~ January 2020 - Mid Month Updates ~

Welcome everyone to the most loved post every month, with the most important magic information available in the industry.

Lets begin~!

Magic as a whole continues to push forward with a lot of new products. 

So we will start with this 2020 "year of the commander" products. This has created a lot of fear in stores and distributors which is now being reflected in the 2019 commander price softening. Keep in mind C19 came out in August and most people were paying $160-$190 per set, and have taken very large losses when the restock/reprint happened in December.

I personally do NOT think all the "preconstructed" brawl-like products will impact the main annual commander product. I think this will lay an interesting ground work as the product ages. I think the market will be caught off guard as the next 24 months unfolds. I continue to hold a massive position in C19 and i feel it will move to $200 a set within 24 months from day.

Next up, i am hearing information that the "mystery boxes" for stores will be a WPN exclusive product for the first time in years. If this holds true and distributors actually follow that rule, i will NOT be able to acquire the product since i am NOT a WPN tournament store. While i think the mystery product is "fun" it is not something i am very excited about, unless they do something crazy/unique to spice it up at release.

The new Challenger decks will be offered to patrons just like the last 2 years. Every year, this product comes out, sells great...and then the card prices drop and then everyone hates the product. With the pioneer announcement, the original 2018 challenger decks have been climbing in price big time and now are up 60% in 6 months....very impressive returns.

The collectors boxes is starting to become a shaky market and wizards is starting to get a lot of push back from the player base. I remember a similar thing occurring late in the cycle for Master booster boxes. I personally think after Theros,Ikoria,Zendikar....Collectors boxes will be discontinued permanently....just like Masters sets. I believe in 2021 / 2020 attempting to acquire the entire "collectors box" series will become a new thing, and prices will price dramatically. I expect in years from now all Collectors boxes will be $300-$500 per box range, depending on the set's strength and specialty cards included.

The 3,000 Local game stores are starting to enter a new phase of "negativity/declines" i have not seen this much bitterness since Iconic Masters/masters 25....2 years ago.

The problem is, Wizards has so MANY products in que...stores are required to be on the hook for a lot of capital, this is forcing stores to "fire sell" and dump each product at release causing a LARGER than normal price variances in the short term. This is also creating some fantastic long term opportunities for collectors/investors looking to sit on sealed product at great entry points.

At this time, i am leaning towards, skipping the "unsanctioned-board game" coming out soon. I am very skeptical about this product and the ability for it to hold value.

I have more sales and weird items lined up in the coming months, than i think i have ever had in the 4 years i have been doing this. So far, i have struck special deals on some intersting products. Pre-release variety pack is coming, M14 fat pack by the case special, Guilds Theme Boosters by the case special, Gatecrash by the case special, Ixalan by the case special, Commander 2018 + 2019 special, Modern horizons special maybe?, Avacyn Restored special. 

In addition, NON-magic related, i have some really cool things coming like the Argent Saga vareity pack containing EVERY SINGLE box / set item since the game was released + special promos only available for the patrons. will be 55 cents on the dollar compared to ebay pricing.

In addition, NON-magic related, i have officially closed a massive deal for 1,000 buddyfight booster boxes for a future variety kit for 30 cents on the dollar compoared to ebay pricing :-)

In addition, NON-magic related, i have closed a massive deal for 1,100 boxes of cardfight vanguard, also will be a variety kit later this year for 30 cents on the dollar compared to ebay.

Lastly, the new card game from New Zealand, "flesh and blood" with themes from Diablo and Path of exile...printed by the same company as magic the gathering is going to work on a variety kit for us :-)

So that is it...a lot of wild things in store for 2020.

Overall, another concerning thing is Youtube itself, the magic "community" on youtube has dwindled a lot. The views and amount of new channels,subscribers across the board is the lowest and slowest i have seen in the 4 years i have been on youtube. I hope it is not a sign of a declining player base.

Lastly, i am still working internally on ways to address the patreon account as a whole in regards to the constant rising prices in shipping and wizards rising prices on magic boxes. I have left the standard box prices at 79.99 shipped for 4 years now, since i started.

At this time, i am leaning towards closing all remaining $15 slots and creating 1 new patreon slot for $18 a month.

So if you are reading this message, you are locked in for life at the cheaper slot. All newer patrons will have to pay $18 a month. Standard box prices will remain 79.99 shipped.

This rewards all current patrons with NO PRICE INCREASE and the new patrons will have the higher sign up to compensate. Not official but that is the thought process so far.

As always thanks for reading and supporting this wild ride of a cardboard world

thanks

-Rudy :-)