This article series documents the price changes of cards in print. We will track how cards go from release to its time out of print. We're currently tracking eight sets: Theros Block (Theros, Born of the Gods, and Journey into Nyx), Khans of Tarkir Block (Khans of Tarkir, Fate Reforged, and Dragons of Tarkir), Magic 2015, and Modern Masters 2015 Edition. A Standard set runs as long as it's Standard-legal, whereas non-Standard sets will be run as for as long as deemed necessary.
This will be updated every Monday and Friday. The Monday update will follow the Magic events on the weekend to see price changes as a result, while the Friday update will track any changes before the next series of events. The prices come from TCG Player’s median, tracking cards valued at $2.00 USD and up.
Modern Masters 2015 Edition
Name | Change | Change | Price | Price | Price | Price | Price |
Biggest Loss -$0.25
Set Summary To be blunt, Wizards failed to lower the price of entry for Modern with this set. The set is already on the uptick and most of the losses in value are in the pennies. It can be argued that Modern season did not help with reducing the prices, which is a fair argument, but there is a normal rise and fall with the season. This is also not helped by the fact that Wizards couldn't anticipate demand for every Modern staple and thus staples not in this set exploded. |
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6/8 - 6/22 | 6/19 - 6/22 | 6/22 | 6/19 | 6/15 | 6/12 | 6/8 | ||||
Tarmogoyf | $1.32 | $2.80 | $159.99 | $157.19 | $157.75 | $159.39 | $161.31 | |||
Vendilion Clique | $0.33 | $0.04 | $50.04 | $50.00 | $50.00 | $50.65 | $50.37 | |||
Dark Confidant | $0.15 | $0.05 | $45.99 | $45.94 | $46.02 | $46.43 | $45.84 | |||
Noble Hierarch | $1.07 | $0.02 | $36.99 | $36.97 | $37.00 | $37.95 | $38.06 | |||
Karn Liberated | $1.33 | $0.06 | $36.33 | $36.39 | $35.95 | $35.11 | $35.00 | |||
Mox Opal | $1.70 | $0.00 | $36.00 | $36.00 | $36.16 | $36.36 | $37.70 | |||
Cryptic Command | $1.80 | $0.17 | $33.20 | $33.03 | $33.21 | $34.31 | $35.00 | |||
Bitterblossom | 1.99 | $0.00 | $29.99 | $29.99 | $30.44 | $30.82 | $31.98 | |||
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn | $1.48 | $0.07 | $28.75 | $28.68 | $29.11 | $29.81 | $30.23 | |||
Kozilek, Butcher of Truth | $4.69 | $0.00 | $24.99 | $24.99 | $25.54 | $26.74 | $29.68 | |||
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre | $3.36 | $0.05 | $20.74 | $20.79 | $21.31 | $22.00 | $24.10 | |||
Spellskite | $1.65 | $0.75 | $19.63 | $18.88 | $18.20 | $18.00 | $17.98 | |||
Fulminator Mage | $0.32 | $0.24 | $19.23 | $18.99 | $18.99 | $19.02 | $19.55 | |||
Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite | $2.96 | $0.25 | $17.46 | $17.71 | $18.76 | $19.47 | $20.42 | |||
Splinter Twin | $0.83 | $0.00 | $15.73 | $15.73 | $16.00 | $16.02 | $16.56 | |||
Iona, Shield of Emeria | $2.21 | $0.07 | $13.53 | $13.60 | $14.42 | $15.00 | $15.74 | |||
Leyline of Sanctity | $1.23 | $0.00 | $13.00 | $13.00 | $13.01 | $13.68 | $14.23 | |||
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker | $2.13 | $0.12 | $12.35 | $12.47 | $13.15 | $13.48 | $14.48 | |||
Primeval Titan | $0.56 | $0.01 | $12.32 | $12.31 | $12.34 | $12.48 | $12.88 | |||
Daybreak Coronet | $2.63 | $0.20 | $10.00 | $10.20 | $11.00 | $11.60 | $12.63 | |||
Wilt-Leaf Liege | $2.63 | $0.08 | $9.37 | $9.45 | $10.22 | $10.88 | $12.00 | |||
