For better or worse, Universes Beyond MTG cards can have a bit of an odd life cycle. Typically, MTG cards live and die based on their mechanical synergy, with prices rising and falling as new Commanders get released. Many Universes Beyond cards will follow this same trajectory; however, there are also external factors to consider.
When a new game, show, or product related to a Universes Beyond property gets released, past crossover cards can suddenly get more popular. We saw this recently following the finale of Stranger Things, which caused the Secret Lair cards to spike in price. Now, it seems we’re seeing the same happen to a card from the MTG Fallout decks, thanks to a recently released crossover Secret Lair.
MTG Hancock, Ghoulish Mayor
Unlike a lot of Commanders released in recent years, Hancock, Ghoulish Mayor, surprisingly, isn’t a self-contained value engine. Technically, Hancock does feed into himself slightly thanks to his Undying ability, but that’s where the internal synergy stops. Without any other support, all you’ll get from Hancock is a +1+1 buff to all your Mutants and Zombies.
Thankfully, since Hancock, Ghoulish Mayor just cares about counters of any kind, it’s very easy to get insane value from him. Jenova, Ancient Calamity and The Wise Mothman, for instance, can quickly load Hancock up with +1/+1 counters. Alternatively, you can just use his Undying ability to go near-infinite with Yawgmoth, Thran Physician.
On top of these existing play patterns, The Ghoul, Gunslinger has also caused Hancock to see a slight spike in demand. While this new Secret Lair Commander isn’t the most popular on EDHREC, there’s natural Ghoul synergy between them. Since both cards care about Mutants and Zombies, it’s little wonder Hancock appears in around 62% of The Ghoul decks so far.
As if this wasn’t enough new synergy, Hancock, Ghoulish Mayor is potentially quite good alongside some TMNT MTG cards. Despite the leaks, the Commander deck for this set remains under wraps, and if it contains enough mutants, Hancock could be a compelling upgrade. So far, Hancock has already found his way into 25% of Heroes in a Half Shell decks.
Topping it all off, many MTG Fallout cards have naturally become more popular recently, thanks to the TV show. The Mutant Menace precon, for example, has over doubled in price over the past three months and is now selling for $126.
Factoring in the influence of the Fallout TV show as well, it’s no wonder Hancock, Ghoulish Mayor has become more popular. As usual, alongside this increased popularity, we’ve also seen a rather impressive price spike. In just one month, copies of Hancock, Ghoulish Mayor have already climbed by 700%.
The Spike
Despite spiking a clean 700% in just one month, Hancock, Ghoulish Mayor still isn’t a very expensive MTG card. Currently, near-mint non-foil copies of Hancock are only selling for $3.04 on average. Unfortunately, new near-mint listings are already slightly beyond this average price, with prices starting at $3.58.
Considering Hancock used to sell for just $0.38 back in January, there’s no denying this card has spiked hard in price. At the same time, a sub $3 price increase hardly breaks the bank. That being said, since there are only 38 near-mint copies of Hancock left on TCGplayer, prices could continue to climb.
The extended art version of Hancock, Ghoulish Mayor seems determined to show the card’s potential right now. With only 13 near-mint listings left available, prices for this variant now start at over $19. So far, no non-foil copy has actually sold at this price point; however, sellers are clearly capitalizing on the market.
Unfortunately for fans of fancy foils, Hancock’s Surge Foil variants have also exploded in price recently. With default frame Surge Foils spiking to $19 and extended art Surge Foils hitting $15, prices are up across the board. Curiously, unlike the non-foil extended art variant, Surge Foil copies have actually been selling at these new price points.
The Future
Looking ahead, in the short term, there’s a good chance that Hancock, Ghoulish Mayor will continue to spike. Hype around the mutants in the TMNT MTG set could easily continue to propel demand, especially following the precon’s reveal, should Mutants be a big part of the deck. That said, should this deck not deliver, then the synergy this card is capable of might not be needed.
Realistically, Hancock, Ghoulish Mayor could easily go either way; however, things do look more positive in the long term. With so many new MTG cards released each year, it’s only a matter of time before more Mutants and Zombies get released. When this happens, Hancock could easily become a staple within the 99, pushing demand to new heights.
If this happens, then the price spike we’re seeing now might end up looking like a drop in the bucket. Thanks to originating from the Fallout Commander decks, there’s not a huge amount of supply available. With Hancock, Ghoulish Mayor being a very specific Fallout legend, it’s unlikely he’ll be reprinted anytime soon, too.
Ultimately, while we can pick up on trends, accurately predicting the future is another matter entirely. With the MTG markets often working in mysterious ways, we’ll just have to wait and see what the future brings. Hopefully, with the TMNT debut livestream taking place on February 17th, it won’t be long before things become clearer.
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