Old Magic: The Gathering & Grading

Spacemanspif · 10-22-2020, 12:25 PM

Hello, I have a bunch of old MTG cards and was wondering if people collect these graded or if they are better ungraded so they can still be played with. I sold off the vast majority (LCS took 10,000 plus cards a few years back) and so I'm really just talking about the dual lands and other high end rares ranging from Revised to Urza's. I haven't checked prices in a year or two but remember that condition did play a pretty big part in determining value which is why I am contemplating grading some of them. Any info is appreciated

akarlen · 10-22-2020, 01:10 PM

I'm far from a MTG guru, but I do have some graded power. It's been my impression that graded MTG is worth the time/effort/money to do so if it is one of several categories:

1) Power
2) Older but valuable (your reserved list material counts), especially RL, with grades 8+ for bigger cards, or 9+ for lesser cards
3) Much older (eg. Alpha, Beta) with decent grades 8+

Magic just does NOT have the collectability of games like Pokémon or even Yugioh. Many of the older RL cards are in demand for sake of playability and availability, which makes graded examples less desirable. I'd say power, alpha, and beta are definitely the exceptions to that.

rroboo · 10-22-2020, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by akarlen

Magic just does NOT have the collectability of games like Pokémon or even Yugioh.

MTG is the only category that I invest heavily in as the card game is rich in history and the print run for everything is extremely low compared to everything else. I was born in 97 so nostalgia is not there for me but I love the card artwork and frame pre-2001.

tyrith · 10-22-2020, 09:01 PM

MTG can definitely be collectible, but there's not the engine of cartoons, video games, etc to drive people into the hobby from a young age like there is with Pokemon and YGO.

jetcollectibles · 10-23-2020, 01:03 AM

I've been pretty heavy into Magic the past six years or so. Unfortunately, there is not a huge market for graded cards from Revised to Urza's (at least yet). If you have any Alpha/Beta or really big reserve list cards, then it might be worth it if they are in good shape. If your Revised duals might get 9s/10s, then they would be worth it. Since so many people play with vintage cards, a lot of the prices of 8s are fairly comparable to LP/NM raw prices. I went through my collection the past few weeks after the PSA Magic quarterly special was announced to see about sending some Revised and reserve list cards in the 100-300 range. After checking prices again, I just didn't see it paying off for me (since I feel most would get 7-8s). I might send in a few duals just to get them slabbed for the collection since it's a great price.

rroboo · 10-23-2020, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jetcollectibles

I've been pretty heavy into Magic the past six years or so. Unfortunately, there is not a huge market for graded cards from Revised to Urza's (at least yet). If you have any Alpha/Beta or really big reserve list cards, then it might be worth it if they are in good shape. If your Revised duals might get 9s/10s, then they would be worth it. Since so many people play with vintage cards, a lot of the prices of 8s are fairly comparable to LP/NM raw prices. I went through my collection the past few weeks after the PSA Magic quarterly special was announced to see about sending some Revised and reserve list cards in the 100-300 range. After checking prices again, I just didn't see it paying off for me (since I feel most would get 7-8s). I might send in a few duals just to get them slabbed for the collection since it's a great price.

That's what's crazy the most. I bought a lot of common and uncommon alpha cards but at this time, I just don't see the point in grading for the price they are currently at. It is also odd the MTG community favors BGS. The whole thing seems like we are looking in the past and needs caught up.

jetcollectibles · 10-23-2020, 02:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rroboo

That's what's crazy the most. I bought a lot of common and uncommon alpha cards but at this time, I just don't see the point in grading for the price they are currently at. It is also odd the MTG community favors BGS. The whole thing seems like we are looking in the past and needs caught up.

Exactly, I have thought about trying to load up on some PSA vintage to maybe get ahead of the curve after seeing the huge preference shift to PSA in sports cards and Pokémon, but there's just not a ton out there.