Tezzeret the Seeker | $1.21 | $0.07 | $7.74 | $7.81 | $8.01 | $8.30 | $8.95 | |||
Remand | $0.69 | $0.10 | $7.30 | $7.40 | $7.58 | $7.66 | $7.99 | |||
All Is Dust | $0.92 | $0.12 | $6.57 | $6.69 | $6.99 | $7.24 | $7.49 | |||
Blinkmoth Nexus | $0.99 | $0.08 | $6.51 | $6.59 | $6.97 | $7.12 | $7.50 | |||
Eye of Ugin | $0.84 | $0.03 | $3.45 | $3.48 | $3.60 | $3.86 | $4.29 | |||
Etched Champion | $0.08 | $0.02 | $3.42 | $3.40 | $3.43 | $3.48 | $3.50 | |||
Hurkyl's Recall | $0.53 | $0.02 | $3.27 | $3.25 | $3.46 | $3.51 | $3.80 | |||
Surgical Extraction | $0.48 | $0.02 | $3.13 | $3.11 | $3.21 | $3.35 | $3.61 | |||
Creakwood Liege | $0.84 | $0.05 | $2.60 | $2.65 | $2.79 | $2.95 | $3.44 | |||
Lightning Bolt | $0.01 | $0.04 | $2.23 | $2.19 | $2.21 | $2.20 | $2.24 | |||
Mirran Crusader | $0.21 | $0.00 | $2.05 | $2.05 | $2.10 | $2.09 | $2.26 | |||
Necroskitter | $0.72 | $0.08 | $2.01 | $2.09 | $2.34 | $2.48 | $2.73 |
Dragons of Tarkir
Name | Change | Change | Price | Price | Price | Price | Price |
Biggest Loss -$0.27
Set Summary The set is still finding it bottom. With Merfolk finding its stride now, it's only a matter of time until someone puts Collected Company in there. |
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6/8 - 6/22 | 6/19 - 6/22 | 6/22 | 6/19 | 6/15 | 6/12 | 6/8 | ||||
Deathmist Raptor | $0.93 | $0.10 | $23.05 | $22.95 | $23.90 | $23.76 | $23.98 | |||
Dragonlord Ojutai | $2.35 | $0.17 | $22.65 | $22.82 | $23.76 | $24.30 | $25.00 | |||
Collected Company | $1.29 | $0.65 | $13.70 | $13.05 | $12.75 | $12.49 | $12.41 | |||
Narset Transcendent | $3.57 | $0.27 | $11.61 | $11.88 | $12.97 | $13.56 | $15.18 | |||
Dragonlord Atarka | $0.97 | $0.13 | $11.54 | $11.67 | $11.99 | $11.99 | $12.51 | |||
Sarkhan Unbroken | $0.79 | $0.04 | $8.71 | $8.75 | $9.00 | $9.19 | $9.50 | |||
Dragonlord Silumgar | $1.70 | $0.17 | $8.32 | $8.49 | $9.02 | $9.41 | $10.02 | |||
Dragonlord Dromoka | $0.53 | $0.02 | $8.10 | $8.08 | $8.41 | $8.53 | $8.63 | |||
Kolaghan's Command | $2.05 | $0.22 | $7.99 | $7.77 | $7.00 | $6.57 | $5.94 | |||
Den Protecter | $1.00 | $0.17 | $7.50 | $7.67 | $7.99 | $8.07 | $8.50 | |||
Dromoka's Command | $0.76 | $0.07 | $7.01 | $7.08 | $7.31 | $7.49 | $7.77 | |||
Thunderbreak Regent | $0.84 | $0.21 | $6.26 | $6.47 | $6.76 | $6.90 | $7.10 | |||
Atarka's Command | $0.22 | $0.00 | $6.25 | $6.25 | $6.35 | $6.38 | $6.47 | |||
Haven of the Spirit Dragon | $0.13 | $0.00 | $4.49 | $4.49 | $4.57 | $4.59 | $4.62 | |||
Dragonlord Kolaghan | $0.33 | $0.05 | $4.39 | $4.44 | $4.50 | $4.50 | $4.72 | |||
Shaman of Forgotten Ways | $0.24 | $0.02 | $2.83 | $2.81 | $2.98 | $2.99 | $3.07 | |||
Dragon Whisperer | $1.07 | $0.07 | $2.71 | $2.78 | $3.00 | $3.29 | $3.78 | |||
Shorecrasher Elemental | $0.56 | $0.08 | $2.55 | $2.63 | $2.78 | $2.91 | $3.11 | |||
Ojutai Exemplars | $0.69 | $0.04 | $2.52 | $2.56 | $2.73 | $2.88 | $3.21 | |||
Zurgo Bellstriker | $0.32 | $0.00 | $2.50 | $2.50 | $2.59 | $2.62 | $2.82 | |||
Secure the Wastes | $0.12 | $0.00 | $2.43 | $2.43 | $2.48 | $2.49 | $2.55 | |||
Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit | $0.13 | $0.01 | $2.19 | $2.18 | $2.10 | $2.05 | $2.06 | |||
Risen Executioner | $0.25 | $0.05 | $2.19 | $2.24 | $2.31 | $2.34 | $2.44 | |||
Descent of the Dragons | $0.43 | $0.07 | $2.03 | $2.10 | $2.23 | $2.25 | $2.46 | |||
Icefall Regent | $0.56 | $0.04 | $2.00 | $2.04 | $2.24 | $2.34 | $2.56 |
Fate Reforged
Name | Change | Change | Price | Price | Price | Price | Price |
