Magic Set Card Count Comparison (Early Sets)
How big was Legends? Compare 11 early Magic set sizes, from Arabian Nights 78 to Ice Age 383 cards. Gatherer and set article counts. All 11 sets ranked.
Visual comparison
All values
Click any row to load it as Entry A.
| Name | Value | Context | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arabian Nights 78 cards. Smallest row here. 92 with variants. | 78 cards | First expansion, Dec 1993 | MTG expansion sets 1993-1995: Arabian Nights 78 unique cards, 92 counting variants; MTG sets table ARN 92 |
| Antiquities 100 cards. 41 commons, 59 uncommons. | 100 cards | Artifact expansion, Mar 1994 | MTG expansion sets 1993-1995: Antiquities 100 cards |
| Fallen Empires 102 cards functional. 187 with art variants. | 102 cards | Tribal expansion, Nov 1994 | MTG expansion sets 1993-1995: Fallen Empires 102 functional, 187 with artwork; MTG sets table FEM 187 |
| The Dark 119 cards. Goblins and sacrifice themes. | 119 cards | Dark fantasy expansion, Aug 1994 | MTG expansion sets 1993-1995: The Dark 119 cards |
| Limited Edition Alpha 295 cards. Rounded corners, black border. | 295 cards | First printing, Aug 1993 | MTG sets table LEA 295; Limited Edition article: Alpha 295 cards |
| Limited Edition Beta 302 cards. Adds 2 cards plus 5 land arts. | 302 cards | Second printing, Oct 1993 | MTG sets table LEB 302; Limited Edition article: Beta 302 cards |
| Unlimited Edition 302 cards. Matches Beta. | 302 cards | First white border core, Dec 1993 | MTG core sets: Unlimited 302 cards, 75 common 95 uncommon 117 rare 15 land |
| Revised Edition 306 cards. First with expansion cards. | 306 cards | Third core set, Apr 1994 | Wizards Gatherer 3E: Revised 306 cards; MTG core sets: Revised 306 |
| Legends 310 cards. First multicolor set. | 310 cards | Legends expansion, Jun 1994 | MTG expansion sets 1993-1995: Legends 310 cards |
| Fourth Edition 378 cards. First with Legends reprints. | 378 cards | Fourth core set, Apr 1995 | Wizards Gatherer 4E: Fourth Edition 378 cards; MTG core sets: Fourth 378 |
| Ice Age 383 cards. Top row here. 121 of each rarity. | 383 cards | Ice Age block opener, Jun 1995 | Ice Age article: 383 cards, 121 common 121 uncommon 121 rare 20 lands |
About this converter
Early Magic sets run small by modern standards. Arabian Nights holds 78 unique cards, Antiquities 100, Fallen Empires 102 counting distinct function, The Dark 119, Alpha 295, Beta and Unlimited 302 each, Revised 306, Legends 310, Fourth Edition 378 and Ice Age 383. One Ice Age matches almost five Arabian Nights. Variant art inflates some totals: Arabian Nights reaches 92 and Fallen Empires 187 counting every printing, so the table pins functional counts with variants noted. Every figure here is the Gatherer or set article count.
How to use it
Pick two sets and a unit in the top row. The three boxes below stay linked. Change any box and the other two update. Try 1 Legends against Arabian Nights to see the 310 versus 78 gap. All rows are English printing counts.
Values pin functionally distinct English cards with art variants noted per row. Arabian Nights 78 versus 92 and Fallen Empires 102 versus 187 show why the distinction matters. Basic land splits ride in sources where they sharpen a row. Print run sizes in millions stay out because they measure supply, not set size.
FAQ
What is the biggest early set?
Ice Age at 383 cards from June 1995. Fourth Edition follows at 378.
What is the smallest early set?
Arabian Nights at 78 functional cards. Antiquities follows at 100.
Why is Beta bigger than Alpha?
Alpha omitted two cards whose art was late plus five land arts, so Beta counts 302 against Alpha 295.
Do variants count?
No. The table pins functional counts: 78 for Arabian Nights and 102 for Fallen Empires, with 92 and 187 variant totals noted.
Sources
- Wizards Gatherer sets: Revised Edition 3E 306 cards; Fourth Edition 4E 378 cards
- List of MTG sets table (Alpha 295, Beta 302, Unlimited 302, Arabian Nights 92, Antiquities 100, Legends 310, The Dark 119, Fallen Empires 187)
- MTG expansion sets 1993-1995 article (Arabian Nights 78 unique, Antiquities 100, Legends 310, The Dark 119, Fallen Empires 102 functional) and Ice Age article (383)
Last verified: 2026-10-02 · 11 entries
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