To take a look at the side of "MM doesn't do anything to affect prices!". I'm actually doing a by-the-numbers cuz it's fucking annoying me how little empirical data is used to make assumptions around that argument.I'm not saying anybody on here is saying stuff like that and that it's annoying me, just making a post to handle annoyance with places like Tumblr etc.
So, here's some before and afters. My test was using an initial price point of Dec 8, 2014 (announce MM15) and then a year later. This is using TCG Mid price, USD. Using the OG printing for the card only.
This is laid out like (Title:
Before total ->
Afters total)
- Mythics Value: $700.50 -> $508.90
- All rares and mythics: $1100.00 -> $743.65
- All rares only: $399.5 -> $234.75
This isn't taking into account Mythic to Rare that MM does (I'm sticking only with the original printing). Apocalypse Hydra was $8.50 before, but can now be acquired for 80 cents as the MM rare.
Some other good examples:
Leyline of Sanctity
Eye of Ugin (imagine what this would be now
without a reprint available???)
Creakwood liege/Wilt-leaf liege
Daybreak Coronet
Remand
Cranial plating
As to "junk rares being the majority"... average December 2014 rare prices were over $7.... I dunno how junky they were after all. (Median being $1.75 tells me that there were a good chunk of "bad" rares, but at least half were worth $2 and up). Only one mythic is what I'd call close to "Junk" so home run there.
What people may be confusing is that these sets also often
increase the playerbase and interest in the format, so that force fights against the price dropping. Prices seem like they go back up? Because 10% more people think modern is accessible, partially due to increased availability. So anyway, it's impossible to pull other market variables out, but Reprint sets seem to accomplish both goals that players seem to think they have: Increased Format awareness/play, and lower prices for staples. It also accomplishes the one major goal WotC has, $$$.
As for EMA, Imma probably save up for a box to draft with my buds.
