The title says it all, people. We’re almost done with previews, I’m close to having the math done for the main set, and we’ve got a stack of Box Toppers to look at. Some amazing reprints here, and some surprises as well.
There are 30 toppers, and you get a traditional foil version for every box: Set Booster, Draft Booster, and Collector Booster. Everything here is marked as Mythic, so there’s no Toppers that will be more or less common than others. Surge foil versions will be part of the super-rare slot in Collector Boosters, and nonfoils will show up on the menu in a different CB slot. Those odds will be coming next week, but be aware that there’s three types of Toppers to be found.
For each card, I’m going to give you the price range currently, plus the EDHREC number. Most of these are Commander-focused, and then we’ll talk about where they should end up. Remember, there will be a nonfoil, a traditional foil, and a surge foil version for each of these.
The Great Henge ($48 for the cheapest, $225 for the most expensive, 115k decks on EDHREC) – Being a mega-staple is great for this card, and I can’t wait to buy $30 or even $20 versions in a few weeks. This will rebound, especially because almost everyone who opens one will have a Commander deck that needs a copy.
Cloudstone Curio ($40 to $195, 24k decks) – This is a combo card. It’s very rarely played fair, and the price reflects that this has had very few printings. This will get surprisingly cheap, and only if it gets very very cheap will I be buying in.
Ensnaring Bridge ($15 to $150, 9300 decks) – This is more of a Modern sideboard card than a Commander card, and this will be available under $10. I will not be stocking up, as these haven’t really recovered from the Masters 25 print or the Double Masters.
The Ozolith ($24 to $55, 88k decks) – The first reprint since Ikoria, this is going to dip down in price, and if it gets to between $5-$10, I’ll be thinking about buying in. Surge foils will be more expensive than you’re thinking, because counters players are hardcore about their business.
Rings of Brighthearth ($3 to $95, 66k decks) – It’s three bucks after the Commander Legends version, and while this is an important moment in the story and the lore, it’ll be super-mega-cheap and not worth reinvesting.
Shadowspear ($20 to $100, 99k decks) – The graph has stayed solid for more than a year, and my target is around $12 for the traditional foils. Surge foils will be much more, and the nonfoils will be a good choice under $5, especially with Urza’s Saga being so popular in Modern.
Sword of Hearth and Home ($11 to $26, 71k) – Modern Horizons 2 was opened for a VERY long time. Fetches are at their lowest points, especially for things like retro frame foils, and having this version come along is going to help make sure that the card stays cheap. If you haven’t played with it, I suggest you do: it’s probably the most powerful thing you can do in Commander when it hits.
Thorn of Amethyst (75¢ to $330, 17k decks) – The BRO archive gave us more than one dirt-cheap version, and this should keep it there. It’s hard to foresee a world where this gets valuable.
Bojuka Bog (25¢ to $100, 420k decks) – This is a super-mega-popular card in Commander, a good effect that doesn’t cost you anything more than a tapped land. It’s a very useful card, and that’s why it’s listed all over the place. Time Spiral Remastered retro foils are the high price, but Surge foils really have a chance to be very very expensive. Nonfoils won’t be much, but the foils should do well.
Boseiju, Who Shelters All ($18 to $100, 21k decks) – The Secret Lair didn’t help, and this version will keep all the versions cheap for a while yet. I won’t be trying to spec on this.
Cabal Coffers ($16 to $130, 172k decks) – I thought that when this went below $20 in MH2 it was a strong buy, and I did. Now it’s a couple bucks cheaper, plus this version means that this goes from a spec to the bad spec box. Get your personal copies cheap, but don’t expect big growth.
Castle Ardenvale (bulk to $20, 60k decks) – Don’t bother, though Surge foils will outstrip the original FEA copies.
Cavern of Souls ($50 to $180, 134k decks) – This has gotten several reprints over the years, and generally bounces back. This printing should put the cheapest version down to around $40, and I’ll be planning on getting some copies.
Deserted Temple ($35 to $320, 11k decks) – This has been pricey due to a complete lack of reprints. No List, no Secret Lair, nothing. It’s usually only used with something like a Gaea’s Cradle, and the piddling EDHREC numbers mean that this version is going to be very cheap, like under $10.
Gemstone Caverns ($55 to $300, 118k decks) – I admit, I knew this was pricey but I had no idea so many cEDH decks played this card. As such, this is something I’ll have to consider buying in on when the price reaches bottom.
Homeward Path ($17 to $70, 52k decks) – This was in Commander decks for three straight years, plus a judge foil. There’s never been a large number circulating, for all it’s a useful card. I’ll want to get in on foils when they hit bottom.
Horizon Canopy ($15 to $120, 21k decks) – The other versions of the sac lands are not expensive at all, generally speaking, and Canopy will take a while to recover here too.
Karakas ($27 to $72, BANNED in Commander) – This will be a relatively inexpensive card, as it’s banned in Commander. There’s very little use cases for it, though it’s a Cube staple. It’ll be lucky to hold $15 and it won’t be worth buying in.
Kor Haven ($15 to $100, 12k decks) – It’s useful, sure, but it’s also been given very few reprints over the years, none of them major. I expect this to hit $7, and even buying in there isn’t appealing, given how long it’ll take to climb back up.
Minamo, School at Water’s Edge ($22 to $100, 37k decks) – There’s a lot of Commander who love this card, and unless you need Islands specifically, it’s a freeroll. The MYB foils have really languished, though, so even buying in cheap it might take too long to rise again.
Mouth of Ronom (bulk to $17, 4800 decks) – Bad card, even in Snow strategies it’s barely played. Stay away.
Oboro, Palace of the Clouds ($60 to $300, 8000 decks) – Another card where there’s very little reprint equity, this is mainly used in some weird landfall combo decks or other such shenanigans. Useful, but not in high demand. Watch this price drop like an ACME safe.
Pillar of the Paruns ($1 to $15, 4800 decks) – Being unable to cast artifacts in Commander is a real drawback, and this version, while having sweet art, will not be expensive or worth picking up as a spec.
Reflecting Pool ($5 to $60, 133k decks) – It’s in a ton of decks, but it’s also been printed a ton of times. The super-expensive version has a Plains symbol misprint, and this version will be the one that keeps this card very very inexpensive. I was thinking of getting copies before, but now I’m staying away for a while.
Shinka, the Bloodsoaked Keep ($12 to $130, 17k decks) – It’s a useful card, it shows up once in a while in Modern, it costs you almost nothing in Commander to give a notable bonus when needed. It’s not played enough to be worth buying anytime soon.
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth ($36 to $205, 294k decks) – I knew this was popular, but not 300k decks popular. Still, the graph doesn’t lie: the most recent printing started out low and has more than doubled since then. I don’t think I’m going to buy right away, but this is on the list of things I want to buy at the low point.
Wasteland ($20 to $80, 45k decks) – It’s not super popular, but it does see some play and it’s useful to have an out to land-based problems. The graph for the EMA version shows that the price has gone down with each of the recent printings, and this should be under $10, and I don’t think the demand will be there to help it recover.
Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth ($8 to $17, 232k decks) – Another MH2 card that shows the sheer number of copies opened, this will go pretty low and will have me considering when to buy in.
Cliff (@WordOfCommander) has been writing for MTGPrice since 2013, and is an eager Commander player, Draft enthusiast, and Cube fanatic. A high school science teacher by day, he’s also the official substitute teacher of the MTG Fast Finance podcast. If you’re ever at a GP and you see a giant flashing ‘CUBE DRAFT’ sign, go over, say hi, and be ready to draft.