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.
Zendikar Expeditions
| Name | Change for 12/02 to 1/06 | Change for 12/30 to 1/06 | Price for 1/06 | Price for 12/30 | Price for 12/16 | Price for 12/09 | Price for 12/02 |
Set Summary
Oath of the Gatewatch Expeditions will be coming out next week with the rest of the set. Wasteland has come out and it around $280, which is surprisingly lower what was expected. The filter lands are around $100, and Eye of Ugin is the second most expensive |
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| Scalding Tarn | $25.67 | $2.52 | $312.81 | $315.33 | $317.99 | $328.24 | $338.48 | ||||
| Misty Rainforest | $69.44 | $39.08 | $294.08 | $255.00 | $250.09 | $236.37 | $224.64 | ||||
| Polluted Delta | $19.78 | $15.27 | $267.55 | $282.82 | $258.98 | $242.97 | $247.77 | ||||
| Verdant Catacombs | $60.03 | $17.65 | $219.98 | $202.33 | $182.75 | $164.99 | $159.95 | ||||
| Flooded Strand | $18.38 | $0.56 | $210.99 | $211.55 | $199.01 | $199.01 | $192.61 | ||||
| Wooded Foothills | $35.61 | $17.06 | $140.05 | $122.99 | $124.31 | $110.32 | $104.44 | ||||
| Bloodstained Mire | $19.34 | $8.22 | $133.49 | $141.71 | $129.61 | $116.73 | $114.15 | ||||
| Windswept Heath | $19.83 | $7.50 | $127.00 | $134.50 | $125.97 | $112.61 | $107.17 | ||||
| Steam Vents | $17.77 | $0.01 | $120.00 | $119.99 | $111.93 | $109.99 | $102.23 | ||||
| Arid Mesa | $15.02 | $0.34 | $119.99 | $120.33 | $117.50 | $110.80 | $104.97 | ||||
| Marsh Flats | $12.71 | $4.48 | $112.70 | $108.22 | $107.48 | $101.71 | $99.99 | ||||
| Godless Shrine | $19.31 | $9.69 | $89.35 | $79.66 | $74.48 | $70.04 | $70.04 | ||||
| Overgrown Tomb | $15.47 | $4.20 | $87.97 | $83.77 | $79.97 | $74.37 | $72.50 | ||||
| Hallowed Fountain | $3.90 | $1.94 | $80.45 | $82.39 | $77.68 | $77.03 | $76.55 | ||||
| Breeding Pool | $8.03 | $5.03 | $80.00 | $74.97 | $72.21 | $70.56 | $71.97 | ||||
| Watery Grave | $5.33 | $2.63 | $79.33 | $81.96 | $77.41 | $77.00 | $74.00 | ||||
| Temple Garden | $18.64 | $4.68 | $76.97 | $81.65 | $75.87 | $66.26 | $58.33 | ||||
| Sacred Foundry | $8.25 | $2.16 | $76.00 | $73.84 | $69.36 | $68.54 | $67.75 | ||||
| Stomping Ground | $0.14 | $6.4 | $72.48 | $78.96 | $72.41 | $73.73 | $72.62 | ||||
| Blood Crypt | $5.78 | $0.34 | $69.66 | $69.32 | $65.91 | $64.10 | $63.88 | ||||
| Prairie Stream | $1.41 | $1.21 | $55.37 | $54.16 | $54.76 | $53.98 | $53.96 | ||||
| Sunken Hollow | $1.56 | $3.55 | $53.44 | $56.99 | $55.73 | $54.99 | $55.00 | ||||
| Cinder Glade | $3.74 | $0.01 | $48.68 | $48.69 | $44.09 | $44.18 | $44.94 | ||||
| Canopy Vista | $1.84 | $1.89 | $47.65 | $49.54 | $49.37 | $48.96 | $49.49 | ||||
| Smoldering Marsh | $0.02 | $0.05 | $44.95 | $45.00 | $42.99 | $44.97 | $44.97 |
Battle for Zendikar
| Name | Change for 12/02 to 1/06 | Change for 12/30 to 1/06 | Price for 1/06 | Price for 12/30 | Price for 12/16 | Price for 12/09 | Price for 12/02 |
Set Summary
The set is finally going up, and Ulamog could easily become the most expensive card in the set. Wasteland Strangler and Painful Truths are both seeing a lot of play and copies of those should be gotten soon if they are needed. While this set will not be amazing, it is good that is starting to act like a set normally would. |
