I'm getting sick of keeping up with standard and casual formats. I've decided to just focus on my Modern and Legacy collections (which aren't amazing, but functional). What's the best option for me to unload all my bulk commons/uncommons/rares? Is there any risk in just buying singles of new cards as decks evolve (rather than buying booster boxes)? It's common knowledge that cracking packs is not cost effective (but fun), so I don't think it'll make much of a difference, cost wise.
Theres a couple different options you got. Is harder to take paper and turn it into more paper, but I hear channel Fireball is the best way. 30% when you turn it into store credit.
I sold all my bulk non modern stable cards and got about 1000 bucks for online credit. I made a video of how I did it.
Id do the same thing if I was doing it in paper. Find some place to sell it too that will give you the best deal for extra % in store credit. Channel fireball does 30% but they also might give you less, sell higher, so really look into which places sell for the lowest, buy at the highest, and if the bonus % credit helps out.
Then go through your cards one by one and look at their buy list. You'd be suprised by the price of some cards. go for the throat is worth $1, Emblem - Sorin, Lord of Innistrad is worth 3 bucks. Hell the Wurmcoil Engine token is worth 5 bucks each.
Once you've sorted out anything thats worth probably 10 cents or higher (Yeah, if you wanna get the most out of this, you got to be that crazy, thats how I got up to 1000 in mine. It takes a lot of time, for me 4 days, 6 hours a day. Get a new show to binge watch, it helps.) Then count the rest of your cards, call the place up and ask if they have a bulk rate. Usually they do, like 1 dollar per 4 foils. Or 5 dollars per 1000 cards.
If you watch my video, I add a picture there showing the bulk of the money I made in credit was in one small card box. Then there was about 200 in 2 bigger ones, and then there was a huge case that was only worth up to 20 bucks.
As far as bulk goes, and this sounds underhanded, its easier to sell worthless commons and uncommons to kids just starting to play or just play super casually. You can dump everything for 20 bucks or so on them, and they will be happy because its 5000 cards for 20 bucks. They could make a million decks.
As far as bulk goes, and this sounds underhanded, its easier to sell worthless commons and uncommons to kids just starting to play or just play super casually. You can dump everything for 20 bucks or so on them, and they will be happy because its 5000 cards for 20 bucks. They could make a million decks.
I agree with this and everything else Latern said, but I have to doubly stress to check the price of literally every card you have. I once sold a few thousand cards for about fifty bucks (not a bad rate for bulk) before I even had my feet wet in Legacy, and didn't realize I was giving away some serious staples (Cryptic Command, Crucible of Worlds, a few fetches and other stuff.) I probably lost a few hundred on that move alone because I was going for the easy sell, which you are committing yourself to no longer do if you're in the value side of this game.
Secondly, I'd advise you to start picking out the Legacy stuff you want now and moving on that before you move on the Modern stuff, because people are pushing Modern prices up now because it's PTQ season. This is tough to do because you'd ideally want to build a deck that works and is at least semi-competitive in both formats (Jund, Affinity, Delver, Zoo, etc.)
Bingo. Aside from the random, "Oh, this jeweled bird is worth a buck? Crazy" you'll also be like "I mean, how many decks actually uses a 4 of Master of the Wild Hunt Its probably worth a buck... ITS WORTH 20 a pop?!
Both true tells on my end.
When I first got into zoo I tested all this stuff out by printing out different decks. I knew I didnt wanna play blue, and I knew I wanted to do something aggro or midrange. So I had to decide between suicide black, Zoo, team america, team italia, elves, goblins, burn, and a handful of decks that dont exist anymore. I decided on Zoo because my older brothers favorate card was kird ape, and it did everything I wanted; burn, beat and beasts. Then instead of buying the deck with the money I raised, I bought out staples. I had a deck, but a ton to tweek with.
Over the years Ive added to it and now I have anything thats naya and aggro you can imagine. Its a never ending prossess.
Thanks for the awesome advice! I am planning to go through every card, and when I buy, to grab legacy cards first. I have a few competitive modern decks, and a sweet control deck that just lacks the fetch lands (waiting for that illusive reprint). I also already have legacy Jund, just shy 3 bobs, and the old school dual lands (yes, I have goyf). Maybe I can raise enough to buy those.
Similar to your story, Lantern, I'm working on what I call "the combo pile". It basically every legacy combo staple. I have parts of dredge, belcher, Spanish inquisition, ad nausium, oops all spells, etc.
Is it much of a hassle to keep your deck up to date buying cards individually? These last couple years, I've just been buying cards in bulk and cracking packs, then trading/selling what I don't need.