Biggest Loss -$0.07
Set Summary Fate is showing signs of gaining value. There was a tie for biggest loss in Ugin and Whisperwood, the latter of which needs only find a home before it's poised to jump. |
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6/8 - 6/22 | 6/19 - 6/22 | 6/22 | 6/19 | 6/15 | 6/12 | 6/8 | ||||
Ugin, the Spirit Dragon | $1.08 | $0.07 | $27.92 | $27.99 | $28.45 | $28.49 | $29.00 | |||
Monastery Mentor | $0.39 | $0.01 | $14.37 | $14.38 | $14.50 | $14.70 | $14.76 | |||
Soulfire Grand Master | $0.49 | $0.01 | $9.00 | $8.99 | $9.10 | $9.18 | $9.49 | |||
Whisperwood Elemental | $1.03 | $0.07 | $7.92 | $7.99 | $8.36 | $8.49 | $8.95 | |||
Tasigur, the Golden Fang | $0.91 | $0.31 | $6.99 | $6.68 | $6.47 | $6.25 | $6.08 | |||
Warden of the First Tree | $0.16 | $0.00 | $3.99 | $3.99 | $4.00 | $4.08 | $4.15 | |||
Brutal Hordechief | $0.30 | $0.01 | $3.18 | $3.19 | $3.24 | $3.29 | $3.48 | |||
Crux of Fate | $0.21 | $0.00 | $2.77 | $2.77 | $2.89 | $2.90 | $2.98 | |||
Shaman of the Great Hunt | $0.36 | $0.02 | $2.39 | $2.41 | $2.49 | $2.56 | $2.75 | |||
Valorous Stance | $0.11 | $0.00 | $2.14 | $2.14 | $2.20 | $2.20 | $2.25 |
Khans of Tarkir
Name | Change | Change | Price | Price | Price | Price | Price |
Biggest Loss -$0.13
Set Summary Khans is starting to rise back in value. Only time will tell what other than the fetches will rise. |
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6/8 - 6/22 | 6/19 - 6/22 | 6/22 | 6/19 | 6/15 | 6/12 | 6/8 | ||||
Polluted Delta | $1.81 | $0.34 | $17.07 | $16.73 | $16.36 | $15.80 | $15.26 | |||
Flooded Strand | $0.66 | $0.01 | $14.99 | $14.98 | $14.65 | $14.43 | $14.33 | |||
Windswept Heath | $1.08 | $0.31 | $13.31 | $13.00 | $12.55 | $12.35 | $12.23 | |||
Wooded Foothills | $1.32 | $0.35 | $13.30 | $12.95 | $12.50 | $12.21 | $11.98 | |||
Bloodstained Mire | $0.47 | $0.23 | $10.42 | $10.19 | $9.99 | $9.97 | $9.95 | |||
Sorin, Solemn Visitor | $0.38 | $0.13 | $8.61 | $8.74 | $8.94 | $8.95 | $8.99 | |||
Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker | $0.67 | $0.09 | $5.63 | $5.72 | $5.99 | $6.05 | $6.30 | |||
Dig Through Time | $0.05 | $0.02 | $5.60 | $5.58 | $5.55 | $5.56 | $5.65 | |||
Siege Rhino | $0.12 | $0.02 | $4.51 | $4.53 | $4.57 | $4.58 | $4.63 | |||
Anafenza, the Foremost | $0.11 | $0.01 | $4.04 | $4.05 | $4.15 | $4.16 | $4.15 | |||
Wingmate Roc | $0.24 | $0.00 | $3.08 | $3.08 | $3.17 | $3.22 | $3.32 | |||
See the Unwritten | $0.18 | $0.02 | $3.05 | $3.03 | $3.13 | $3.14 | $3.23 | |||
Clever Impersonator | $0.07 | $0.00 | $2.50 | $2.50 | $2.50 | $2.50 | $2.57 | |||
Monastery Swiftspear | $0.04 | $0.01 | $2.34 | $2.35 | $2.38 | $2.36 | $2.38 | |||
Sidisi, Brood Tyrant | $0.23 | $0.01 | $2.17 | $2.18 | $2.24 | $2.28 | $2.40 |
Magic 2015
Name | Change | Change | Price | Price | Price | Price | Price |
Biggest Loss -$0.42
Set Summary Goblin Rabblemaster fell from third to fourth most valuable card in Magic 2015. |
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6/8 - 6/22 | 6/19 - 6/22 | 6/22 | 6/19 | 6/15 | 6/12 | 6/8 | ||||
Nissa, Worldwaker | $1.67 | $0.42 | $15.32 | $15.74 | $16.25 | $16.44 | $16.99 | |||
Garruk, Apex Predator | $1.95 | $0.18 | $10.95 | $11.13 | $11.70 | $12.00 | $12.90 | |||
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth | $0.19 | $0.06 | $9.09 | $9.03 | $9.25 | $9.28 | $9.28 | |||
Goblin Rabblemaster | $2.28 | $0.18 | $8.95 | $9.13 | $9.91 | $10.39 | $11.23 | |||
