This came up on MTGSalvation: How much is too much for a Magic card? The context is such: they were discussing implications of Aaron Forescythe's interview about fetches and someone said, 'Just because you think $50 is too much for a card, doesn't mean WoTC means it's too much.' He later went on to rant about how newer players are entitled. So here is the question: how much money is too much money for cardboard?
How much is too much for standard cards?
Modern?
EDH?
Let's not even talk about Legacy or Vintage.....
I really only play standard and a little edh, so that's what I'll voice my opinion on. Assuming a card has little to no modern/legacy playability, I would say anything above $20 is too much. The card will last 2 years at most and will most likely drop slowly during it's course anyway. And I know you didn't ask but for edh, I would say depending how good the card is, or how important it is to the deck play style that when a new set or something comes out how likely are you to replace it, anywhere from $20-$50.
Edit: didn't realize you listed edh lol.
But all the prices seem fair seeing that it based off of supply and demand, also how well it plays so any price is fair, it just depends on who you are i guesss
In my opinion, standard is the most expensive format to stay with. Constant rotations, constant staying up to date. Sure, the barrier for entry into Modern/Legacy may be high, but once you've gotten the cards, you don't have to worry about them rotating. With Standard, this is where most of the value is lost. You may spend $20 each card for a playset, but if it doesn't have a deck spot outside of Standard, in the long run, you've lost money. I recently started playing again in dark ascension, from a long hiatus dating back to legions. I built a Modern deck, for about $300-$400, which has gradually increased in value. In the same time frame, I have noticed that I've easily spent double or triple that to stay in standard (maybe more), in which upon rotation, the card prices plummeted. This is just my 2 cents about card prices. M15 Game Day will probably be my last standard tournament for a long time.
The thing about edh is a lot of cards are good in edh that are played in other formats or are already valuable. If I wanted to play {The Abyss} in an edh deck id have to spend a lot. I don't think there is a "too much" number, rather, know your budget and what is too much for your budget.
Richard Garfield said somewhere that $20 was too much so there's that.
My personal opinion (I don't play anything other draft and sealed at lgs) is $4. I play casual so I don't need to have 4 ofs.
How much you are willing to spend depends on how competitive you want to be. It greatly relies on what level the competition is. Unless you are going to be playing in professional level tournaments, no more than $10 on a card.
Guys, a few of you have answered the question and a few of you have said, "It varies by person". I am looking for your opinion. At what point do you just say, "no, I'm better off spending the cash on something else...."
Quote from: Skyshadow731 on July 19, 2014, 02:56:57 AM
But all the prices seem fair seeing that it based off of supply and demand, also how well it plays so any price is fair, it just depends on who you are i guesss
As for this....that's not how economics works. That's how a perfectly competitive capitalist system works, but none of those exist. I digress though, because what I am really asking is not about the price of cards, but the demand, how much players are willing to spend.
Quote from: Agrus Kos, Enforcer of Truth on July 19, 2014, 11:00:25 AM
Guys, a few of you have answered the question and a few of you have said, "It varies by person". I am looking for your opinion. At what point do you just say, "no, I'm better off spending the cash on something else...."
That's because it really does. Each person has their own values and amount of expendable cash on this game. Me I make a decent living. I could drop a few hundred on this game. I would rather spend a $100 bucks on a box then a few key cards for a deck. I like having more options and possibly hit some random "money cards". This is why I would only spend $4 on a card. I don't fault others for spending more money on cards I just won't. This is why I most likely will never play any major tournaments. I'm not gonna get into an arms race with others. If mtg wanted to sell a playset of each expansion around $120-200 then I might consider changing. But I'm not gonna go broke to feel I can try to compete with others.
Maybe if mtg would sanction more free events with good prize pools then I might change my mind. But I have to pay for the cards then pay for events I just don't see the draw.
