Following a few suspect teases, yesterday, Wizards of the Coast revealed the latest massive Secret Lair Superdrop. As the title and seasons give away, this MTG release was the widely anticipated Summer Superdrop 2023. Unfortunately for players looking forward to this release, however, it hasn’t quite lived up to expectations.
Rather than being an awesome celebration of MTG artists and Lord of the Rings with reprints galore, the Summer Superdrop 2023 is deeply underwhelming. In fact, thanks to reprints from the latest set, this Superdrop contains arguably the worst Secret Lair of all time. That is, at least, so long as you ignore the art, which is a major selling point of the sub-brand.
Thankfully, while one of the Secret Lairs is a value flop, not every drop in this Superdrop is awful. In fact, quite the opposite is true. With stellar reprints and awesome art, much of the Summer Superdrop 2023 should appeal to MTG players. While this is the important thing with Secret Lair releases, we, like many MTG players, can’t ignore the value.
With a new bundle clocking in at $488.99, Secret Lair drops certainly don’t come cheap. Subsequently, with these releases, there’s the expectation that players will get some good and highly-prized cards. The question remains, however, are these new Secret Lair drops actually worth the price of admission?
Thankfully, that’s a question that we’re somewhat able to answer. So, after some quick caveats, let’s embark on a deep dive into the Secret Lair Summer Superdrop 2023 to see if it’s worth your hard-earned MTG card-buying cash.
Before We Start
As we mentioned just a sentence ago, there are a few things we have to go over first. Out of these, it’s most important to note that for Secret Lair drops, art matters. Typically, for a lot of Secret Lair drops, prices will reach similar points to their normal counterparts. For more prized and beloved cards, however, Secret Lair cards can often be significantly more expensive. This is certainly the case for Secret Lair reprints of Thassa’s Oracle.
Alongside this point about pricing, which can be rather hard to predict, it’s worth highlighting how Secret Lair drops can contain first-time foil treatments. In these instances, the prices can also be incredibly hard to predict. Ultimately, this goes for all Secret Lair cards since they’re printed to demand.
Thanks to the print-to-demand strategy, anyone with money and desire can purchase a Secret Lair. This mitigates the strain on the secondary market. That being said, the Summer Superdrop 2023 is only available to MTG players for a limited time. After two months, all these drops will go away forever, which often causes prices to spike.
For the time being, throughout this list, we’ll be ignoring any hypothetical price spikes that may come in the future. Instead, we’ll be looking at the current cheapest price of the cards within the Secret Lair drops. To do this, we’ll be utilizing TCGplayer’s Market Price feature.
As one last note, before we get going, the Secret Lair website currently offers a promotion. Namely, players can get 2 The Brothers’ War Collector Boosters for every $200 spent. While this is a nice added bonus, we won’t be factoring it in during this article. Now, with those caveats out of the way, it’s time to jump into the list properly!
More Adventures in Middle-earth
Price: $29.99
As alluded to at the start of this article, the More Adventures in Middle-earth bundle is the total flop of the Superdrop. Featuring under a dollar in value, the specific cards within the Superdrop really aren’t worth getting excited about. After all, they did all just launch in The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth.
If we were to look over it with a fine-toothed comb, the most exciting card in the drop is Shire Terrace. Coming in at a staggering $0.12, this card is a single cent more expensive than the drop’s next-best card. Being a common land, there’s very little that can be said about this revamped Evolving Wilds. Chances are it could see play in budget Commander decks, however, it’s likely never going to be an expensive card.
Thankfully, while the actual cards may be extremely inexpensive, as we mentioned before, there is value in this Secret Lair drop. This is thanks to the awesome art, which is directly pulled from the classic animated Lord of the Rings movie. Animated by Ralph Bakshi, this film has some absolutely stellar art, which players are thoroughly excited to own.
As a result of this demand, it’s likely these Secret Lair cards will sell for a good amount on the secondary market. For the time being, however, we can only judge these cards against the currently existing variants. Subsequently, the below cart does not paint a pretty picture.
| Card Name | Non-Foil Price | Foil Price |
| Slip On the Ring | $0.07 | $0.15 |
| Gandalf, Friend of the Shire | $0.11 | $0.17 |
| Mirror of Galadriel | $0.10 | $0.18 |
| Shire Terrace | $0.12 | $0.26 |
| Total | $0.40 | $0.76 |
Death Is Temporary, Metal Is Forever
Price: $29.99
Since the earliest days of Magic: the Gathering’s existence, MTG players have often mused that some cards sound like metal band names. Wizards of the Coast is leaning into that for this Secret Lair. Utilizing the art style of myriad heavy metal albums and logos, this Secret Lair definitely lives up to its name.
Alongside the visually stunning art, this Secret Lair also promises a decent amount of value. Unfortunately, however, the value still isn’t enough to break even with the cost of the Secret Lair. When adding the prices of all the cards up, the contents of this Secret Lair barely reach $20. Out of this, the majority is propped up by a $9.67 Waste Not.
