Technically, the "first rookie" title is a split between distribution and set chronology: while the Luffy PR001 (Pirate's Ambition) was the very first card to reach the public via the October 2005 issue of Shonen Jump (hitting newsstands in mid-September), the CH001 is universally recognized as the true "Origin" card of the game
8 Foretell The Kaldheim set had many diverse mechanics and keywords, from Snow permanents to Saga enchantments and creature types mattering
The first tournament was held in 2004
(It turns out I've made quite a number of cards that can kick my, um, donkey.) Luckily for me, Aaron Forsythe, Erik Lauer, and Ken Nagle had built a stable of Standard gunslinging decks that allowed me to keep changing what I was playing
If enough people bought in based on this analysis, scarcity could well drive up the price of the card
This can be a more consistent method of benefitting from paying life, and it can also easily help you eliminate other players with commander damage