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| Gideon, Ally of Zendikar | $5.42 | $0.65 | $23.00 | $23.65 | $25.52 | $27.00 | $28.42 | ||||
| Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger | $6.49 | $4.61 | $21.06 | $16.45 | $14.55 | $14.48 | $14.57 | ||||
| Drana, Liberator of Malakir | $0.64 | $0.08 | $7.30 | $7.22 | $7.25 | $7.49 | $7.94 | ||||
| Oblivion Sower | $2.02 | $2.25 | $7.00 | $4.75 | $4.59 | $4.75 | $4.98 | ||||
| Ob Nixilis Reignited | $0.94 | $0.06 | $6.44 | $6.50 | $6.85 | $7.03 | $7.38 | ||||
| Kiora, Master of the Depths | $0.39 | $0.10 | $4.64 | $4.74 | $4.89 | $4.97 | $5.03 | ||||
| Dragonmaster Outcast | $0.71 | $0.06 | $4.38 | $4.44 | $4.75 | $4.98 | $5.09 | ||||
| Sunken Hollow | $1.05 | $0.07 | $4.21 | $4.28 | $4.71 | $4.99 | $5.26 | ||||
| Shambling Vent | $0.46 | $0.04 | $4.19 | $4.15 | $4.38 | $4.44 | $4.65 | ||||
| Canopy Vista | $0.91 | $0.09 | $3.84 | $3.93 | $4.25 | $4.50 | $4.75 | ||||
| Cinder Glade | $0.87 | $0.06 | $3.80 | $3.86 | $4.14 | $4.36 | $4.67 | ||||
| Prairie Stream | $1.02 | $0.07 | $3.80 | $3.87 | $4.25 | $4.51 | $4.82 | ||||
| Undergrowth Champion | $0.88 | $0.05 | $3.79 | $3.84 | $4.15 | $4.32 | $4.67 | ||||
| Smoldering Marsh | $0.56 | $0.02 | $3.11 | $3.09 | $3.33 | $3.50 | $3.67 | ||||
| Painful Truths | - | $0.02 | $2.76 | $2.74 | - | - | - | ||||
| Wasteland Strangler | - | - | $2.71 | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Void Winnower | $0.16 | $0.12 | $2.62 | $2.50 | $2.41 | $2.41 | $2.46 | ||||
| Part the Waterveil | $2.24 | $0.10 | $2.24 | $2.14 | $2.00 | - | - | ||||
| Omnath, Locus of Rage | $0.10 | $0.01 | $2.19 | $2.18 | $2.24 | $2.25 | $2.29 |
Magic Origins
| Name | Change for 12/02 to 1/06 | Change for 12/30 to 1/06 | Price for 1/06 | Price for 12/30 | Price for 12/16 | Price for 12/09 | Price for 12/02 |
Set Summary
Jace, Vryn's Prodigy continues to dominate. Funny how two of the most expensive cards ever in Standard are Jace. This card will not good down too much for the foreseeable future and doubt it will ever drop below thirty. Pulling that card is the main reason to buy packs. |
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| Jace, Vryn's Prodigy | $1.04 | $0.08 | $64.32 | $64.24 | $62.17 | $62.90 | $63.28 | ||||
| Nissa, Vastwood Seer | $3.25 | $0.68 | $19.26 | $19.94 | $20.24 | $21.99 | $22.51 | ||||
| Liliana, Heretical Healer | $2.44 | $0.29 | $17.56 | $17.85 | $18.84 | $19.44 | $20.00 | ||||
| Hangarback Walker | $1.47 | $0.35 | $11.75 | $12.10 | $12.49 | $12.81 | $13.22 | ||||
| Chandra, Fire of Kaladesh | $0.59 | $0.13 | $6.99 | $7.12 | $7.23 | $7.49 | $7.58 | ||||
| Archangel of Tithes | $0.06 | $0.07 | $5.93 | $5.86 | $5.95 | $5.95 | $5.99 | ||||
| Abbot of Keral Keep | $0.82 | $0.08 | $5.81 | $5.89 | $6.12 | $6.49 | $6.63 | ||||
| Kytheon, Hero of Akros | $0.15 | $0.07 | $4.97 | $4.90 | $4.98 | $4.99 | $5.12 | ||||
| Alhammarret's Archive | $0.06 | $0.05 | $3.04 | $2.99 | $2.98 | $2.98 | $2.98 | ||||
| Managorger Hydra | $0.10 | $0.01 | $2.99 | $2.98 | $2.96 | $3.04 | $3.09 | ||||
