Welcome to the Magic Market Index. This article series documents the price changes of cards in print. This article will track how cards go from release to its time out of Standard, and as long as deemed necessary for non-Standard sets, as well as offer insight into what cards to invest in and what to ignore. The Magic market is a dangerous place, and this article is here to help guide players and speculators through the murky waters to greater returns.
This article will be updated once a week on Wednesdays. This will give time to let the market adapt to changes in the meta and the market, as well as being late enough in the week that it is not completely unreliable prior to going into the Magic: the Gathering weekend events.
Currently, this article series is tracking Khans of Tarkir Block (Khans of Tarkir, Fate Reforged, and Dragons of Tarkir), Magic Origins, and Battle for Zendikar Block (Battle for Zendikar, Zendikar Expeditions). There are no current plans to track any promo sets or other non-set releases. If it can be opened in a pack, it will be covered.
A few things about the market before getting to the values and analysis. Sets in Standard follow a standard pattern in terms of value, in that they start out high during the prerelease and the first week or two of its release. Some cards spike during the first Star City Games Open Series, the first tournament that is Standard-legal and showcases several pros' work at breaking the set. Then comes the Pro Tour if it is Standard, which shows the results of the many of the best players in Magic deciding on the best. Both of these tournaments will rise certain cards, and the rest of the set will lower due to three factors. Magic: the Gathering Online set redemptions, Limited play, and product being opened for non-limited play. The market gets flooded and prices go down. This continues until a few weeks after the next set starts this cycle, and then the previous set starts rising in value and continue until the a few weeks before the set starts to rotate when only cards that see play in non-rotating formats will drop in value. This means the best time to invest is after the Pro Tour, but before the next set comes out. The worst times are at the beginning and end of its time in Standard and when the set stops being played in Limited.
Another aspect is always invest in dual lands as soon as possible. Having a good manabase will always serve a player better than having the "best" card in the set. Invest in dual lands, then desired cards, and then speculation. Also, when speculating, realize that demand is more important than profit margin. Having 200 copies of a card that spikes is not immediate value, as one has to unload that value. Stores will only buy so many of a card that spikes. Lastly, if a card spikes, that is not a sign that one should immediately buy in. Sometimes the card is a flash in the pan and crashes in value. Look at a card and determine if the card has both potential to be playable and rise.
With that, it is time to discuss the price changes and what to look at.
Battle for Zendikar
| Name |
Change for 11/04 to 12/02 |
Change for 11/25 to 12/02 |
Price for 12/02 |
Price for 11/25 |