Liliana Vess | $0.34 | $0.01 | $7.95 | $7.94 | $8.06 | $8.08 | $8.29 | |||
Ajani Steadfast | $0.21 | $0.03 | $7.29 | $7.32 | $7.40 | $7.46 | $7.50 | |||
Sliver Hivelord | $0.14 | $0.03 | $7.26 | $7.23 | $7.19 | $7.15 | $7.12 | |||
Chord of Calling | $2.60 | $0.54 | $7.10 | $6.56 | $4.97 | $4.72 | $4.50 | |||
Perilous Vault | $0.83 | $0.14 | $5.64 | $5.78 | $5.98 | $6.03 | $6.47 | |||
Chandra, Pyromaster | $0.17 | $0.02 | $4.25 | $4.27 | $4.34 | $4.37 | $4.42 | |||
Llanowar Wastes | $0.50 | $0.04 | $3.99 | $4.03 | $4.25 | $4.30 | $4.49 | |||
Hornet Nest | $0.07 | $0.05 | $3.91 | $3.96 | $4.00 | $3.99 | $3.98 | |||
Waste Not | $0.23 | $0.07 | $3.52 | $3.59 | $3.69 | $3.71 | $3.75 | |||
Shivan Reef | $0.83 | $0.08 | $3.50 | $3.58 | $3.82 | $3.97 | $4.33 | |||
Battlefield Forge | $1.15 | $0.14 | $3.42 | $3.56 | $3.89 | $4.09 | $4.57 | |||
Stoke the Flames | $0.51 | $0.12 | $3.37 | $3.49 | $3.60 | $3.75 | $3.88 | |||
Sliver Hive | $0.09 | $0.03 | $3.07 | $3.04 | $3.09 | $3.08 | $3.16 | |||
Yavimaya Coast | $0.33 | $0.06 | $2.99 | $3.05 | $3.19 | $3.23 | $3.32 | |||
Jace, the Living Guildpact | $0.17 | $0.02 | $2.82 | $2.84 | $2.91 | $2.96 | $2.99 | |||
Obelisk of Urd | $0.20 | $0.05 | $2.57 | $2.62 | $2.69 | $2.73 | $2.77 | |||
Soul of New Phyrexia | $0.03 | $0.02 |
$2.27 | $2.29 | $2.27 | $2.27 | $2.30 |
Journey into Nyx
Name | Change | Change | Price | Price | Price | Price | Price |
Biggest Loss -$0.23
Set Summary It's curious as to whether Relic Hunter had anything to do with Godsend seeing a small increase. Who knows for now. Well, it is time to party hard because Eidolon of the Great Revel is now the second most expensive card in Journey into Nyx and may be the most expensive card within a month. |
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6/8 - 6/22 | 6/19 - 6/22 | 6/22 | 6/19 | 6/15 | 6/12 | 6/8 | ||||
Ajani, Mentor of Heroes | $0.96 | $0.23 | $12.99 | $13.22 | $13.50 | $13.72 | $13.95 | |||
Eidolon of the Great Revel | $0.92 | $0.38 | $10.83 | $10.45 | $10.40 | $10.06 | $9.91 | |||
Mana Confluence | $0.50 | $0.23 | $10.49 | $10.72 | $10.75 | $10.80 | $10.99 | |||
Athreos, God of Passage | $0.31 | $0.08 | $9.67 | $9.75 | $9.98 | $9.98 | $9.98 | |||
Keranos, God of Storms | $0.21 | $0.01 | $8.99 | $8.98 | $8.87 | $8.69 | $8.78 | |||
Temple of Malady | $1.22 | $0.16 | $5.50 | $5.66 | $5.98 | $6.29 | $6.72 | |||
Iroas, God of Victory | $0.07 | $0.00 | $4.44 | $4.44 | $4.48 | $4.49 | $4.51 | |||
Godsend | $0.09 | $0.01 | $4.40 | $4.39 | $4.49 | $4.49 | $4.49 | |||
Temple of Epiphany | $0.74 | $0.06 | $3.50 | $3.56 | $3.79 | $3.99 | $4.24 | |||
Kruphix, God of Horizons | $0.08 | $0.00 | $3.49 | $3.49 | $3.47 | $3.47 | $3.41 | |||
Pharika, God of Affliction | $0.31 | $0.08 | $3.28 | $3.36 | $3.44 | $3.48 | $3.59 |
Born of the Gods
Name | Change | Change | Price | Price | Price | Price | Price |
Biggest Gain Biggest Loss -$0.22
Set Summary The set stayed the same or loss value. Even the Kraken token is down. |
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6/8 - 6/22 | 6/19 - 6/22 | 6/22 | 6/19 | 6/15 | 6/12 | 6/8 | ||||
Brimaz, King of Oreskos | $1.68 | $0.22 | $12.75 | $12.97 | $13.37 | $13.59 | $14.43 | |||
Temple of Enlightenment | $0.92 | $0.15 | $6.25 | $6.40 | $6.65 | $6.90 | $7.17 | |||
Courser of Kruphix | $0.85 | $0.13 | $6.06 | $6.19 | $6.48 | $6.61 | $6.91 | |||
Xenagos, God of Revels | $0.06 | $0.00 | $4.49 | $4.49 | $4.50 | $4.47 | $4.55 | |||
