Scanned booster boxes/packs?
Economics forum
Posted on Jan. 23, 2014, 3:35 p.m. by kmcree
I've seen some discussion of lots of factory sealed packs being "scanned" and having only worthless rares, which is why they are for sale cheap and in bulk. Can someone explain this to me?
I know about the old packs that you could see through. I guess the mapping thing is what I'm asking about. How does that happen? And who can do it? I'm looking at potentially buying some packs online, but I don't want to if they aren't legit.
January 23, 2014 3:40 p.m.
A lot of this ties back to how Magic cards are made. They come off a big sheet and are cut and sorted by into packs and then boxes by machines.
Mapping involves opening a sealed box and laying them all out in order. You then open a few packs and then a program is able to predict, to some degree of accuracy, what cards will be in the remaining packs. So an unsavory sort can map a box for all the money cards and then sell off the remaining packs, usually at a discount to move them quickly.
This is why it's generally not a good idea to buy loose packs online, or at least not from reputable sources.
January 23, 2014 3:53 p.m.
Rasta_Viking29 says... #5
Crazy stuff. I've never tried it but will when I get my box of BNG if I'm not too messed up, having surgery on the 6th.
January 23, 2014 4:05 p.m.
Servo_Token says... #6
It really depends on what you want to use the packs for. If you're just going to do some drafting, then sure, go for the sketchy packs that may or may not be mapped. If you're trying to build a collection or get money cards, your chances are much better buying from a big seller like Star City or TrollandToad. Of course the best way to know that you're getting your money's worth is to buy the entire box for yourself.
January 23, 2014 4:06 p.m.
That link just made me really sad. So basically, you're really only safe if you buy the whole sealed box. Great.
January 23, 2014 5:11 p.m.
Schuesseled says... #8
Yeah, if they've been mapped then you are buying guaranteed junk rares.
January 23, 2014 5:19 p.m.
lookoutimscary says... #9
People who do that sadden me, like don't you have better things to do? AAAAND it ruins the magic (no pun intended) of opening boosters...ugh spikes..
January 23, 2014 5:39 p.m.
@Schuesseled of course if that happened with RTR packs then that means you'd have a bunch of Desecration Demon s right now... lol
I wouldn't recommend it, but hey you never know it could work out lol
January 23, 2014 5:40 p.m.
I usually buy the single boosters or booster 3 packs from big stores like Walmart since the owners of all the shops in my area are a bit shady.
January 23, 2014 5:45 p.m.
Schuesseled says... #12
lol, thats true. Imagine all the hell riders and spinxe's that were ditched and sold for a loss earning $3.
January 23, 2014 5:46 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #13
I don't know if this is true (and I can't find the original source), but I heard WOTC changed the manufacturing process a little while ago to make boxes borderline impossible to map.
January 23, 2014 6:35 p.m.
Servo_Token says... #14
How soon was 'a little while'? Because i'm fairly certain that there is an M14 mapper, and I believe a Theros mapper may also be out.
January 23, 2014 6:49 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #15
Again, I'm not entirely sure about it. It was a rumor I heard maybe around THS's release, but I can't source the statement. I was hoping someone else had more information about it.
January 23, 2014 6:50 p.m.
The thing about mapping is that to actually map a set, you probably need to open the entirety of several -cases- of the set first. Once it is mapped, you can do it box by box.
So new sets are safer than older ones, but generally, don't buy loose packs full stop.
January 23, 2014 7:11 p.m.
Theros mapper exist using serial numbers and takes more packs to generate the map
January 23, 2014 7:35 p.m.
Rasta_Viking29 says... #18
People upload themselves opening the boxes so they don't have to figure it out. This is not a one man operation. I'm going to test this out to see what is going on. Not going to post my packs, just make a excel file and check.
We need to nip this in the butt or it could devastate the cardboard currency.
January 23, 2014 7:36 p.m.
They changed it recently and I watched a video online. No you have to use the serial number on the back of the booster pack instead of being able to just open 1 and see.
The most ridiculous thing with the new serial code technology is that you can memorise a code that likely contains a good card, walk into a shop and then buy that particular booster pack. EZ mode rares.
It IS sad definitely but I've bought loads of packs from my local, all from opened booster boxes and they've been fine. In fact I recently pulled a foil Overgrown Tomb in the same pack as a standard Overgrown Tomb . Pretty cray. Moral of the story: shop at a reputable shop, with employees you can trust.
January 23, 2014 7:36 p.m.
Rasta_Viking29 says... #20
First sentence should read:People upload themselves opening the boxes so they don't have to open a bunch of boxes themselves figure it out.
Sorry got distracted
January 23, 2014 7:39 p.m.
Rasta_Viking29 says... #21
First sentence should read:
People upload themselves opening the boxes so they don't have to open a bunch of boxes themselves figure it out.
Sorry got distracted
January 23, 2014 7:39 p.m.
Buddy..... this has been going on for absolutely years. It's not a threat. It just devalues loose boosters from unreputable sellers. Big deal.
January 23, 2014 7:44 p.m.
Rasta_Viking29 says... #23
Much of the value in Magic is in the secondary market. For people just getting into the game and don't have a relationship with a shop owner it is an issue. How are they going to know if the guy is fleecing them?
Could affect the sales of sealed product on ebay, TCG, and Amazon. These places are an important part of the economy.
Where there is money to be made people will flock. It will become more common. A $4 app that can make me hundreds? This hurts the game.
January 23, 2014 8:15 p.m.
But the point is that this has been going on for absolutely ages and people haven't been hurt to the point of absolute outrage. If it really was a problem then no-one would ever pull quality rares from loose boosters bought from any shop - but that just doesn't happen.
It's all massive drama about somethign that actually isn't done in the normal commercial world. HOWEVER - I completely agree that this affects the sales and price of sealed product on ebay, and Amazon etc. I would never buy sealed product from an independent retailer of the internet anyway. In fact, one of the places I regularly shop for Magic online (sort of like ebay - lots of individuals all selling their own cards) has boosters listed for $1. I imagine this is because of the mapping problem.
I think the issue is that you can't trust individuals anymore but it's not a massive deal because most people didn't anyway. It's ALWAYS better to go to a big, reputable store than some guy selling $2 boosters on ebay. That's a general rule for life.
January 23, 2014 8:29 p.m.
The ONLY thing this effects economy-wise is the value of unsealed booster packs, which are something almost nobody who cares about the secondary market buys anyway. They buy cases, maybe boxes, and singles.
January 23, 2014 8:33 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #26
ChiefBell and Devonin have the more accurate analysis here. Although it may seem severe to someone with less experience (no offense) with the workings of the secondary market, booster mapping actually has little to do with anything other than perceived booster value.
Mapping doesn't affect the value of sealed product, nor does it affect the value of singles. It only applies to loose booster packs from opened boxes. As a result, shrewd players are wary of buying individual packs from stores like SCG or from individuals retailing them on eBay. Players perceive a risk (and rightly so) in these investments, so booster packs are devalued in situations where you cannot confirm what the seller has done with the box.
mckin says... #2
im not sure about newer boxes but i know that
-OLDDDD packs could be seen through and looked at
-boxes could be mapped and you could basically find out which boxes/packs had the bomb rares/mythics
-people selling 2nd run Zendikar as first run, the "hidden treasure" ones
January 23, 2014 3:38 p.m.