured collectible into a portable, uniform commodity. For Murderous Rider // Swift End, two intertwined concerns shape value in the market:
- Condition across both faces: Grading companies like PSA and Beckett (BGS) evaluate the front and back surfaces together. Subgrades (for BGS) can include Centering, Corners, Edges, and Surface, but the overall grade applies to the entire two-faced card. The two faces must be well-preserved for a high-grade slab, since wear on either side can drag the final score. 🧭
- The role of a two-faced card in a slab: You’re not just grading a single image—you're certifying a single, cohesive artifact that presents two distinct faces. This means the label and the grade reflect the card as a unit. It’s a curiosity that collectors lean into: a high-grade multi-face card signals careful handling and a commitment to long-term preservation. 🔎
PSA vs. BGS: how the two giants diverge, and why it matters for a rare Commander piece
Both PSA and BGS are stalwarts in MTG grading, but they differ in approach and presentation. PSA typically yields a single numeric grade (1–10) that fronts the slab, with a concise description of the card’s attributes. BGS offers a more granular readout—a numeric subgrade for Centering, Edges, Corners, and Surface, plus an overall grade. For a DFC like Murderous Rider // Swift End, that nuance can translate to real-world implications:
- Perceived condition and market direction: A high PSA 9 or 10 often moves quickly in secondary markets for dual-faced cards, especially when the card shows both front and back faces in balanced condition. A BGS 9.5 or 10 with strong subgrades can command a premium because buyers interpret the multi-face slab as a more precise quality signal. 🧭
- Label clarity and future-proofing: PSA’s standard label keeps things clean and widely recognizable, which helps liquidity in mass marketplaces like TCGPlayer and CardMarket. BGS’s subgrades can attract players who want a more detailed condition snapshot for both sides. Either way, the card sits in a protected environment that protects value over time. 🧰
Valuation realities for Murderous Rider // Swift End
In raw form, this rare two-faced card hovers in a modest price band (the card’s market data shows a few tenths of a dollar in the USD/euro range on nonhalned copies). A graded copy, however, can fluctuate more dramatically depending on demand, pop reports, and the slab’s pedigree. The card’s dual-nature makes it appealing to EDH players who prize both removal (Swift End) and a resilient beater (Murderous Rider) with lifelink—an evergreen combination in black decks. Its historical EDHREC ranking around the mid-teens to low hundreds signals steady but not explosive demand, which is exactly the kind of environment that grading can amplify for the right buyer. And yes, the art by Josh Hass helps spark nostalgia and collector interest alike. 🧙♂️🎨
Practical tips for collectors considering grading this card
- Inspect both faces: Look for edge wear and surface imperfections on both the creature front and the adventure back. A single ding on the back face can impact the final grade more than you might expect because the slab represents the card as a single artifact. 🔎
- Packaging and handling: If you’re sending in the card, use secure protection and a reputable submission service. For two-faced pieces, ensure you’re comfortable with the label and the potential for a longer turnaround. ⏳
- Value vs. cost: Weigh the grade cost against the potential upside. For a card with an affordable raw price and a niche but loyal following, a PSA 9 or BGS 9.5 can move the needle—but the return isn’t guaranteed. Do the math, and don’t chase a “perfect” grade unless you’re prepared for the premium. 💭
Collector culture, art, and the long shadow of grading
Grading isn’t purely financial; it’s a cultural signal within MTG’s collector ecosystem. A two-faced card that’s slabbed with a clean grade can become a centerpiece in a display case, a talking point at a local game store, or a showcase piece for a commander group’s nostalgia table. The Murderous Rider // Swift End pairing captures the quintessential MTG moment of synergy: a deadly creature who can backfill its own removal with a bite that costs you life—and a back half that gives you a targeted answer when you need it most. And while you’re pondering the value, you might also reflect on the broader dynamic: grading has helped many players turn beloved favorites into liquid assets, all while keeping the storytelling and lore front and center. 🧙♂️🔥💎
“The thrill of a well-graded double-faced is a quiet kind of treasure—proof of care, and a story you can hold in your hands.”
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Practical takeaway
Grading Apple-grade cards like Murderous Rider // Swift End is as much about narrative value as it is about monetary value. A thoughtfully graded copy—whether PSA or BGS—can heighten collector interest, simplify resale, and honor the card’s dual-faced design that so perfectly suits the Commander format’s love of layered strategy and storytelling. If you’re dipping your toes into the world of grading for the MoC era, bring patience, a little MTG lore, and a sense of humor about the two-faced nature of both the card and the market. 🧙♂️🎲