Yep, way cheaper to buy singles in the long run for deck upgrades. Basically effective reprints like Drown in Sorrow replacing Infest etc... and the few odd newer cards that lend more depth to existing decks (I'm looking at you Terminus and Entreat the Angels).
The only way it isn't cheaper is by buying bulk cards and selling for higher than you bough (playing the margins) or winning at card speculation and good old value trading.
Speculation can be fun, for example trading one $5 card that will go up $1 over a year for 2-3 $1.xx cards that will go up $1 over a year for more profits. This is only possible with lower value cards though.
I'm getting sick of keeping up with standard and casual formats. I've decided to just focus on my Modern and Legacy collections (which aren't amazing, but functional). What's the best option for me to unload all my bulk commons/uncommons/rares? Is there any risk in just buying singles of new cards as decks evolve (rather than buying booster boxes)? It's common knowledge that cracking packs is not cost effective (but fun), so I don't think it'll make much of a difference, cost wise.
I sold all my bulk non modern stable cards and got about 1000 bucks for online credit. I made a video of how I did it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipqttrELdMc
Id do the same thing if I was doing it in paper. Find some place to sell it too that will give you the best deal for extra % in store credit. Channel fireball does 30% but they also might give you less, sell higher, so really look into which places sell for the lowest, buy at the highest, and if the bonus % credit helps out.
Then go through your cards one by one and look at their buy list. You'd be suprised by the price of some cards. go for the throat is worth $1, Emblem - Sorin, Lord of Innistrad is worth 3 bucks. Hell the Wurmcoil Engine token is worth 5 bucks each.
Once you've sorted out anything thats worth probably 10 cents or higher (Yeah, if you wanna get the most out of this, you got to be that crazy, thats how I got up to 1000 in mine. It takes a lot of time, for me 4 days, 6 hours a day. Get a new show to binge watch, it helps.) Then count the rest of your cards, call the place up and ask if they have a bulk rate. Usually they do, like 1 dollar per 4 foils. Or 5 dollars per 1000 cards.
If you watch my video, I add a picture there showing the bulk of the money I made in credit was in one small card box. Then there was about 200 in 2 bigger ones, and then there was a huge case that was only worth up to 20 bucks.
As far as bulk goes, and this sounds underhanded, its easier to sell worthless commons and uncommons to kids just starting to play or just play super casually. You can dump everything for 20 bucks or so on them, and they will be happy because its 5000 cards for 20 bucks. They could make a million decks.
I agree with this and everything else Latern said, but I have to doubly stress to check the price of literally every card you have. I once sold a few thousand cards for about fifty bucks (not a bad rate for bulk) before I even had my feet wet in Legacy, and didn't realize I was giving away some serious staples (Cryptic Command, Crucible of Worlds, a few fetches and other stuff.) I probably lost a few hundred on that move alone because I was going for the easy sell, which you are committing yourself to no longer do if you're in the value side of this game.
Secondly, I'd advise you to start picking out the Legacy stuff you want now and moving on that before you move on the Modern stuff, because people are pushing Modern prices up now because it's PTQ season. This is tough to do because you'd ideally want to build a deck that works and is at least semi-competitive in both formats (Jund, Affinity, Delver, Zoo, etc.)
Both true tells on my end.
When I first got into zoo I tested all this stuff out by printing out different decks. I knew I didnt wanna play blue, and I knew I wanted to do something aggro or midrange. So I had to decide between suicide black, Zoo, team america, team italia, elves, goblins, burn, and a handful of decks that dont exist anymore. I decided on Zoo because my older brothers favorate card was kird ape, and it did everything I wanted; burn, beat and beasts. Then instead of buying the deck with the money I raised, I bought out staples. I had a deck, but a ton to tweek with.
Over the years Ive added to it and now I have anything thats naya and aggro you can imagine. Its a never ending prossess.
Similar to your story, Lantern, I'm working on what I call "the combo pile". It basically every legacy combo staple. I have parts of dredge, belcher, Spanish inquisition, ad nausium, oops all spells, etc.
Is it much of a hassle to keep your deck up to date buying cards individually? These last couple years, I've just been buying cards in bulk and cracking packs, then trading/selling what I don't need.
The only way it isn't cheaper is by buying bulk cards and selling for higher than you bough (playing the margins) or winning at card speculation and good old value trading.
Speculation can be fun, for example trading one $5 card that will go up $1 over a year for 2-3 $1.xx cards that will go up $1 over a year for more profits. This is only possible with lower value cards though.
My Modern decks:
B/R/G Living End G/R/B
G/R Tron R/G
U/W/G/R Gargageddon R/G/W/U
R/W/G Naya Burn G/W/R