Mogis, God of Slaughter | $0.06 | $0.02 | $4.45 | $4.47 | $4.51 | $4.49 | $4.51 | |||
Kiora, the Crashing Wave | $0.47 | $0.00 | $4.32 | $4.32 | $4.44 | $4.57 | $4.79 | |||
Phenax, God of Deception | $0.01 | $0.02 | $3.79 | $3.81 | $3.83 | $3.83 | $3.80 | |||
Temple of Plenty | $0.33 | $0.05 | $3.00 | $3.05 | $3.18 | $3.23 | $3.33 | |||
Kraken Token | $0.07 | $0.00 | $2.28 | $2.28 | $2.30 | $2.34 | $2.35 | |||
Chromanticore | $0.40 | $0.06 | $2.18 | $2.24 | $2.33 | $2.44 | $2.58 | |||
Hero of Iroas | $0.38 | $0.08 | $2.00 | $2.08 | $2.14 | $2.23 | $2.38 |
Theros
Name | Change | Change | Price | Price | Price | Price | Price |
Biggest Loss -$0.45
Set Summary Theros continues it nose dive into rotation price drop. Even cross-format all-star Thoughtseize has fallen. The spike in Master of Waves is presumably from GP Copenhagen, as Shorecrasher Elemental is turning out to be quite lukewarm in Standard. |
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6/19 - 6/22 | 6/8 - 6/22 | 6/22 | 6/19 | 6/15 | 6/12 | 6/8 | ||||
Thoughtseize | $0.50 | $0.13 | $23.29 | $23.42 | $23.39 | $22.99 | $22.79 | |||
Stormbreath Dragon | $2.74 | $0.45 | $9.26 | $9.71 | $10.75 | $11.28 | $12.00 | |||
Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver | $0.96 | $0.32 | $8.03 | $8.35 | $8.54 | $8.63 | $8.99 | |||
Elspeth, Sun's Champion | $0.52 | $0.04 | $6.97 | $7.01 | $7.20 | $7.23 | $7.49 | |||
Thassa, God of the Sea | $0.58 | $0.15 | $6.41 | $6.56 | $6.72 | $6.77 | $6.99 | |||
Purphoros, God of the Forge | $0.22 | $0.00 | $6.40 | $6.40 | $6.48 | $6.46 | $6.62 | |||
Xenagos, the Reveler | $0.19 | $0.04 | $6.04 | $6.08 | $6.17 | $6.17 | $6.23 | |||
Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx | $0.46 | $0.04 | $5.19 | $5.23 | $5.38 | $5.40 | $5.65 | |||
Hero's Downfall | $0.83 | $0.10 | $4.87 | $4.97 | $5.21 | $5.36 | $5.70 | |||
Sylvan Caryatid | $0.68 | $0.13 | $4.31 | $4.44 | $4.62 | $4.74 | $4.99 | |||
Master of Waves | $0.27 | $0.03 | $4.25 | $4.22 | $4.40 | $4.45 | $4.52 | |||
Erebos, God of the Dead | $0.18 | $0.01 | $3.99 | $4.00 | $4.06 | $4.08 | $4.17 | |||
Nylea, God of the Hunt | $0.10 | $0.01 | $3.71 | $3.70 | $3.75 | $3.74 | $3.81 | |||
Fleecemane Lion | $0.4 | $0.11 | $3.29 | $3.40 | $3.51 | $3.58 | $3.73 | |||
Temple of Silence | $0.32 | $0.04 | $2.66 | $2.70 | $2.77 | $2.81 | $2.98 | |||
Temple of Deceit | $0.34 | $0.05 | $2.50 | $2.55 | $2.65 | $2.63 | $2.84 | |||
Polukranos, World Eater | $0.47 | $0.05 | $2.38 | $2.43 | $2.56 | $2.69 | $2.85 | |||
Heliod, God of the Sun | $0.01 | $0.02 | $2.29 | $2.27 | $2.25 | $2.28 | $2.28 |
Overall Summary
Khans of Tarkir block is starting to rise and the sets that are set to rotate in a few months are dropping outside of the Modern-playable cards. The only thing that is concerning is how little Modern Masters 2015 seems to affected card prices. Modern season is in full swing, so prices may come down afterwards, but price memory is a powerful force so this isn't a guaranteed outcome.
When reprints happen, the price on those reprinted cards falls. However, this doesn't mean that the player will spend less than X, it just means that the player will happily buy at the new lower prices on the reprints and spend the "leftover" money on other items - non-reprinted staple cards. Combine this with the fact the quantity of the format staples that weren't reprinted hasn't changed, and you've got a price-rising stew going.
