Mana is one of the most limiting factors in Magic , so effectively doubling it is an incredibly powerful effect
This is the key to understanding the appeal of original set foils
and for the "newer" types such as dark and steel (because their energy became basic from Heart Gold/Soul Silver onward, as before their energies were considered specials) and finally the release of the fairy type, which happened in this set, besides one special energy only for the dragon type, which was also a new archetype that had been released in Black/White
Shadrix Silverquill Finally, a non-OG elder dragon, Shadrix Silverquill leads its own deck despite a lowly spot in these rankings
Collectors clearly prioritize the rarer, more visually unique cards for their collections
Fast-forward eighteen years to Innistrad