Just like someone winning the lottery, stumbling across a valuable collector's item can change your life forever.
That's exactly what happened to Brook Trafton, a retail worker in Toronto, when he become the lucky person to discover a one-of-a-kind Magic: The Gathering playing card known as "One Ring" and went on to sell it to a celebrity more famous than the card itself — rapper Post Malone.
This wasn't just any old playing card.
"One Ring" was released as part of a collection to celebrate J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of The Ring series and was considered ultra-rare, with the odds of finding it estimated to be one in three million. Sure, those odds are slightly better than 14 million to one odds of winning the Lotto 6/49 jackpot in Canada, but the reality is there's still next to no chance.
Trafton not only scored the jackpot in finding the card himself but was able to cash in and sell it to Post Malone for $2 million US, or about $2.67 million CAD.
He spoke with Narcity about how it all happened days after publicly revealing his identity after the card had been sold.
"To be honest, I can't even describe it as a lottery win," Trafton said, despite the striking similarity of him being lucky enough to find the one-of-a-kind playing card and then make a couple of million dollars selling it. "In Canada, you win the lottery, take your picture, take your check and go home. This has been a journey. A journey to fulfill dreams and just it's been magical."
The whirlwind first began in June when the lifelong fan of the Magic: The Gathering card game pulled the "One Ring" card from a box set he had pre-ordered, admitting at the time he made the purchase, he wasn't even aware that the ultra-rare card existed.
"I was not expecting to pull the One Ring. There wasn't even is hint n my mind," Trafton said.
He has since posted a video of him holding the $2 million playing card and you clearly see his hand shaking in disbelief.
Trafton explained that initial shock and excitement quickly faded to doubt and question.
"This can't be real," he said, thinking back to his reaction at the time. "How can someone like me actually pull something this valuable? I knew the life-changing effects if it was real."
His solution was then to call friends and family to try and figure out of the card was, indeed, the one. Trafton said he even called the store he bought the box set from and, "they thought I was faking them and they hung up the phone on me. So, I called them back," he laughed.
Eventually, Trafton was able to get the help he needed to confirm the card was real and that's when he sought out other professionals to help ensure he made the right moves in his effort to sell his new valuable possession.
"I've done a lot of looking and a lot of people that have won the lottery lose it all after a year or two years because they go buy a house or buy a car and then give everyone gifts," he said.
That's why Trafton hired a lawyer, got in touch with The Notable Group, a marketing and PR firm to help him with the sale of the thing, and even contacted a financial advisor.
He also chose to remain anonymous until the sale of the card was complete, purely in the interest of his own safety.
"I can't afford bodyguards ... I take the subway into work," he said. "I didn't really need that kind of insecurity until the sale was final."
Selling the One Ring card to Post Malone
Trafton told his team of professionals at the onset that, knowing Post Malone is a fan and a collector of Magic: The Gathering cards, it would be his dream to get the chance to meet him.
That chance came on Thursday, June 20, when the rapper's tour made a stop in Toronto for a concert at Budweiser Stage.
Trafton said Carli, his agent with the Notable Group, called him while he was at work to tell him Post Malone wanted to meet him, see the "One Ring" card, and take some pictures.
The brief meeting between the two led to some banter about their love for Magic: The Gathering before Post Malone excitedly told Trafton, "I'll take it."
"I was in such disbelief, Trafton said. "I didn't recognize what was happening and I asked him like, 'can you repeat yourself?' and he said 'I'll take the card. I'll buy it.'"
Trafton and Post Malone hugged and took some pictures together, and he said before he knew it, the rapper even handed him a beer.
Brook Trafton, Post Malone, and the "One Ring" playing card.The Notable Group
What will Trafton will do with the money?
Trafton told Narcity that despite coming into this $2.67 million fortune, he still plans to keep working at his retail job where he's been a cashier and a forklift operator for the last 10 years.
"I love my job and I'm going to keep going that route," he said. "I don't have to worry paycheck to paycheck anymore."
He admitted his reasons for contacting a financial planner were to ensure the money can go somewhere that it can generate interest or more income, to help secure his financial future.
"That's stuff I can use to help friends out, buy gifts, [and] do charitable stuff," he said.
While he shared no big spending plans, when pressed on something he might like to purchase now that money is no issue, Trafton's answer was no surprise.
"It's been so crazy in these last couple of months [that] I forgot there's a new set of magic cards that just came out," he said. "I might buy a box."
Who knows, maybe he'll get lucky yet again.
After what's been a while two months, Trafton said the cherry on top of this lucky card draw has been the overwhelmingly positive response since he went public with his story.
"I'm so grateful that there is that much positivity," Trafton continued, saying he's being congratulated by people from the Magic: The Gathering community to Post Malone fans alike, many telling him he deserved this. "It's just that mindset that it could have been anyone. And I'm so grateful that it happened."
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.