Price for 11/18 |
Price for 11/11 |
Price for 11/04 |
Set Summary
This set is a market failure. The Expeditions ruined any chance of value out of this set, which was weak compared to Khans block. If this is the beginning of a new era of Magic sets, this is not boding well. Opening this set feels too much like the GX and 5Ds era of Yu-Gi-Oh!, where opening the money secret rare was one per every one and half boxes, and there were on average ten of those, and only two or less of those worth more than a box. It is a dangerous path to go down... a ruinous path, one could say. |
|||
| Gideon, Ally of Zendikar | $8.80 | $2.03 | $28.42 | $30.45 | $33.52 | $35.76 | $37.22 | ||||
| Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger | $0.65 | $0.01 | $14.57 | $14.56 | $14.50 | $14.24 | $13.92 | ||||
| Drana, Liberator of Malakir | $4.12 | $0.62 | $7.94 | $8.56 | $9.94 | $10.58 | $12.06 | ||||
| Ob Nixilis Reignited | $2.52 | $0.54 | $7.38 | $7.92 | $8.49 | $9.00 | $9.90 | ||||
| Sunken Hollow | $1.74 | $0.24 | $5.26 | $5.50 | $5.75 | $6.27 | $7.00 | ||||
| Dragonmaster Outcast | $1.33 | $0.32 | $5.09 | $5.41 | $5.95 | $6.05 | $6.42 | ||||
| Kiora, Master of the Depths | $1.80 | $0.36 | $5.03 | $5.39 | $5.85 | $6.16 | $6.83 | ||||
| Oblivion Sower | $1.01 | $0.24 | $4.98 | $5.22 | $5.49 | $5.77 | $5.99 | ||||
| Prairie Stream | $1.34 | $0.18 | $4.82 | $5.00 | $5.42 | $5.75 | $6.16 | ||||
| Canopy Vista | $1.14 | $0.20 | $4.75 | $4.95 | $5.12 | $5.43 | $5.89 | ||||
| Cinder Glade | $1.12 | $0.18 | $4.67 | $4.85 | $5.01 | $5.33 | $5.79 | ||||
| Undergrowth Champion | $2.27 | $0.37 | $4.67 | $5.04 | $5.59 | $6.12 | $6.94 | ||||
| Shambling Vent | $1.05 | $0.22 | $4.65 | $4.87 | $5.00 | $5.33 | $5.70 | ||||
| Smoldering Marsh | $0.83 | $0.12 | $3.67 | $3.79 | $4.04 | $4.32 | $4.50 | ||||
| Void Winnower | $0.33 | $0.03 | $2.46 | $2.49 | $2.56 | $2.59 | $2.79 | ||||
| Omnath, Locus of Rage | $0.54 | $0.14 | $2.29 | $2.43 | $2.55 | $2.73 | $2.83 | ||||
| Quarantine Field | $0.42 | $0.15 | $2.16 | $2.31 | $2.41 | $2.50 | $2.58 |
Zendikar Expeditions
| Name |
Change for 11/04 to 12/02 |
Change for 11/25 to 12/02 |
Price for 12/02 |
Price for 11/25 |
Price for 11/18 | Price for 11/11 | Price for 11/04 |
Set Summary
Well, that is surprising how much and how quickly Scalding Tarn shot up. Almost ninety dollars. Nearly every shop selling it was selling it for around that price. Couple with the rest of the Expeditions growing in value, it may some time worth it to crack a box to open an Expedition. It's the only value a Battle for Zendikar box has at this point. |
|||
| Scalding Tarn | $109.89 | $89.74 | $338.48 | $248.74 | $254.37 | $240.00 | $228.59 | ||||
| Polluted Delta | $37.42 | $22.77 | $247.77 | $225.00 | $221.61 | $219.36 | $210.35 | ||||
| Misty Rainforest | $10.40 | $16.70 | $224.64 | $207.94 | $219.48 | $219.94 | $214.24 | ||||
| Flooded Strand | $8.65 | $5.14 | $192.61 | $187.47 | $183.83 | $183.83 | $183.96 | ||||
| Verdant Catacombs | $6.07 | $7.29 | $159.95 | $152.66 | $164.36 | $162.46 | $153.88 | ||||
| Bloodstained Mire | $3.55 | $1.46 | $114.15 | $112.69 | $114.42 | $115.00 | $110.60 | ||||
| Windswept Heath | $8.43 | $7.18 | $107.17 | $99.99 | $99.99 | $100.20 | $98.74 | ||||