Basically, the total amount of money being spent on cards doesn't decrease with reprints, even if the reprints drive individual prices down. The reprints cause the stuff that wasn't reprinted to rise in price to compensate for the vacuum left by the reprints.
The only way for Wizards to actually lower the overall buy-in price for Modern is to literally reprint all of the things to increase the supply in tandem with the size of the player base to maintain some sort of equilibrium. Otherwise, the demand-driven prices will always rise in whatever wasn't reprinted to compensate for the prices lowering on the reprinted cards.
Periodic reprints to shift market prices around as well as maintain/increase interest in these formats. It's a much better and sustainable business strategy than universal affordability.
I noted the prices of original printings of cards on the date the full MM15 spoiler was released (5/8). I then noted the price of MM15 versions on their release (5/22). Finally, I'm noting the value today, 6/24. I realize that I'm using TCGP LOW as opposed to mid for the below numbers, but as long as I am using low for all data points, the notion MM15 lowered prices is completely valid.
Kozilek (original) on 5/8: $37
Kozilek (MM15) on 5/22: $30
Kozilek (MM15) on 6/24: $20
Ulamog (original, 5/8): $32
Ulamog (MM15, 5/22): $22
Ulamog (MM15, 6/24): $15
Karn (original, 5/8): $38
Karn (MM15, 5/22): $29
Karn (MM15, 6/24): $33
Mox Opal (original, 5/8): $38
Mox Opal (MM15, 5/22): $31
Mox Opal (MM15, 6/24): $34
All is dust (original, 5/8): $20
All is dust (MM15, 5/22): $8
All is dust (MM15, 6/24): $5.50
Elesh Norn (original, 5/8): $25
Elesh Norn (MM15, 5/22): $17
Elesh Norn (MM15, 6/24): $14.50
Iona (original, 5/8): $25
Iona (MM15, 5/22): $16
Iona (MM15, 6/24): $11
Leyline (original, 5/8): $21
Leyline (MM15, 5/22): $15
Leyline (MM15, 6/24): $11
Cryptic (original, 5/8): $48
Cryptic (MM 5/8): $37
Cryptic (MM15, 5/22): $33
Cryptic (MM15, 6/24): $30
Clique (original, 5/8): $57
Clique (MM 5/8): $55
Clique (MM15, 5/22): $41
Clique (MM15, 6/24): $44
Bitterblossom (original, 5/8): $39
Bitterblossom (MM15, 5/22): $28
Bitterblossom (MM15, 6/24): $25
Bob (original, 5/8): $46
Bob (MM 5/8): $50
Bob (MM15, 5/22): $38
Bob (MM15, 6/24): $41
Kiki (original, 5/8): $19
Kiki (MM 5/8): $20
Kiki (MM15, 5/22): $15
Kiki (MM15, 6/24): $9.50
Splinter Twin (original, 5/8): $20
Splinter Twin (MM15, 5/22): $14
Splinter Twin (MM15, 6/24): $13.50
Noble Hierarch (original, 5/8): $45
Noble Hierarch (MM15, 5/22): $33
Noble Hierarch (MM15, 6/24): $33
Goyf (original, 5/8): $185
Goyf (MM 5/8): $165
Goyf (MM15, 5/22): $140
Goyf (MM15, 6/24): $146
Fulminator (original, 5/8): $27
Fulminator (MM15, 5/22): $18
Fulminator (MM15, 6/24): $17
Spellskite (original, 5/8): $18
Spellskite (MM15, 5/22): $15
Spellskite (MM15, 6/24): $19
As you can see, just from the examples above, prices are down with the exception of Spellskite. All are down at least 11%, while many are down 30, 40, even 50%.
I disregard Low as an indication of the value of the card. Low is how cheap you can get the card and almost always factors condition into the numbers, which artificially lowers the price further. I have never taken Low as anything other than what people will try to sell their cards for a competitive edge, which is fine for selling, but not for determining value.
Edit: I am aware of the Bitterblossom / Cryptic Command line. I thought I deleted those, but that is my fault. It is Cryptic Command then Bitterblossom.
I disregard Low as an indication of the value of the card. Low is how cheap you can get the card and almost always factors condition into the numbers, which artificially lowers the price further. I have never taken Low as anything other than what people will try to sell their cards for a competitive edge, which is fine for selling, but not for determining value.
I didn't even care for the set, but there's no denying that the reprinting of these 265 cards lowered the price of these 265 cards (Spellskite excluded). If you want 265 cards to be responsible for lowering the price of 5,000 other cards your expectations were too high.
I expected the set to lower the barrier to entry on the certain decks that were targeted in this set. But it did not at all. This was not the fault of the set, as the popularity drove demand for the cards, but it did fail to lower the prices. That is a failure. Modern Masters 2015 did not lower the price of cards not in the set, nor should it have. As Teia said, other cards went up significantly, which did not lower the entry point as Card X went down by 40%, but Card Y went up by 33% and Card Z went up by 50%. It was at best a wash. Take Tron for example. Karn liberated went down. However Wurmcoil, the Tron Lands, Chromatic Star/Sphere, Sylvan Scrying, and Grove of the Burnwillows all went up significantly. So you save five dollars (your numbers) on the Karn, but the other cards have all spiked. Couple with the point that even by your numbers a lot of the cards that see heavy play are going up now, and should eclipse their initial price on set release. Simple supply and demand working there, supply is not increasing by the demand, so the price is going up.
