Long, long ago, the best players on the Magic Pro Tour would assemble each year for the Invitational event, where 16 of the world’s best would compete for the title and the right to design their own Magic card. Darwin Kastle’s Avalanche Riders, Jon Finkel’s Shadowmage Infiltrator, Chris Pikula’s Meddling Mage and Tiago Chan’s Snapcaster Mage are among the cards designed by winners of this tournament.

Because it was both exclusive and high profile, the Invitational often showcased unusual formats and, for four seasons, custom cards. The Duplicate Limited event was played like sealed deck, except all 16 participants received the same card pool, and some of the cards were custom made by the R&D team to provide the players an additional challenge. Some of these custom cards are entirely unique, and some are familiar classics with changed mana costs. Note that this Demonic Tutor, for example, has been “fixed” by increasing the cost to 5.

CGC called these cards “excessively rare” (https://www.cgccomics.com/news/article/9835/Magic-the-gathering-rare-cards/) because only about 16 of each were created and many of them were thrown away at the tournament site. Because they are stickers printed out and stuck on cards, they are of course always questionable from the perspective of authentication. CGC was able to track a number of these cards to their original owners (the players at the Invitational Tournament) and is now able to authenticate them by spectroscopy - using a computer imaging system to examine the cards beyond the range of visible light, which readily reveals whether the correct 22 year old paper, ink and glue were used.

This is only the second copy of this card graded, and I know of one other surviving raw. At least one set has been confirmed destroyed by the player who received it, making this among the scarcest of all Magic rarities.

Magic Librarities has a full gallery of images and some additional information here: http://www.magiclibrarities.net/699-rarities-magic-invitational-cards-english-cards-index.html