| Arid Mesa | $0.68 | $0.02 | $104.97 | $104.95 | $104.97 | $108.61 | $105.65 | ||||
| Wooded Foothills | $9.77 | $0.07 | $104.44 | $104.37 | $99.71 | $97.72 | $94.67 | ||||
| Steam Vents | $2.26 | $3.30 | $102.23 | $98.93 | $99.90 | $99.51 | $99.97 | ||||
| Marsh Flats | $2.30 | $1.86 | $99.99 | $98.13 | $98.27 | $95.80 | $97.69 | ||||
| Hallowed Fountain | $1.32 | $1.55 | $76.55 | $75.00 | $75.53 | $76.27 | $77.87 | ||||
| Watery Grave | $0.99 | $3.32 | $74.00 | $70.68 | $71.54 | $73.98 | $74.99 | ||||
| Stomping Ground | $1.62 | $0.89 | $72.62 | $71.73 | $71.61 | $71.24 | $71.00 | ||||
| Overgrown Tomb | $2.54 | $2.54 | $72.50 | $69.96 | $72.17 | $72.00 | $69.96 | ||||
| Breeding Pool | $1.17 | $0.01 | $71.97 | $71.96 | $71.97 | $73.44 | $73.14 | ||||
| Godless Shrine | $2.18 | $0.80 | $70.04 | $69.24 | $69.99 | $69.95 | $67.86 | ||||
| Sacred Foundry | $2.05 | $2.79 | $67.75 | $64.96 | $64.80 | $63.75 | $65.70 | ||||
| Blood Crypt | $3.97 | $1.70 | $63.88 | $62.18 | $63.77 | $61.13 | $59.91 | ||||
| Temple Garden | $1.33 | $0.38 | $58.33 | $57.95 | $59.44 | $57.97 | $57.00 | ||||
| Sunken Hollow | $4.54 | $1.68 | $55.00 | $56.68 | $59.05 | $59.93 | $59.54 | ||||
| Prairie Stream | $4.93 | $1.04 | $53.96 | $55.00 | $58.06 | $58.40 | $58.89 | ||||
| Canopy Vista | $0.53 | $0.49 | $49.49 | $49.00 | $49.50 | $48.84 | $48.96 | ||||
| Smoldering Marsh | $0.02 | $0.01 | $44.97 | $44.96 | $45.48 | $44.95 | $44.95 | ||||
| Cinder Glade | $0.06 | $0.01 | $44.94 | $44.95 | $46.41 | $42.99 | $45.00 |
Magic Origins
| Name |
Change for 11/04 to 12/02 |
Change for 11/25 to 12/02 |
Price for 12/02 |
Price for 11/25 |
Price for 11/18 |
Price for 11/11 | Price for 11/04 |
Set Summary
The planeswalkers and a few mythics are still the only good thing to pull. It will be interesting where some of these cards go with the next two sets. There are sleepers in this set waiting to jump up. |
|||
| Jace, Vryn's Prodigy | $10.68 | $1.72 | $63.28 | $65.00 | $67.46 | $69.99 | $73.96 | ||||
| Nissa, Vastwood Seer | $3.43 | $0.76 | $22.51 | $23.27 | $24.45 | $24.96 | $25.94 | ||||
| Liliana, Heretical Healer | $4.97 | $1.39 | $20.00 | $21.39 | $22.82 | $23.98 | $24.97 | ||||
| Hangarback Walker | $1.09 | $0.56 | $13.22 | $13.78 | $14.07 | $14.05 | $14.31 | ||||
| Chandra, Fire of Kaladesh | $0.42 | $0.17 | $7.58 | $7.75 | $7.89 | $7.94 | $8.00 | ||||
| Abbot of Keral Keep | $0.85 | $0.25 | $6.63 | $6.88 | $7.07 | $7.29 | $7.48 | ||||
| Archangel of Tithes | $0.46 | $0.09 | $5.99 | $6.08 | $6.23 | $6.25 | $6.45 | ||||
| Kytheon, Hero of Akros | $0.82 | $0.13 | $5.12 | $5.25 | $5.55 | $5.81 | $5.94 | ||||
| Exquisite Firecraft | $1.44 | $0.44 | $3.55 | $3.99 | $4.34 | $4.59 | $4.99 | ||||
| Languish | $0.57 | $0.18 | $3.32 | $3.50 | $3.69 | $3.80 | $3.89 | ||||
| Managorger Hydra | $0.16 | $0.01 | $3.09 | $3.10 | $3.19 | $3.22 | $3.25 | ||||
| Alhammarret's Archive | $0.05 | $0.01 | $2.98 | $2.99 | $2.99 | $3.00 | $3.03 | ||||
| Day's Undoing | $0.54 | $0.17 | $2.56 | $2.73 | $2.86 | $2.95 | $3.10 | ||||
| Starfield of Nyx | $0.22 | $0.06 | $2.40 | $2.46 | $2.49 | $2.53 | $2.62 | ||||
| Goblin Piledriver | $0.60 | $0.14 | $2.23 | $2.37 | $2.50 | $2.63 | $2.83 | ||||
