Animate Dead

As of Aug 8, 2026, the cheapest tracked printing of Animate Dead is $5.32 (PLST #EMA-78), and the most expensive is $299.99 (LEB #93). The benchmark price (cheapest playable nonfoil) is $5.32, up 1.5% over 7 days, down 25.7% over 30 days, up 36.4% over 90 days. All-time tracked high: $45.48 (2026).

Animate Dead has 18 tracked printings across 17 sets, in nonfoil and foil finishes, including borderless and judge promo treatments.

PLST #EMA-78

$5.32

CK $6.99 / $3.50 34%

MP $5.19 80 avail

SOC #207

$6.33 +19%

CK $6.99 / $4.00 37%

MP $4.36 210 avail

3ED #93

$7.15 +34%

CK $8.99 / $4.50 37%

MP $3.98 127 avail

PD3 #16 Foil

$7.25 +36%

CK $8.99 / $3.60 50%

MP $6.40 53 avail

4ED #118

$7.60 +43%

CK $7.99 / $4.00 47%

MP $4.42 112 avail

EMA #78

$7.62 +43%

CK $8.49 / $4.30 44%

MP $5.19 59 avail

MKC #125

$10.15 +91%

CK $7.99 / $4.40 57%

MP $6.10 158 avail

5ED #140

$10.27 +93%

CK $8.99 / $3.60 65%

MP $6.00 39 avail

EMA #78 Foil

$17.50 +229%

CK $24.99 / $10.00 43%

MP $16.52 14 avail

30A #92

$19.32 +263%

CK $11.99 / $7.50 61%

2ED #93

$27.85 +423%

CK $37.99 / $19.00 32%

MP $16.21 12 avail

CED #93

$34.50 +548%

CK $37.99 / $17.50 49%

MP $83.33 2 avail

SLD #2189 Borderless

$45.20 +750%

CK $57.99 / $35.00 23%

MP $47.40 10 avail

CEI #93

$60.03 +1028%

CK $34.99 / $22.00 63%

MP $69.90 6 avail

P22 #7 Judge Promo Foil

$70.80 +1231%

CK $84.99 / $56.00 21%

MP $74.72 4 avail

30A #389

$140.00 +2532%

CK $229.99 / $150.00 -7%

LEB #93

$299.99 +5539%

CK $549.99 / $330.00 -10%

MP $359.49 1 avail

SOC #207 Foil

CK —

SLD #2189 Borderless Foil

CK $74.99 / $49.00

MP $50.43 3 avail

SUM #93

CK —

LEA #92

CK $599.99 / $300.00

MP $532.78 1 avail

Card Kingdom currently pays $330.00 cash for LEB #93; the retail-buylist spread on that printing is 40% (normal).

• Jun 8, 2016 Abilities such as shroud and protection function only on the battlefield unless otherwise specified. A creature card with shroud may be targeted by Animate Dead, and Animate Dead will become attached to the creature that enters the battlefield.
• Jun 8, 2016 Animate Dead is an Aura, albeit with an unusual enchant ability. You target a creature card in a graveyard when you cast it. It enters the battlefield attached to that card. Then it returns that card to the battlefield, and attaches itself to the card again (since the card is a new object on the battlefield). Animate Dead itself never moves into a graveyard during this process.
• Jun 8, 2016 If Animate Dead isn't on the battlefield as its triggered ability resolves, none of its effects happen. The creature card won't be returned to the battlefield.
• Jun 8, 2016 If the creature put onto the battlefield has protection from black—or if the creature can't legally be enchanted by Animate Dead for another reason—Animate Dead won't be able to attach to it. It will be put into the graveyard as a state-based action, causing its delayed triggered ability to trigger. When the trigger resolves, if the creature's still on the battlefield, its controller will sacrifice it.
• Jun 8, 2016 Once the creature is returned to the battlefield, Animate Dead can't be attached to anything other than it (unless Animate Dead somehow manages to put a different creature onto the battlefield). Attempting to move Animate Dead to another creature won't work.

Animate Dead has been reprinted 21 times. The Secrets of Strixhaven Commander reprint cut the price 45% in 30 days.

Set	Date	Rarity	Treatment	Price before	Day 1	30 days	90 days
SOC #207	2026-04-24	Uncommon	Standard	$8.64	$7.74	$4.78	$4.70
SOC #207	2026-04-24	Uncommon	Standard	—	—	—	—
MKC #125	2024-02-09	Uncommon	Standard	—	$3.20	$4.01	$4.35
30A #92	2022-11-28	Uncommon	Standard	—	—	—	—
30A #389	2022-11-28	Uncommon	Standard	—	—	—	—
P22 #7	2022-07-12	Rare	Judge Promo	—	—	—	—
PLST #EMA-78	2022-04-29	Uncommon	Standard	—	—	—	—
SLD #2189	2021-06-21	Rare	Borderless	—	—	—	—
SLD #2189	2021-06-21	Rare	Borderless	—	—	—	—
EMA #78	2016-06-10	Uncommon	Standard	—	—	—	—

Showing the 10 most recent of 21 printings.

Animate Dead is the #224 most-played card on EDHREC, down 1 place over the last 30 days.

• RANKED Best Reanimator Commanders: 12 Graveyard Generals Ranked