Snakeonia · 10-23-2020, 11:59 AM

Id only grade RL from unlimited at back. Maybe a mox diamond and maybe sliver queen and the urza lands. Wouldn’t waste time with any revised as there is hundreds of thousands of each rare. I for one go with PSA. Cant stand BGS. Like continuity in my collection and will not get what others favor. Its my collection not theirs. The problem as stated is MTG is a card game first collectable second. Poke is a collectable first and a card game second. Magic could and may make a movie and video games but havent to this point. So they have more room to grow in that respect but in the current environment they are missing that ingredient.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Spacemanspif · 10-23-2020, 04:36 PM

thanks for the replies all, I will take them out to clean / inspect this weekend, but I doubt the dual lands will grade well since I used to play with them in decks as a kid. the "newer" stuff like Mox Diamond and Gaea's cradle are probably mint so I'll try and do some research on values. as someone that only collects and grades basketball and has heard about recent growth in Pokemon and other sports, it's interesting to hear that MTG hasn't really caught on with collectors yet. maybe I should just grade everything and by the time the subs come back, the MTG market will have caught on!

10-22-2020, 12:25 PM	#1
Spacemanspif Member Join Date: Aug 2019 Posts: 5,841 Spacemanspif	Old Magic: The Gathering & Grading Hello, I have a bunch of old MTG cards and was wondering if people collect these graded or if they are better ungraded so they can still be played with. I sold off the vast majority (LCS took 10,000 plus cards a few years back) and so I'm really just talking about the dual lands and other high end rares ranging from Revised to Urza's. I haven't checked prices in a year or two but remember that condition did play a pretty big part in determining value which is why I am contemplating grading some of them. Any info is appreciated

10-22-2020, 01:10 PM	#2
akarlen Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,065 grey_wulfe akarlen	I'm far from a MTG guru, but I do have some graded power. It's been my impression that graded MTG is worth the time/effort/money to do so if it is one of several categories: 1) Power 2) Older but valuable (your reserved list material counts), especially RL, with grades 8+ for bigger cards, or 9+ for lesser cards 3) Much older (eg. Alpha, Beta) with decent grades 8+ Magic just does NOT have the collectability of games like Pokémon or even Yugioh. Many of the older RL cards are in demand for sake of playability and availability, which makes graded examples less desirable. I'd say power, alpha, and beta are definitely the exceptions to that. __________________ PC: Swimmer / Surfer / Medical / Hawaii / Washington http://s50.photobucket.com/albums/f307/akarlen/cards/ http://sportscardalbum.com/u/akarlen http://collectorsanonymous.blogspot.com

10-22-2020, 09:01 PM	#4
tyrith Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Posts: 1,796 tyrith	MTG can definitely be collectible, but there's not the engine of cartoons, video games, etc to drive people into the hobby from a young age like there is with Pokemon and YGO.

10-23-2020, 01:03 AM	#5
jetcollectibles Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Location: Pelham, AL Posts: 593 jetcollectibles	I've been pretty heavy into Magic the past six years or so. Unfortunately, there is not a huge market for graded cards from Revised to Urza's (at least yet). If you have any Alpha/Beta or really big reserve list cards, then it might be worth it if they are in good shape. If your Revised duals might get 9s/10s, then they would be worth it. Since so many people play with vintage cards, a lot of the prices of 8s are fairly comparable to LP/NM raw prices. I went through my collection the past few weeks after the PSA Magic quarterly special was announced to see about sending some Revised and reserve list cards in the 100-300 range. After checking prices again, I just didn't see it paying off for me (since I feel most would get 7-8s). I might send in a few duals just to get them slabbed for the collection since it's a great price.

10-23-2020, 11:59 AM	#8
Snakeonia Member Join Date: Mar 2020 Posts: 2,573	Id only grade RL from unlimited at back. Maybe a mox diamond and maybe sliver queen and the urza lands. Wouldn’t waste time with any revised as there is hundreds of thousands of each rare. I for one go with PSA. Cant stand BGS. Like continuity in my collection and will not get what others favor. Its my collection not theirs. The problem as stated is MTG is a card game first collectable second. Poke is a collectable first and a card game second. Magic could and may make a movie and video games but havent to this point. So they have more room to grow in that respect but in the current environment they are missing that ingredient. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

10-23-2020, 04:36 PM	#9
Spacemanspif Member Join Date: Aug 2019 Posts: 5,841 Spacemanspif	thanks for the replies all, I will take them out to clean / inspect this weekend, but I doubt the dual lands will grade well since I used to play with them in decks as a kid. the "newer" stuff like Mox Diamond and Gaea's cradle are probably mint so I'll try and do some research on values. as someone that only collects and grades basketball and has heard about recent growth in Pokemon and other sports, it's interesting to hear that MTG hasn't really caught on with collectors yet. maybe I should just grade everything and by the time the subs come back, the MTG market will have caught on!