| Sword of the Animist | $0.53 | $0.22 | $2.23 | $2.45 | $2.59 | $2.69 | $2.76 | ||||
| Pyromancer's Goggles | $0.31 | $0.07 | $2.18 | $2.25 | $2.33 | $2.39 | $2.49 |
Dragons of Tarkir
| Name |
Change for 11/04 to 12/02 |
Change for 11/25 to 12/02 |
Price for 12/02 |
Price for 11/25 |
Price for 11/18 |
Price for 11/11 | Price for 11/04 |
Set Summary
This set held promise and is now a victim of its rapid increase and the Battle for Zendikar mistake. In the next month, start going after staples you need because they could go up. |
|||
| Dragonlord Ojutai | $7.69 | $2.24 | $18.51 | $20.75 | $22.75 | $24.80 | $26.20 | ||||
| Deathmist Raptor | $4.33 | $1.44 | $18.03 | $19.47 | $20.76 | $21.59 | $22.36 | ||||
| Atarka's Command | $1.85 | $0.45 | $13.50 | $13.95 | $14.38 | $14.94 | $15.35 | ||||
| Den Protector | $3.08 | $0.61 | $12.74 | $13.35 | $14.09 | $14.88 | $15.82 | ||||
| Kolaghan's Command | $0.28 | $0.03 | $12.22 | $12.25 | $12.45 | $12.53 | $12.50 | ||||
| Dragonlord Atarka | $0.53 | $0.45 | $10.00 | $10.45 | $10.71 | $10.72 | $9.47 | ||||
| Narset Transcendent | $1.80 | $0.04 | $8.99 | $9.03 | $9.33 | $9.44 | $10.79 | ||||
| Dragonlord Dromoka | $0.59 | $0.36 | $8.51 | $8.87 | $8.96 | $9.00 | $9.10 | ||||
| Collected Company | $0.01 | $0.01 | $7.99 | $8.00 | $8.00 | $8.08 | $8.00 | ||||
| Dromoka's Command | $1.07 | $0.30 | $6.65 | $6.95 | $7.15 | $7.47 | $7.72 | ||||
| Sarkhan Unbroken | $0.50 | $0.15 | $6.49 | $6.64 | $6.82 | $6.94 | $6.99 | ||||
| Shaman of Forgotten Ways | $2.28 | $0.65 | $5.70 | $6.35 | $7.09 | $7.58 | $7.98 | ||||
| Thunderbreak Regent | $1.11 | $0.22 | $5.02 | $5.24 | $5.67 | $5.95 | $6.13 | ||||
| Dragonlord Silumgar | $0.15 | $0.02 | $4.97 | $4.99 | $5.00 | $5.00 | $5.12 | ||||
| Secure the Wastes | $0.05 | $0.12 | $4.16 | $4.28 | $4.39 | $4.28 | $4.11 | ||||
| Zurgo Bellstriker | $0.71 | $0.22 | $3.78 | $4.00 | $4.34 | $4.47 | $4.49 | ||||
| Dragonlord Kolaghan | $0.18 | $0.04 | $3.59 | $3.63 | $3.72 | $3.71 | $3.77 | ||||
| Ojutai's Command | $1.08 | $0.46 | $3.41 | $3.87 | $4.20 | $4.38 | $4.49 | ||||
| Haven of the Spirit Dragon | $0.57 | $0.13 | $2.86 | $2.99 | $3.10 | $3.25 | $3.43 | ||||
| Dragon Whisperer | $0.43 | $0.13 | $2.57 | $2.70 | $2.93 | $2.99 | $3.00 | ||||
| Silkwrap | $0.10 | $0.02 | $2.15 | $2.17 | $2.25 | $2.35 | $2.25 |
Fate Reforged
| Name |
Change for 11/04 to 12/02 |
Change for 11/25 to 12/02 |
Price for 12/02 |
Price for 11/25 |
Price for 11/18 |
Price for 11/11 | Price for 11/04 |
Set Summary
Ugin is the best increase of non-Expedition cards. Monastery Mentor and Tasigur, the Golden Fang are strong cards for speculating, but look to buy in a few weeks or may be a month. Standard is going to bottom out some more. |
|||
| Ugin, the Spirit Dragon | $13.13 | $0.16 | $43.96 | $43.80 | $42.00 | $35.71 | $30.83 | ||||
| Monastery Mentor | $0.46 | $0.21 | $16.15 | $16.36 | $16.44 | $16.43 | $16.61 | ||||
| Soulfire Grand Master | $1.31 | $0.54 | $10.19 | $10.73 | $10.99 | $11.27 | $11.50 | ||||
| Tasigur, the Golden Fang | $0.24 | $0.09 | $3.75 | $3.84 | $3.88 | $3.99 | $3.99 | ||||
| Warden of the First Tree | $0.31 | $0.06 | $3.43 | $3.49 | $3.67 | $3.71 | $3.74 | ||||
