Magic: The Gathering is an iconic game. Made by Wizards of the Coast (WotC) — the same people who make Dungeons and Dragons — in 1993 and designed by Richard Garfield it has been a staple in every game store for decades.
This year marks 30 years since the first beta and to celebrate the occasion WotC has released a limited edition set for the collectors.
From the outset, it’s clear this is not for your average Magic player. These cards can’t be used in tournament play, and unless you use sleeves with covered backs you wouldn’t want to play them in a normal game. Some of the cards available are even banned from commander decks so playing a game with them is going to be tough.
They are also $999 for four boosters totaling 60 cards. That’s $250 a booster, or $17 a card. So no, these are not for playing. They are for having. Of course, if you are a Magic player you know that spending $1,000 on cards isn’t unheard of but you normally get a lot more cards for that kind of money!
The set itself is a little underwhelming when you first open the box. The outside sleeve has a seal of authenticity and when you open it up it has a fairly good-quality black box inside. The box is frankly disappointing in a set that costs a thousand bucks. I would have hoped to have a wooden box maybe, or even something clear acrylic with an etched symbol would make more sense than this plain cardboard box. While the cards are the star of the show, this is a collector’s item and should be treated as such.
The cards are a different matter. Each booster comes with 15 beautiful drawn cards, though technically it’s 16 as it has a token in too, each with the standard rarities. They are:
- 13 Modern-frame cards (1 Rare, 3 Uncommon, 7 Common, and 2 basic lands)
- 2 Retro-frame cards (1 Card of any rarity and 1 basic land)
- 1 token limited edition alpha art
Because tokens didn’t exist in the game early in the run, all of the tokens made for this use special artwork in keeping with the retro look and feel of the entire set. Each card has a different back to the standard cards too, showing the original artwork for the Black Lotus, one of the most famous cards in the game, so they really stand out from the traditional backs we all know.
The artwork itself will be recognizable to anyone with a deep love for the game. Most of the cards in my booster seem to come from the beta or first edition cards, with some spread out over other early editions. I particularly like the Regeneration card from the alpha as it definitely gives off strong ’90s vibes. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a Black Lotus or any of the Power Nine, but I’m happy with the random collection I did get.
I sure would have liked the Timetwister card though, the art is one of my favorites. This randomized style for the collectible may not be for everyone as there is a good chance that like me, you won’t get the card you desperately want, but I like that each collector will have a different set than others. It adds to its uniqueness.
Overall I’m impressed with the 30th-anniversary set. The artwork is stunning on each of the cards, and there is a lot of history in every one of them. Could the box they come in be nicer? Absolutely and I will be making my own special deck box to store them moving forward, but the heart of the set, the actual cards themselves, are everything a died-in-the-wool Magic: The Gathering fan could ask for.
These cards are a piece of history in a way that few editions really are. It’s not like WotC releases an anniversary pack every year; this is a once in 30 years thing and extremely limited. it feels like owning a small piece of history. It’s not a practical purchase, it’s a piece of art.
Adam Benjamin, the other MtG nut here at CNET asked me a good question. Would I still be as impressed with this set if I had paid the thousand dollars? WotC sent me the box for review so it’s a fair question.
I love the cards, and what they mean to me as a player can’t be understated. They are a snapshot of a game that often consumes my time in the best way. So yes, I think I would be happy if I had purchased them — though I don’t have $1,000 to spend — although the box would make me mad every time I looked at it.
If Magic is your life, you have expendable cash, and if you can find them in stock, then splash out. I don’t think you will regret the decision.
