A bit giddy

I've been hawking a bunch of cards I just don't need or can't trade. Turns out, I did good things. Allow a recap:

I started to off-load unneeded cards via eBay. My efforts to trade up via deckbox, while having some minor success, had stalled. I think I wound up getting about $400-$500 in sales, minus fees, shipping supplies, etc.

From there I was able to acquire a bunch of stuff I needed to successfully run a paper legal Death and Taxes, white crusader deck. (deck list from 11/1/17)
Then, I was able to acquire cards via a private auction for about $175 total:

• Cavern of Souls, Avacyn Restored
• LP Winter Mishra's Factory, double signed
• 3x HP Spring Mishra's Factory, single signed

That's a fabulous deal in my books.

My next goal was to acquire the pieces I needed to run the RW, 3/5/18 Taxes deck. I do agree that splashing for Magus of the Moon just adds the most umph factor to the deck. The downside to this deck? The Plateaus. Honestly. Revised dual lands. Thankfully, in a bit of luck, Plateaus are some of the cheapest out there. (no blue!)

I managed to pick one up for $60 off TCGplayer, thanks to some 5% rebates from a large order over the previous weekend. (hello Rishadan Ports!) However, I still needed 2 more.

My thought was- Maybe I could get one more as part of the Winter Mishra's. That might be my best case scenario. Well- that was until yesterday. I had put the Mishra's up on a couple different FB groups to get interest. I made it clear that I could trade, sell, or do trade/sell combo. I had some interest gathered from others. However, one offer blew everything else out of the water-

Winter Mishra's Factory for 2 NM revised Plateaus. 2. TWO dual lands.

There are a couple factors which need to be worked out still, like how to make sure everything is legit. How to trust the trade. Lots of trust things.

So far the trader has been totally up on everything. Very communicative, even willing to send first. As he put it, "I already have a playset of Unlimited Plateaus, no need for revised." He also added he had just sold two Drops of Honey via the group. (didn't need a playset of them) Yeah, I'd say that's a thing.

The downside to all of this I just realized- I am still a Cavern of Souls and Karakas from being awesome. Can't have it all, all the time. But in terms of what I had just a month ago- its an amazing turn around.

Oh, and those 3 other Spring Mishra's, I might still be able to trade those for sideboard card needs. Waiting to get that sorted out.

Riddle me this

I am not sure I quite understand the difference between the perceived value of a card is, and what you can actually buy it for.

My case in point: Mishra's Factory Winter.

Here are the values listed from a couple different sources:

mtgstocks: $399.50
mtggoldfish: $377.50
tcgplayer: $162.22  (market price)
Listed Median TCGplayer: $399.50


What I can tell, is, if you have a couple copies of a card, you can really throw the perceived value off by doing the following:

- listing several copies of hard to get card at really high end of the spectrum (example- there is one copy listed for $599.00, out of a possible 13 copies)

- buy up the much lower priced cards

- watch as the perceived values shoot up


Its a crappy way of doing it, but buyouts happen, prices go up, and everyone who has a copy feels pretty good. Those who "need" a copy are SOL.

The results are in, and they are great

First up, I found a private auction. One in which I thought I was just going after some pieces for my D&T legacy deck- namely the Cavern of Souls. (which keeps climbing damnit)

There was another set of cards in the auction- a PLAYSET of Winter Factories, a Mishra's Workshop, and a playset of original Factories, 3 spring (signed by Kaja only), 1 winter (signed by both Phil and Kaja). Due note- the spring copies are beat, MP to Heavy play.

I tried to nab the Winter factories, but I didn't have the cash for those and the Cavern. I even attempted to throw some money at the Workshop, knowing full well the sale price of $550 was a bargain. However, I put a "last minute" bid on the signed copies of the Factories. I think people are scared of signed cards! (I'll give another example of that in a bit)

Well- I won the 4 factories and the Cavern for a grand total of $165, with fees, etc. The Winter alone is shooting up. If I sold just that, I would get the other cards for free basically. However, my current plan is to do some sort of cash/trade option for the 3 spring and the 1 winter. I can cover the last holes in my D&T deck, and recoup some of the money.


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Went to a local Modern Masters 25 draft last Friday night. Cost was $35, 3 packs, and 1 for prize support. That's fine. My "goal" was to draft something usable... I think I might have done that. Wound up with Red/White. It could get there, but was a tad too slow and had no real removal. Turns out, removal is a good thing. I went 1-2 overall. No prize for me. I did win a door prize, so that was nice.
However, I did get two pulls I was very proud of- a Rishadan Port. (which I was looking to buy anyhow) A Foil Blood Moon. (and a Rest in Peace, and a Magus of the Wheel, and something else...) So I pulled about $60+ in value, and only went 1-2.
I do know that for any draft I need to study it. I am not a natural when it comes to magic drafting- I need time in the format, to understand the cards, and the interactions. Basically- I need a little time to know what he hell do to do. Lol.

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I've been selling a bunch of stuff I'll never use. Lots of one ofs, or cards I was hoping to make something of one day. Basically, chaff in my collection. Or trade bait for something else. After making many attempts to trade up, I decided to trade out. And I've mailed a lot of stuff out. So much so, that I was able to pay for everything other than a couple Karakas for my D&T deck. That's pretty darn sweet. I figure the Factories might get me to the point where I need to be for the missing cards.


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Last point, I might stop drafting locally as much. Now that I might have a legit paper based Legacy deck, I can more likely pick spots to play in slightly bigger events. Not talking traveling to NJ for a GP or anything, but at least throw down with a legit deck I know how to run and not embarrass myself.

Off loading

Forget me trying to find someone willing to trade down involving either a Cavern of Souls or Karakas. I need 1-2 Cavern, and likely 2 more Karakas. Not to mention 4 Rashadan Ports. I had hoped to trade for a bunch of cards I needed. I really did. I tried even to find Iconic Masters versions of Flusterstorm to trade for. (clocking in at a very manageable $14.83) I cannot find anyone to even re-consider a trade. Seriously.


That's where Modern Masters 25 came to play! I nearly wept when I saw them officially announce that they included Rishadan Port at rare. It is a lot more attainable than the original, which has only slightly dipped to $85.

With my lack of proper trade stock, I've taken to the international trade language of cash. In this case, eBay up a bunch of cards I really don't need to accomplish any deck I want in the next year. I listed many, and have already made over $50 in sales. (or as I call it, a Port!)

The other side is- I think the price of the Port will dip even further. I'm predicting sub-$40 prices before it starts to tick back up. Honestly, I'm hoping for $35. If that happens, I will buy a play set and be happy about it.

Until the prices bottoms out, and I still have no trade stock for what people want- I'm selling for cash.

My biggest hope is an auction of a bunch of standard cards, things I got in draft. TCGmarket price has them clocked in at $110. If I can get $75, I'll be happy... and I am gambling it will get there as I am doing an auction, not buy it now like all the rest.

Heres hoping I can land enough cash to fill out my play set of Ports, and only need to borrow other stuff to run Death and Taxes. I would feel a lot less guilty about borrowing two Plateau, 3 fetches, 1-2 Cavern, and 1-2 Karakas than my attempt to borrow over $1,000 in cards for Sneak and Show.