Thankfully, while the non-foil Secret Lair is rather lackluster, the foil variant is much more compelling. In fact, thanks to Waste Not once again, this Secret Lair product even breaks even! Admittedly, it does only break even by 77 cents, however, that’s better than nothing at least!
| Card Name | Non-Foil Price | Foil Price |
| Syr Konrad, the Grim | $1.02 | $4.06 |
| Underworld Dreams | $0.44 | $0.84 |
| Waste Not | $9.67 | $24.93 |
| Wheel of Misfortune | $3.13 | $5.18 |
| Nekusar, the Mindrazer | $6.65 | $5.76 |
| Total | $20.91 | $40.77 |
Goblin & Squabblin’
Price: $29.99
As one of the most popular creature types in MTG, there is no shortage of Goblins for players to enjoy. Able to appear on almost any plane, nary a set goes by without a Goblin or two being included. Despite this astonishing prevalence, however, several Goblins are still astonishingly expensive and in dire need of a reprint. To solve exactly that problem, we have the Goblin & Squabblin’ Secret Lair drop.
Out of all the drop’s cards, the most expensive by a long way is Goblin Lackey. First printed in Urza’s Saga, this card has only been reprinted in From the Vault and past Secret Lair drops. As a result of this, copies are still rather hard to come by, clocking in at $20 at least! While this price tag is potentially great news for value enthusiasts, it’s worth pointing out that the past reprints aren’t very recent. As a result, thanks to the supply provided by this new Secret Lair, the price may drop somewhat.
Thankfully, even if this does happen to the base version of Goblin Lackey, all hope is not lost. This is thanks to the Rainbow Foil variant of the Secret Lair drop, which offers potentially incredibly compelling value. That’s the hope, at least, as three of the drop’s cards have not had foil printings before. In theory, these three cards could more than justify the price of the Goblin & Squabblin’ drop, however, we won’t know until it releases.
In any case, thanks to the reprint of several classic and beloved Goblins, this Secret Lair drop has some rather promising value to consider.
| Card Name | Non-Foil Price | Foil Price |
| Goblin Lackey | $20.06 | N/A |
| Goblin Matron | $0.1 | $0.22 |
| Goblin Recruiter | $6.37 | N/A |
| Muxus, Goblin Grandee | $3.98 | N/A |
| Shattergang Brothers | $0.24 | $0.26 |
| Total | $30.75 | $0.48 (N/A) |
Bad to the Bones
Price: $29.99
Have you ever seen those weird t-shirts of skeletons riding motorbikes with weirdly specific text on them? How about the memes about those shirts on a subreddit like r/THE_PACK? Still no? Well, in any case, someone at Wizards of the Coast definitely has, as it’s pretty much the theme of this Secret Lair.
Beyond the entertaining and skeleton-focused theme, this Secret Lair has some compelling value to offer. Unfortunately, however, that’s only for the foil variant of this drop. Only a few cards are worth mentioning within the $29.99 non-foil variant. Those are Tinybones, Trinket Thief, and Necrogen Mists, which are priced at $9.77 and $6.51, respectively.
While the non-foil Secret Lair may be a bit of a dud, the foil version is a completely different story. This is thanks to the $27 foil variant of Necrogen Mists propping up the price tag. Alongside this enticing foil Tinybones, Trinket Thief and Bottomless Pit haven’t had a foil variant before. In theory, this could make these cards incredibly expensive, so it’s well worth keeping an eye on this drop.
| Card Name | Non-Foil Price | Foil Price |
| Bottomless Pit | $1.56 | N/A |
| Necrogen Mists | $6.51 | $27.32 |
| Reassembling Skeleton | $0.22 | $4.97 |
| Tinybones, Trinket Thief | $9.77 | N/A |
| Geier Reach Sanitarium | $0.67 | $11.1 |
| Total | $18.73 | $43.39 |
Artist Series: Ryan Alexander Lee
Price: $29.99
In somewhat of a theme for the Summer Superdrop 2023, the latest Artist Series MTG Secret Lair doesn’t have incredible value. Thankfully, however, since this is an Artist Series drop, this detail matters less than usual. Rather than being all about the reprints, this drop allows players to celebrate the work of an artist they enjoy. As the name of the drop gives away, this time around Ryan Alexander Lee gets that special treatment.
Famed for telling stories in their artwork, the art in this Secret Lair drop is definitely the star. That being said, however, there are also some reprints well worth getting excited about. For instance, while they may not break the bank, Worldspine Wurm and Twilight Prophet, are both worth over $11. Since these cards haven’t had alternate art variants before, it’s possible Secret Lair variants could be even more expensive.
