Busting Open Magic Cards, Ultimate Masters ( 300$ Box )

Magic the Gathering just released their most expensive booster boxes ever created, Ultimate Masters. Sitting at around 300$ for 24 packs of cardboard cards. Many people would call others crazy for spending that amount of money on cards.

I love playing the game of Magic the Gathering but the secondary market value is the ultimate version on nerd gambling.

Magic cards are unique in the sense they are assets with a true market based on supply and demand. Magic the Gathering is 25 years old and has cards worth over 15,000$ today, I don't see this dying in the future. You see magic card buyouts and manipulation like any other market, Magic cards are a true untraceable asset.

I feel this is why people like Martin Shkreli's have started looking into vintage magic cards that can be worth 20,000. Those are assets you and bring around the world at free will because it's a trading card game but has true real market value. In return you could sell those cards on the secondary market and have untraceable funds around the world. I don't think any other game in history has that type of secondary market.

http://fortune.com/2016/07/10/martin-shkreli-magic-the-gathering/

Ultimate Masters is a semi limited print set with high valued cards and hefty price tag. The retail price is 320$ but you can currently find them for around 270/280$ on the web. I can see these being 500$ boxes in 6/7 months but that's pure speculation. Magic the Gathering is a lot like crypto, you can never be 100% sure of what set/cards will blow up in value.

I busted open a box paying 280$ pre release price from my local game shop with hopes of atleast breaking even cards value. I love playing the game and I'm not a pure investor so even when I fall short of value, I love busting open packs. You can't deny the thrill of cracking a high value card tho, it's like hitting a scratch off for nerds.

I was about 4 packs into my box when I opened Lilina of the Veil, foiled version. The lowest sale for this card is 180$, the rest sit around 220$. This one card paid for around 2/3 of the box !

You'll see a dip in her price as people bust open these packs but most cards should recover to todays market value once this set is finished, I would guess all these boxes will be horded or opened in 2/3 months, then as the supply for new versions of these cards get cut off the demand and value should rise back to around current market value.

Since Lilina of the Veil is foiled and of Mythic rarity you'll see less of her released into the market compared to other cards, should help keep her value about well 100$ even during the peak of boxes openings which creates a " bear market " effect of these cards. It's a very interesting eco system Magic the Gathering has going on in it's game/market.

I need to add up the overall box value but at todays market value I'd guess 500/600$. Again, the cards will feel pressure as boosters get cracked from this set but this box was a KILLER opening. Can't wait for my next booster box !

Beyond Liliana I got MANY mid ranged 40/50$ cards which is great, I did kinda bust out on the " bonus pack" which is 1 card and always foiled with no boarder. The only way to get those cards is buy a full booster box of Ultimate Masters, some cards are worth 200$+, I think I pulled a 20$ card.

A killer bonus pack card would of sent this boxes value to well over 600$ to almost 700$ in value, would of been epic. Maybe next time !

Till next time, stay creative

Todd