Your use of Low is fine for you. I do not like to use it because of how they are completely dependent on what an individual seller is willing to sell for. That is not the best way to determine the value of a card. I have stated this more times to you than I care to remember. To take an average of low, which is why I use Medium, I have to play with a lot of extra settings, throw out outliers, and anything that is not near mint. If you want to use those number, than that is fine. I welcome you to post your data alongside mine. More sources of data, especially differing data, can only help the userbase.
If Kozilek went from $30 low to $20 Low, are you not seeing the same percentages in Medium, except with a higher starting and ending number? I see ON TCGP, that on 5/22 his Medium was $45.92. Now his Medium is $25. THEREFORE his medium dropped from 4$6 to $25, while his low from $30 to $20.
Goyf's (MM) Medium on 5/22 was $187, in your chart it's now $159. Low went from $165 to $146.
Both Low and Medium are dropping, we're just starting from and ending on different points.
And please explain why this set was supposed to reduce the cost of Modern staples across the board because for the life of me I'm not seeing why that was EVER the expectation for this set. That Wurmcoil went up, or Grove went up, is irrelevant. The set was designed to put more of THESE 235 cards on the market, and to reduce to cost of THESE 235 cards. You said "To be blunt, Wizards failed to lower the price of entry for Modern with this set". When did Wizards say these cards would have a bearing on other cards?
Please tell where I said prices now on every card is now higher. I said Where does that say or imply I said the cards are worth more than they were released. I have said this three times now.
Please tell me where I said that Modern Masters 2015 would lower the price of other cards. Lower the cost to Modern is not the same as lower the cost of other cards not in Modern Masters.
Where has Tarmogoyf has ever been over 163 on my Tally Threads. The highest it has ever been was 162.99 on May 15, when I first started doing the Tallies for Modern Master 2015. This makes me believe you are making up numbers. Same with Kozilek. I cannot find any record of the prices for my table that you are quoting in my records. I am looking at my archive, and it does not have those prices.
It did lower the price of cards, but the cards that see competitive play are no longer dropping and in a lot of the cases, are going up. Give a few weeks, and the cards could reach what they had cost prior to the reprint.
I never said that you said that.
"Please tell me where I said that Modern Masters 2015 would lower the price of other cards. Lower the cost to Modern is not the same as lower the cost of other cards not in Modern Masters."
You said "To be blunt, Wizards failed to lower the price of entry for Modern with this set", to which I asked, and you've yet to answer "Who ever said that was the intent of this set? The intent was to lower prices (and make more available) THESE CARDS."
"Where has Tarmogoyf has ever been over 163 on my Tally Threads. The highest it has ever been was 162.99 on May 15, when I first started doing the Tallies for Modern Master 2015. This makes me believe you are making up numbers. Same with Kozilek. I cannot find any record of the prices for my table that you are quoting in my records. I am looking at my archive, and it does not have those prices."
OMG, can't you read? Did I not say Goyf's MM (the FIRST MM) Medium on 5/22 was $187. This number is available using the sliding line price graph on TCG player. The numbers aren't made up, so why don't you apologize for that statement. Let's see if you will, but I'd bet you won't. The WHOLE point of me quoting that price was your saying you prefer to use medium values, whereas I prefer to use low, but regardless of whether you use Medium or Low, the prices on the cards in MM15 have dropped. I asked if Medium was not seeing the same drop as low, because I honestly didn't know the answer to that. Since you also failed to answer that, I looked up the medium prices of two cards. They're there, you can look them up too.
I think I see what the problem here is: Are you comparing the prices of MM15 a few weeks ago, to the prices of MM15 now? And you're seeing little change, and in some instances a slight uptick? If so, you're completely judging the impact MM15 had on the barrier to Modern entry as it pertains to only these versions of these cards.
To see the impact MM15 has, you need to compare the price of either original or previous versions of these cards to what an MM15 version goes for. That is the impact MM15 has had: Take the price of the original/previous version of a card before MM15 came out, then look at the price the MM15 version is now. You're saying "on 6/8 a MM15 goyf was $161, now its $159, essentially no change. A Clique was $50.37 then, $50.04 now, essentially no change". But that's simply tracking the value of MM15. BEFORE MM15 came out, your cheapest Goyf option was MM, with a $187 mid/$160 low. Now it's $159 mid/$145 low. Therefore THE BARRIER FOR ENTRY OF A GOYF is down $28 using mid, or $15 low.
