As Wizards teased late last week, a brand new Chaos Vault has just been unveiled today. Up for sale at 9 AM PT or midday EDT, this Chaos Vault might have been announced ahead of time, but it’s definitely still chaotic. In a unique twist, MTG players have no choice but to buy two drops this time around, which Wizards has preassigned into ice cream-themed bundles.
Thankfully, while being forced to buy two drops is definitely an unusual choice, each one is rather compelling. The Inked drop, for instance, has some serious reprint value, and the Back in My Day! drop is no slouch either. So long as you don’t mind the tattoo-style and retro frame themes of these drops, they could be amazing pickups.
Back in My Day! Chaos Vault Drop
Despite only containing four MTG cards, the Back in My Day! drop is worth around $33. The majority of this is thanks to a fresh reprint of Birthing Pod, which admittedly looks fantastic here. Artwork from Ron Spencer, alongside the “Mono Artifact” type line, really sells the retro-frame like new reprints rarely manage.
As if one well-priced reprint wasn’t enough, this Chaos Vault drop also contains Breath of Fury. As an enchantment that enables tons of infinite combos, it’s little wonder this card usually sells for $13. While it’s unclear if this retro-frame reprint will match this current value, it’s definitely a great reprint to see.
The same is also true for Veil of Summer, although it’s a serious step down from a value perspective. Selling for around $3.50, thanks to being reprinted in the Mystical Archive, this card is hardly a standout. From a gameplay point of view, however, Veil of Summer sees an insane amount of Commander play. Thanks to this, there could easily be demand for this new variant.
Last, and also least, Battle Hymn is a weak reprint, only selling for around $2 on TCGplayer. While this isn’t amazing, the total value for this drop definitely isn’t anything to scoff at. Considering you can pick up two copies for $51.99, too, it’s one hell of a deal right now.
Inked Chaos Vault Drop
Alongside the Back in my Day! drop, MTG players can also pick up the Inked drop during this Chaos Vault opening. Thanks to a leak last year, we already knew the contents of this drop, but it’s only gotten better over time. Thanks to Crypt Ghast having climbed in value up to $12, this Chaos Vault drop is now worth around $22 total.
Out of this, Deathrite Shaman is the next most expensive card, offering a respectable $8 on its own. Sadly, prices fall off pretty sharply from here, as Ice-Fang Coatl sells for just $1. With Burnished Hart and Mulldrifter selling for even less, you’re realistically only buying this drop for two cards.
The good news, at least, is that, outside of Ice-Fang Coatl, every card in this drop sees strong play in Commander. Due to this, there’s a good chance that the reprints in this drop might end up being more expensive than their cheapest available variant. Considering that Chaos Vault drops tend to be a lot more scarce than Secret Lairs, this seems inevitable.
Gaming the Gimmick
As mentioned, Wizards of the Coast has bundled the new Chaos Vault drops together this time around. Essentially, each non-foil drop is being sold for $26, while the foil ones are going for $36. This might be cheaper than the usual purchase price for standard Secret Lairs, but obviously, you can’t just buy one.
If you want to game the system, the best value for your money right now is the “Double Vanilla Bundle.” Offering two copies of the Back in my Day! drop, this bundle has the best raw reprint value. Considering how much the value of Secret Lair cards can fluctuate, however, this is hardly guaranteed free money.
Ultimately, as always, you should buy Secret Lair and Chaos Vault drops for the cards you want, rather than for any potential money-making. Even with this in mind, however, you might want to be quick about it, since Chaos Vaults have a tendency to sell out fast.
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