Why in the name of Aladdin is Library of Alexandria $300?
Economics forum
Posted on Dec. 24, 2013, 1:36 a.m. by cschiller
Library of Alexandria is banned in Legacy, restricted in Vintage, and even banned in commander. You practically aren't allowed to own one. How come it's so much more expensive when compared to other broken cards that are banned in Legacy and restricted in Vintage, Necropotence , Demonic Tutor , and Strip Mine , all of which cost nothing, and are legal in Commander?
Yes, OK, I understand that this is a card draw ability on a land (and a free one at that), but this just doesn't make sense.
Because Library of Alexandria is awesome! Its old and very uncommon to find a copy, and its extremely powerful.
December 24, 2013 3:04 a.m.
"Herp y is Black Lotus $3000 wen u can only hav 1 of it in oly 1 format?!?!?"
December 24, 2013 3:55 a.m.
lordnapalm says... #5
-It's very powerful. Lots of vintage players use it.
-It's very rare: Arabian Nights weren't printed in a very large run as it's the first MTG expansion. Using the data found on MTG Salvation, Wizard has printed 5 millions of Arabian Night cards, Standard set from Alpha to Unlimited are at 44.8 millions.Almost nobody plays the Juzam Djinn anymore (there is better creature for its price now), but he's still expensive.
Almost all the non reprinted Arabian Nights are expensive, even the Moutain !
-As bigv54 says, Necropotence, Demonic Tutor & Strip mine had all a lot of prints.For example demonic tutor has been in alpha/beta/unlimited/revised/foreign prints of revised, collector/international edition and more recently in duel deck divine vs demonic, so it has been printed way more time than Library. The others have been reprint in from the vault sets.
So yeah it's "normal": little number, high demand from vintage players or collectors = high price.
December 24, 2013 4:09 a.m.
I got a Necropotence for like 2 Bucks. Feels a bit wrong.
... By the way, that card is great.
bigv54 says... #2
I'm no expert, but I believe it is because of the fact that the other cards you mentioned were reprinted whereas the library was not. Old printings of those cards I think can go as high as $300
December 24, 2013 2:10 a.m.