Quote from: rarehuntertay on July 19, 2014, 06:52:55 AM
In my opinion, standard is the most expensive format to stay with. Constant rotations, constant staying up to date. Sure, the barrier for entry into Modern/Legacy may be high, but once you've gotten the cards, you don't have to worry about them rotating. With Standard, this is where most of the value is lost. You may spend $20 each card for a playset, but if it doesn't have a deck spot outside of Standard, in the long run, you've lost money. I recently started playing again in dark ascension, from a long hiatus dating back to legions. I built a Modern deck, for about $300-$400, which has gradually increased in value. In the same time frame, I have noticed that I've easily spent double or triple that to stay in standard (maybe more), in which upon rotation, the card prices plummeted. This is just my 2 cents about card prices. M15 Game Day will probably be my last standard tournament for a long time.
Why don't you just play until rotation?
$10 maybe $12
I'm a Spike when it comes to collecting so I will dish out the cash. If I want it that bad I will justify purchases by working overtime at work. I put in 60 hours this week and decided that I deserved to drop $210 for 3 foil {nissa worldwaker}. It may turn out to drop in price in the short term but I wanted em now so I bought em in shiny.
Quote from: cltrn81 on July 20, 2014, 06:58:45 AM
I'm a Spike when it comes to collecting so I will dish out the cash. If I want it that bad I will justify purchases by working overtime at work. I put in 60 hours this week and decided that I deserved to drop $210 for 3 foil {nissa worldwaker}. It may turn out to drop in price in the short term but I wanted em now so I bought em in shiny.
I agree. I don't mind shelling out the extra money for the card's I want. I have an {Nether Void} and {The Abyss}, because I like playing with powerful cards. Do I think they're worth that much? Of course not, the scarcity drives their price up. If the reserve list was abolished and they were reprinted they'd be like $10 tops.
But when it comes to completing decks or building what I want, price is not a factor. But I don't play Standard anymore. Wizards should do the best they can to support the formats, Modern needing a play set of enemy color fetchlands is something they have to address. Also, if they printed the Onslaught lands, the market would easily be corrected.
We all know it, and so do they: Wizards does care about secondary market prices. The reason they do reprint staples is to sell new product (that's the business they're in) and retain customer loyalty. The reality is that a point exists where players cannot afford to play anymore, as much as they would like to. High prices prohibit that. Not a good business move to refuse to reprint cards people want to buy product to obtain.
Is $30 that point? No. You should expect to spend more then that on an eternal deck that is competitive. Is $100 that point? It's tough to say, but likely yes.
I've aways talked about looking no further then MTGO for what reserve list reprints are probably worth. The ABU lands have been printed 4 times now, and they're worth about $20 (which they would be IRL). Cards like {Moat} are about $7. The effect on moat really isn't worth $400 in any context. It's just the stupid reserve list.
Quote from: Hunteroffire9 on July 19, 2014, 11:23:20 AM
Quote from: rarehuntertay on July 19, 2014, 06:52:55 AM
In my opinion, standard is the most expensive format to stay with. Constant rotations, constant staying up to date. Sure, the barrier for entry into Modern/Legacy may be high, but once you've gotten the cards, you don't have to worry about them rotating. With Standard, this is where most of the value is lost. You may spend $20 each card for a playset, but if it doesn't have a deck spot outside of Standard, in the long run, you've lost money. I recently started playing again in dark ascension, from a long hiatus dating back to legions. I built a Modern deck, for about $300-$400, which has gradually increased in value. In the same time frame, I have noticed that I've easily spent double or triple that to stay in standard (maybe more), in which upon rotation, the card prices plummeted. This is just my 2 cents about card prices. M15 Game Day will probably be my last standard tournament for a long time.
Why don't you just play until rotation?
In response to your question, work, family and other outside influences prevent me from playing paper magic. I haven't played paper magic since Christmas, so to me, it's hard for me to justify me spending money on a rotating format. EDH, Modern and Legacy are different, as those formats do not rotate. As foils though, I've never seen the hype behind them.