The barrier for entry of THESE cards, which is the ONLY thing MM15 can control is down, when compared to earlier version of THESE cards before MM15 came out. MM15 cannot act as a panacea in reducing the cost of all Modern cards across the board, but you said "To be blunt, Wizards failed to lower the price of entry for Modern with this set.". NO 235 card set, even if it were the best set released in the history of Magic, can do what you seeminly expected, which is lower the cost across the board of entry into a large format. Rather than judge the set for what it didn't do, why not judge it for what it did do, namely reduce the price of 68 MR's and R's 10-50%.
I believe the point(s) Rai is trying to make is this:
1) Modern Masters has failed to, on the whole, make Modern a more accessible format, because, while there have been losses on the cards that were printed in it, cards have similarly spiked significantly, making most decks equivalent in price. If we look at UR Twin, the losses on Splinter Twin, Remand, and Cryptic Command have been more than made up for with the spikes of Blood Moon, Serum Visions, and Snapcaster Mage. If we look at Jund, the losses on Tarmogoyf and Dark Confidant have been more than made up for with the spikes on Blood Moon, Liliana, and Inquisition. You can argue that this was never the intent of the set, but there's evidence that it was (see this link for MaRo arguing that MM1 was successful in making the format as a whole more accessible).
2) It would not have been difficult for Wizards to make Modern Masters 2 a set that would have done more to make Modern accessible. Reprints on highly-played, multi-dollar commons and uncommons like Path to Exile, Serum Visions, Inquistion of Kozilek, Gitaxian Probe, Spell Snare, Kitchen Finks, Lightning Helix, Aven Mindcensor, and others would have done a great bit on its own. Modern Masters 1 did a much better job of this (even hitting four of the cards on that list), while MM2 had Bolt, Remand, and Electrolyze and that's it.
3) Even while we have seen considerable dips in value on the high-value cards in the set, that trend is already starting to reverse. Most cards are up (or only pennies down) from last week, and many cards have already caught back up to where they were two weeks ago. This indicates a slowing of the drop and even the beginnings of a reversal, meaning in another few months, it's likely that many of these cards will be at or above the prices they were before they were even announced to be in MM2. I would be entirely unsurprised to see $200 TCGMid Goyfs again by the end of this year, and I think $250 TCGMid Goyfs by this time next year is a real possibility, barring an announcement that Modern Masters will now be a yearly series.
I agree with your point 1. And I agree with Rai when he said it. My point was, "when was it stated MM15 would reduce the point of entry into the format". No 235 cards are going to do that, because any card that's not IN the set is subject to a rise, often as the result of the fall of one of the 235. If Maro says MM1 did that, does anyone believe him? Any one of us with a handle on the marketplace know that 235 cards going down in price won't affect the barrier to entry or cost of cards as a whole, only the 235.
I also agree with your point 2, there were a dozen of good C's and UC's left out, but even if they were included, the cost of entry to the format wouldn't have changed, just those cards.
As for point 3, whether or not MM15 cards are leveling off or starting to rise is moot. The only thing that matters is NOT what MM15 cost 2-3 weeks ago vs. what it costs now. The only thing that matters is what MM15 costs now, VS what the version of the card cost before MM15 came into being. Please refer to my first post, and you can see the cost of cards on the day of MM15's spoiler release, to what they cost a day ago. UNTIL MM15 prices today cost what an earlier incarnation of the same card cost before MM15 existed, MM15 has reduced the price of these cards. Some are only 11% cheaper. Some are 50% cheaper. Only Spellskite costs the same/more now than it did before MM15 came out (Primeval Titan is also basically the same price in it's MM15 version as it was earlier).
Rai says MM15 failed to reduce the barrier to entry of Modern, and I agree, but what I counter with was "was it expected to, beyond these 235 cards"?
If MM15 was
1) Mirrodin through Innistrad instead of through Scars
2) Printed in at least as much quantity as it has been
3) More aggressive in reprinting necessary cards at all rarities
4) At the same $6.99 price point MM1 was (and honestly, this point doesn't really matter because stores would likely have marked it up anyways)
I think it could have made the format as a whole significantly more accessible. They could have put LotV as black's second mythic and left Bitterblossom down at rare, and thrown Geist in instead of Comet Storm. Snapcaster, Inkmoth, Glimmervoid, Aether Vial, Blood Moon, Goblin Guide, Cavern of Souls, Ravager, Engineered Explosives, Chalice of the Void, Pact of Negation, Summoner's Pact, Scapeshift, all make fine rare inclusions. Throw in a cycle of duals covering Colonnade, Tar Pit, Grove, Horizon Canopy, and Blackcleave.
Sure, some stuff will raise in price to absorb the falling prices, but where's it going to go? Fetches that will likely be reprinted in Zendikar? The three Rav-block cards that see extensive enough play to be valuable? The few remaining duals that haven't had a reprint but don't really need it with shocks and fetches so abundant?
To be fair, as editor, I should've caught that too, and in my negligence, I didn't. This error has been corrected, and I apologize for the original oversight.