While the non-foil prices may not break even, thankfully the foil variants are much more enticing. This is once again thanks to Worldspine Wurm and Twilight Prophet. Clocking in at over $28 a piece, these two cards alone justify the increased price tag. Alongside these cards, Nemesis of Reasons sweetens the deal even more, as foil copies are typically worth around $12.
| Card Name | Non-Foil Price | Foil Price |
| Nemesis of Reason | $0.18 | $12.23 |
| Gaea’s Blessing | $0.24 | $1.78 |
| Twilight Prophet | $11.14 | $28.26 |
| Worldspine Wurm | $11.01 | $29.84 |
| Wurm Token | $1.01 | N/A |
| Total | $23.58 | $72.11 |
The Stars Gaze Back
Price: $29.99
Unfortunately for value fanatics, The Stars Gaze Back Secret Lair drop continues the disappointing running trend of dismal value. This time around, however, this may not be such a major problem. As to further continue the trend, the foil prices for this Secret Lair’s cards are absolutely incredible!
For non-foil variants, the most exciting card, from a value perspective, is Omnath, Locus of Rage. Priced at $2.57, this card certainly won’t break the bank, and ensures this drop doesn’t break even. As we mentioned before, however, the foil prices are a completely different story.
On its own, a foil copy of Risen Reef costs around $20 on TCGplayer. As if that wasn’t enough, Omnath, Locus of Rage is also each worth around $15, with Voice of Resurgence commanding another $5. Thanks to these cards, the foil edition of The Stars Gaze Back seems like a sound investment. Enough of one, in fact, that it could be good news for the non-foil Secret Lair too!
In theory, due to the foil pricing trend, it’s possible that players are clamoring for special variants of these cards. If this is the case, both editions of The Stars Gaze Back could be incredibly valuable in the long run. As enticing as this thought is, however, it’s important to note that there’s no guarantee of this. Since Secret Lairs are print-to-demand, it’s equally possible, interest players could purchase this Secret Lair drop and have their fill, resulting in little secondary market demand.
| Card Name | Non-Foil Price | Foil Price |
| Flamekin Harbinger | $2.24 | $2.87 |
| Omnath, Locus of Rage | $2.57 | $15.32 |
| Risen Reef | $0.9 | $20.08 |
| Voice of Resurgence | $2.35 | $4.65 |
| Total | $8.06 | $42.92 |
Featuring: the Mountain Goats
Price: $29.99
Last but not least for the final MTG Secret Lair in the Summer Superdrop 2023, we have a big ol’ pile of land. Given the name, you might expect this land to be adorned with all manner of Capra hircus, however, you’d be wrong. Instead, this Secret Lair celebrates the band The Mountain Goats, who once performed live at Wizards of the Coast’s headquarters.
While the surprisingly not full art lands are definitely gorgeous, evaluating these cards from a value perspective is rather difficult. On one hand, they can easily be compared to regular Mountains which can cost as low as $0.03. Alternatively, these lands could be more appropriately compared to past Secret Lair Mountains. Unfortunately, however, doing this doesn’t make determining prices any easier.
On the high end of the spectrum, Secret Lair Mountains can cost as high as $13 a piece! This is the case for Mountain from The Godzilla Lands SLD. Alternatively, it’s equally possible these lands could only be worth $1.31, similar to the Secret Lair x Arcane Mountain. Until these cards are released as we know the demand, there’s no telling where pricing may settle.
As laid out in the beginning, for this list we’ll be using the lowest suitable price to determine worth.
| Card Name | Non-Foil Price | Foil Price |
| Mountain | $1.31 | $1.42 |
| Mountain | $1.31 | $1.42 |
| Mountain | $1.31 | $1.42 |
| Mountain | $1.31 | $1.42 |
| Mountain | $1.31 | $1.42 |
| Mountain | $1.31 | $1.42 |
| Mountain | $1.31 | $1.42 |
| Mountain | $1.31 | $1.42 |
| Mountain | $1.31 | $1.42 |
| Mountain | $1.31 | $1.42 |
| Total | $13.1 | $14.2 |
Shredding A Wave of Everything Bundle
Price: $488.99
To round out this list, we have the big one. Priced at $488.99, this massive bundle is so big it’s comprised of two smaller, already substantial bundles. To cut to the chase, however, the Shredding A Wave of Everything Bundle contains every MTG card in the Summer Superdrop 2023 in both foil and non-foil.
Unfortunately for MTG players looking to pick up a good deal, unlike last time, this massive bundle isn’t it. While there are some compelling cards, unfortunately, they don’t do enough to pick up the slack. Subsequently, players who purchase this bundle may immediately find themselves out $150 according to current secondary market prices. That is the presumption, at least.
In theory, it’s possible that the bonus cards for all these Secret Lair drops could be amazing and recoup the value. Since that’s just a hopeful theory, however, we can’t really factor it into our decision-making.
| Shredding A Wave of Everything Bundle | Bundle Value |
| Carving Up a Barrel of Foils Bundle | 115.53 |
| Tearing Up A Sick Tube of Non-Foils Bundle | 214.63 |
| Total | 330.16 |
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