| Languish | $0.48 | $0.01 | $2.84 | $2.85 | $2.99 | $3.11 | $3.32 | ||||
| Exquisite Firecraft | $1.01 | $0.07 | $2.54 | $2.61 | $2.95 | $3.14 | $3.55 | ||||
| Day's Undoing | $0.08 | $0.03 | $2.48 | $2.45 | $2.46 | $2.47 | $2.56 | ||||
| Starfield of Nyx | $0.10 | $0.02 | $2.30 | $2.28 | $2.35 | $2.35 | $2.40 | ||||
| Sword of the Animist | $0.17 | $0.03 | $2.06 | $2.03 | $2.03 | $2.08 | $2.23 | ||||
| Goblin Piledriver | $0.19 | $0.01 | $2.04 | $2.03 | $2.04 | $2.11 | $2.23 | ||||
| Pyromancer's Goggles | $0.17 | $0.01 | $2.01 | $2.02 | $2.06 | $2.10 | $2.18 |
Dragons of Tarkir
| Name | Change for 12/02 to 1/06 | Change for 12/30 to 1/06 | Price for 1/06 | Price for 12/30 | Price for 12/16 | Price for 12/09 | Price for 12/02 |
Set Summary
This is a shocker to see Deathmist Raptor finally drop from number two, but it is not surprising. It is not good anymore in a format full of exiling. Still it worth something considerable and the cards that are overtaking it are cards that appear in multiple formats. The set is doing well. |
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| Dragonlord Ojutai | $2.07 | $0.23 | $16.44 | $16.67 | $17.09 | $18.04 | $18.51 | ||||
| Kolaghan's Command | $0.23 | $0.26 | $13.27 | $13.01 | $13.20 | $13.28 | $13.50 | ||||
| Atarka's Command | $0.78 | $0.25 | $13.00 | $12.75 | $12.26 | $12.25 | $12.22 | ||||
| Deathmist Raptor | $5.21 | $0.70 | $12.82 | $13.52 | $15.94 | $17.10 | $18.03 | ||||
| Den Protector | $1.78 | $0.62 | $10.96 | $11.58 | $12.35 | $12.47 | $12.74 | ||||
| Dragonlord Atarka | $0.48 | $0.03 | $9.52 | $9.55 | $9.97 | $9.95 | $10.00 | ||||
| Narset Transcendent | $0.20 | $0.02 | $8.79 | $8.77 | $8.98 | $8.99 | $8.99 | ||||
| Collected Company | $0.00 | $0.00 | $7.99 | $7.99 | $8.00 | $7.99 | $7.99 | ||||
| Dragonlord Dromoka | $0.67 | $0.06 | $7.84 | $7.90 | $7.99 | $8.31 | $8.51 | ||||
| Sarkhan Unbroken | $0.24 | $0.09 | $6.25 | $6.16 | $6.30 | $6.43 | $6.49 | ||||
| Dragonlord Silumgar | $0.02 | $0.00 | $4.99 | $4.99 | $4.98 | $4.98 | $4.97 | ||||
| Dromoka's Command | $1.66 | $0.35 | $4.99 | $5.34 | $5.99 | $6.39 | $6.65 | ||||
| Thunderbreak Regent | $0.63 | $0.01 | $4.39 | $4.40 | $4.95 | $4.89 | $5.02 | ||||
| Secure the Wastes | $0.13 | $0.10 | $4.29 | $4.19 | $4.23 | $4.10 | $4.16 | ||||
| Shaman of Forgotten Ways | $1.54 | $0.30 | $4.16 | $4.46 | $4.70 | $5.34 | $5.70 | ||||
| Dragonlord Kolaghan | $0.07 | $0.01 | $3.52 | $3.51 | $3.53 | $3.53 | $3.59 | ||||
| Zurgo Bellstriker | $0.36 | $0.03 | $3.42 | $3.45 | $3.59 | $3.69 | $3.78 | ||||
| Ojutai's Command | $0.66 | $0.09 | $2.75 | $2.84 | $3.00 | $3.16 | $3.41 | ||||
| Haven of the Spirit Dragon | $0.25 | $0.02 | $2.61 | $2.63 | $2.75 | $2.83 | $2.86 | ||||
| Dragon Whisperer | $0.21 | $0.04 | $2.36 | $2.40 | $2.48 | $2.51 | $2.57 | ||||
| Silkwrap | $0.02 | $0.00 | $2.17 | $2.17 | $2.23 | $2.17 | $2.15 |
Fate Reforged
| Name | Change for 12/02 to 1/06 | Change for 12/30 to 1/06 | Price for 1/06 | Price for 12/30 | Price for 12/16 | Price for 12/09 | Price for 12/02 |
Set Summary
This set has a lot potential for the future. Tasigur, Monastery Mentor, and Ugin, the Spirit Dragon all see play outside of Standard. |