| Brutal Hordechief | $0.08 | $0.07 | $2.42 | $2.49 | $2.50 | $2.50 | $2.50 | ||||
| Wild Slash | $0.50 | $0.13 | $2.25 | $2.38 | $2.53 | $2.58 | $2.75 |
Khans of Tarkir
| Name |
Change for 11/04 to 12/02 |
Change for 11/25 to 12/02 |
Price for 12/02 |
Price for 11/25 |
Price for 11/18 |
Price for 11/11 | Price for 11/04 |
Set Summary
At this point, Theros block was seeing several cards going up in value. Khans block is only seeing downticks. |
|||
| Polluted Delta | $2.69 | $0.91 | $23.23 | $24.14 | $24.69 | $25.30 | $25.92 | ||||
| Flooded Strand | $2.10 | $0.69 | $21.80 | $22.49 | $22.93 | $23.01 | $23.90 | ||||
| Wooded Foothills | $2.82 | $1.02 | $20.99 | $22.01 | $22.80 | $23.00 | $23.81 | ||||
| Bloodstained Mire | $1.37 | $0.25 | $20.00 | $20.25 | $21.00 | $21.17 | $21.37 | ||||
| Windswept Heath | $0.69 | $0.25 | $13.47 | $13.72 | $13.99 | $14.06 | $14.16 | ||||
| Sorin, Solemn Visitor | $0.93 | $0.40 | $8.99 | $9.39 | $9.53 | $9.93 | $9.92 | ||||
| Anafenza, the Foremost | $1.52 | $0.65 | $6.73 | $7.38 | $7.89 | $7.98 | $8.25 | ||||
| Wingmate Roc | $1.49 | $0.69 | $4.80 | $5.49 | $5.86 | $6.13 | $6.29 | ||||
| Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker | $0.99 | $0.40 | $4.25 | $4.65 | $4.95 | $5.12 | $5.24 | ||||
| Dig Through Time | $1.23 | $0.50 | $3.49 | $3.99 | $4.22 | $4.47 | $4.72 | ||||
| Siege Rhino | $0.71 | $0.25 | $3.00 | $3.25 | $3.44 | $3.58 | $3.71 | ||||
| Monastery Swiftspear | $0.54 | $0.08 | $2.92 | $3.00 | $3.19 | $3.33 | $3.46 | ||||
| See the Unwritten | $1.74 | $0.46 | $2.48 | $2.94 | $3.29 | $3.64 | $4.22 | ||||
| Bloodsoaked Champion | $0.71 | $0.11 | $2.41 | $2.52 | $2.79 | $2.95 | $3.12 | ||||
| Clever Impersonator | $0.16 | $0.04 | $2.29 | $2.33 | $2.40 | $2.42 | $2.45 | ||||
| Hardened Scales | $1.70 | $0.42 | $2.29 | $2.71 | $3.08 | $3.45 | $3.99 | ||||
| Crackling Doom | $1.22 | $0.40 | $2.07 | $2.47 | $2.88 | $3.00 | $3.29 |
Overall Summary
Standard is mostly in free fall in terms of value. Only two non-Expedition cards went up in value at a combined total of seventeen cents. This drop of value is not healthy to the long term health of Standard. Oath of the Gatewatch and Shadows over Innistrad are going to have to be very good and not rely on cheap sales gimmicks to pull Standard out of the free fall it is in.
Card to Watch
Dark Petition (0.71): This card is seeing play in Legacy and Vintage Storm decks, which are taking off in poplarity. This could easily move to being a $2.00 to $3.00 card.
Card to Avoid
Wild Slash (2.25): Fiery Impulse is a better card for a fraction of the value. The ability to hit the face is not worth the investment when Fiery Impulse can kill the same or better and will be in Standard longer.
-
View User Profile
-
Send Message
Posted Dec 9, 2015-
View User Profile
-
Send Message
Posted Dec 9, 2015Yes, PT Oath of the Gatewatch will not help Standard as Standard is not being played. There will be SCG events that will determine the value.
-
View User Profile
-
Send Message
Posted Dec 9, 2015I had not have the hard numbers, but anecdotally, a lot was bought from what I can tell. Those two events are not unrelated. As a matte of fact, it is causation.