Last week, yes, just last week, Ravnica Remastered was officially released. Kicking off 2024 with a plethora of reprints, this set was unfortunately been somewhat mired by controversy. Dismissed for its reprint equity, exhaustive serialized cards, and meager flavor, this set isn’t quite the nostalgia bomb of Dominaria Remastered.
Thankfully, while Ravnica Remastered might have missed on a few fronts, it does still have a boatload of reprints. Between Ravnica-darlings and Commander staples, some of these cards sorely needed a reprint, to say the least. Now that the set has been out for a few days, these reprints are already proving their worth.
As much as a reprint-facilitated price crash is, however, falling prices may only add to Ravnica Remastered’s problems.
Roll Up Roll Up, Come Get Your Staples
As is expected for every reprint-focused set, following its release, we’ve seen multiple major price drops. Unsurprisingly, the cards most affected by this were the ones which have never been reprinted before. For better or worse, what used to be the most expensive card in Ravnica Remastered was one such example of this.
First printed in Jumpstart Bruvac the Grandiloquent has gone a few years without seeing a much-requested reprint. Now that this has changed, their price has plummeted, falling from $34 down to just $9. If you’ve been holding back on buying a copy of this mill-engine, there’s never been a better time to pick one up.
Alongside Bruvac, plenty of the former most expensive cards from Ravnica Remastered have seen steep price drops. Cloudstone Curio, for instance, previously sold for around $16, however, they’re now just $7.50! Similarly, Karlov of the Ghost Council has seen a fantastic price drop from $13 to just $4!
Curiously, when looking at Ravnica Remastered’s current prices, it’s rarely the normal variants that are the cheapest. Instead, in most cases now, the Retro Frame cards are the ones that have fallen the furthest. Potentially, this could show that players are steadily losing interest in this once beloved booster fun frame. Either that or Wizards is simply making it too accessible, especially within Collector Boosters.
No Shaking the Staples
Unfortunately, while plenty of cards from Ravnica Remastered have seen steep price drops, not everything is now cheap. Frustratingly for some, there are still a number of cards that have barely seen a price hit at all. As somewhat expected, these cards are the set’s biggest staples, which have no end of demand.
Undeniably one of the best cards within Ravnica Remastered, there was a lot of hope for the reprint of Cyclonic Rift. Even following this card’s reprint in Commander Masters, players were routinely paying $30 for a copy. Now, prices have only fallen by a few dollars, down to $27. Curiously, however, this price point is on the Commander Masters variant, as Ravnica Remastered copies still sell for $31!
Alongside Cyclonic Rift, some of the most enticing reprints in Ravnica Remastered were the cycle of Shock Lands. Seeing huge amounts of competitive and casual play, these reprints could benefit a huge number of players. Thanks to the mana slot within packs, there was a real chance players would finally get the cheap lands they wanted.
Unfortunately for these hopeful players, Ravnica Remastered hasn’t done much to help bring down these prices. Currently, the highest price drop that can be seen across the entire cycle is around two dollars. This can be seen on Breeding Pool which fell from $16.50 to $14.80. Slightly less impressively Blood Crypt, Sacred Foundry, Steam Vents, and Temple Garden all fell by around $1.
Worryingly, despite the influx of new copies, several of Ravnica Remastered’s Shock Lands aren’t the cheapest variant right now. Hopefully, this will change in the future as more packs get opened, however, there’s sadly no guarantee of this.
High Prices, Low Value
In isolation, the reprints from Ravnia Remastered doing their job seems to be a great thing. After all, some classic staples and beloved Commander cards are now cheaper than ever, making formats more accessible. While this is true, the effectiveness of these reprints may be stunted somewhat by the set’s price tag.
Currently, on TCGplayer, a Draft Booster Box of Ravnica Remastered is selling for around $160. While this is still $20 less than pre-release prices, this is nevertheless rather steep, to say the least. In comparison, a Draft Booster Box of Dominaria Remastered currently sells for around just $100!
With these prices side by side, picking up a box of Ravnica Remastered is already a rather hard sell. Unfortunately, however, when taking into account current card prices, things look even worse. Thanks to how effective many of the set’s reprints have been, Ravnica Remastered’s expected value is looking especially dire.
In theory, this lack of value combined with high prices may well push players away and toward other products. If this happens, the best of Ravnica Remastered’s reprints may never achieve their purpose, leaving prices frustratingly high. Thankfully, right now this is just a possibility, and there’s no guarantee it’ll become a reality. Despite this, however, it’s nevertheless an admittedly concerning thought.
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