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| Ugin, the Spirit Dragon | $0.11 | $0.27 | $43.85 | $43.58 | $42.29 | $42.36 | $43.96 | ||||
| Monastery Mentor | $2.66 | $1.31 | $18.81 | $17.50 | $16.57 | $16.14 | $16.15 | ||||
| Soulfire Grand Master | $0.93 | $0.21 | $9.26 | $9.47 | $9.76 | $9.86 | $10.19 | ||||
| Tasigur, the Golden Fang | $0.26 | $0.01 | $3.49 | $3.50 | $3.56 | $3.65 | $3.75 | ||||
| Warden of the First Tree | $0.37 | $0.11 | $3.06 | $3.17 | $3.29 | $3.30 | $3.43 | ||||
| Brutal Hordechief | $0.12 | $0.02 | $2.30 | $2.28 | $2.33 | $2.39 | $2.42 |
Khans of Tarkir
| Name | Change for 12/02 to 1/06 | Change for 12/30 to 1/06 | Price for 1/06 | Price for 12/30 | Price for 12/16 | Price for 12/09 | Price for 12/02 |
Set Summary
This set is falling, but not as fast as it used to. Avoid investing this set outside of fetchlands and sealed boxes. This will not have Innistrad or original Zendikar sealed boxes price, but it could fetch a good price in a few years. Just avoid the temptation to Kraken them. |
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| Polluted Delta | $2.17 | $0.36 | $21.06 | $21.42 | $22.12 | $22.62 | $23.23 | ||||
| Wooded Foothills | $1.16 | $0.04 | $19.83 | $19.79 | $20.00 | $20.55 | $20.99 | ||||
| Flooded Strand | $2.30 | $0.05 | $19.50 | $19.55 | $20.18 | $20.91 | $21.80 | ||||
| Bloodstained Mire | $1.01 | $0.01 | $18.99 | $18.98 | $19.46 | $19.93 | $20.00 | ||||
| Windswept Heath | $0.48 | $0.00 | $12.99 | $12.99 | $12.99 | $13.32 | $13.47 | ||||
| Sorin, Solemn Visitor | $0.92 | $0.00 | $8.07 | $8.07 | $8.49 | $8.67 | $8.99 | ||||
| Anafenza, the Foremost | $1.54 | $0.17 | $5.19 | $5.36 | $5.80 | $6.10 | $6.73 | ||||
| Wingmate Roc | $1.30 | $0.05 | $3.50 | $3.55 | $4.10 | $4.40 | $4.80 | ||||
| Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker | $0.93 | $0.20 | $3.32 | $3.52 | $3.79 | $3.95 | $4.25 | ||||
| Monastery Swiftspear | $0.38 | $0.01 | $2.54 | $2.55 | $2.70 | $2.78 | $2.92 | ||||
| Siege Rhino | $0.51 | $0.06 | $2.49 | $2.55 | $2.76 | $2.94 | $3.00 | ||||
| Dig Through Time | $1.05 | $0.10 | $2.44 | $2.54 | $2.87 | $3.05 | $3.49 | ||||
| Clever Impersonator | $0.04 | $0.00 | $2.25 | $2.25 | $2.25 | $2.25 | $2.29 |
Overall Summary
The set not rotating when Shadows Over Innistrad comes out are showing the usual signs of price flow. The abnormality that has been the last few weeks has proven for now to be just that.
Oath of the Gatewatch is only a week and half out before the prerelease and then a week after its release. So far, the spoilers have some promising cards, but nothing that comes out immediately as format shattering. [card Kozilek's Return[/card] is the biggest impact card so far. Next week will have a full run down of the set after it has spoiled.
Cards to Watch
Blight Herder (0.51): This card will not be breaking $10.00, but it could be a solid $2-3 rare that is currently under a dollar.
Cards to Avoid
Modern cards in general unless they are needed. There is an upcoming Pro Tour, so this when Modern staples will be high and speculation will be rampant.
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