The most popular MTG token card must be the Treasure token

What is the most used token in Magic: The Gathering? I think it’s the treasure token. Treasure tokens have appeared in many different Magic sets and were first introduced in Ixalan in 2017. When you sacrifice a treasure token, you get one mana of any color, which is great for both control and ramp strategies. Since treasure tokens are artifacts, they don’t suffer from summoning sickness, so you can use them the moment they enter the battlefield3.

Treasure tokens have become so common that some players feel they’re being printed too often, while others enjoy the flexibility they bring to the game. Originally tied to pirate-themed cards in Ixalan, treasures now show up in many colors and mechanics, and there are currently over 169 cards that create or interact with treasure tokens.

The second most used token might be the Food token, but I’ll cover that in another blog post.

I’ve started designing my own tokens, which I’ll soon include with every card purchase on my homepage, Koi Fish Cards. Out of the six tokens I’ve made, I think my treasure token looks the best. I used AI to create the treasure image and then retouched the card, drawing inspiration from the Tarkir: Dragonstorm (TDM) set.

Spotlight: Smothering Tithe

One of the most famous and impactful cards that generates treasure tokens is Smothering Tithe. First printed in Ravnica Allegiance, this white enchantment has become a staple in Commander and other multiplayer formats.

Whenever an opponent draws a card, Smothering Tithe asks them to pay 2 mana. If they don’t, you create a treasure token, an artifact you can sacrifice for one mana of any color. In a typical four-player Commander game, this can add up quickly, especially if your opponents are drawing extra cards. If nobody pays, you could generate three treasures each turn cycle just from the standard card draw, and even more if anyone uses additional draw effects.

Smothering Tithe is especially powerful when combined with “wheel” effects like Wheel of Fortune or Windfall, which force everyone to draw multiple cards at once, resulting in a sudden flood of treasure tokens. This ability to ramp mana helps white decks keep up with faster colors and strategies, bridging a gap that has historically existed in Magic’s color pie.

I hope the treasure token I created can be used in your deck. Which token would you love to see next?