Is it worth it?
Economics forum
Posted on Feb. 22, 2015, 9:02 p.m. by bananamaniaman
I'm looking into buying a revised edition booster pack. the prices are around 50-60 dollars. I've looked through all the cards, and there are some commons and uncommons that are worth something now, and fewer rares that are worth something. I don't think it is worth it because I am most likely to pull something like a Timber Wolf as my rare and other crap like it. Then again I could get a double land. Just thought I should bring the question to you guys.
Thoughts? Statistics/chances?
ShamaLamaDingDong says... #3
There are 121 rares, 10 duals. About 1/12 chance, or roughly 8%. It is basically like buying a lottery ticket.
February 22, 2015 9:06 p.m.
bananamaniaman says... #4
Thanks! So your saying the price will increase in the future? Also, I made a mistake. The prices are 70-80 dollars (I think)
February 22, 2015 9:07 p.m.
bananamaniaman says... #5
Alright. I'm not only looking for duals. there is a chance I will get other valuable stuff, but I get it's not worth it. If I buy and then sell later, is it likely the price will increase, I mean I don't think I have enough self control not to open it, but it's good to know.
February 22, 2015 9:11 p.m.
slovakattack says... #6
Not worth it. If you want a dual, save up and buy a dual.
Something that people don't get is that the 'rare' cards of the early days of magic are NOT, I repeat, NOT the 'rares' of today. They are the equivalent of 'mythic rare,' in terms of pull chance.
February 22, 2015 9:29 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #7
I strongly, strongly advise against older packs. Revised and some other sets had a waxy packaging that makes it possible to actually read the cards through the wrappers. It's theoretically possible to check an entire pack for ABUR duals and other valuable cards and sell it to someone else if it doesn't contain anything worthwhile.
That, and packs are always a bad investment if you're looking for value or specific cards.
February 22, 2015 9:34 p.m.
yeah seriously, for the 80 bucks the pack costs, you could just buy ... well, some of the duals. And as a general rule you shouldn't buy loose packs, even in the newer sets. If you haven't see a box get opened with the guy telling you what the rares will be before he opens it, check out youtube. There is one pack in the middle row halfway down that is the "key" pack that tells you where in the print run the box falls, then you can narrow every pack down to one of two rares. So people open the ones that are good and sell the rest as singles that have garbage rares in them.
February 22, 2015 10:14 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #9
To be fair, newer sets are packaged in a way that mitigates box mapping. Older sets are still suspect, and packs have terrible ROI anyway, but the problem has at least lessened in severity for the past couple sets.
February 22, 2015 10:20 p.m.
llamaglama01 says... #10
A friend of mine had a revised pack. I suggested that he not open it and just sell it. He opened it, and the most money he got was a Lightning Bolt.
February 22, 2015 10:53 p.m.
If you are planning on buying packs or even single boosters, you should ask yourself couple of questions first: Are you buying it because youre hoping to get something rare so you could sell it for more money? Are you buying it for fun and to have the cards to yourself? Do you like to draft?
I mean, if your answer is the first one, then there is no reason to ever buy any boosters or packs. Odds are against you and you could, as ShamaLamaDingDong said, just buy a lottery ticket instead. At least then you have a possibility to win actually big sums (even though the odds are even smaller).
If you buy it for yourself and for fun times, then go ahead. Nothing wrong with it. There are not that many hobbies that doesn't cost money so why shouldn't this one either.
sirbar says... #2
No its not worth it. One of the guys at my local card shop got a box of revised and didn't get nearly anything worth much. Buy and hold onto it and you will get the most value from it.
February 22, 2015 9:06 p.m.