Sadly, there’s no denying the fact that scalpers have found Magic: The Gathering. While there has always been money to be made in the world of MTG finance, this problem has been worsening. If anything, Wizards of the Coast has been playing into scalpers’ hands somewhat in recent developments.
Between Secret Lair changes and Universes Beyond sets, scalpers have been living it up. Now, worryingly, it seems this growing trend has finally reached in-universe MTG sets, pumping prices up to obscene levels. For seemingly no reason, the price of Wilds of Eldraine Collector Booster boxes has hit $1100.
Scalpers Paradise
Following the move to a limited-run printing model for Secret Lair drops, the scalpers really started to come out of the woodwork. The first few drops using this new printing method sold out exceptionally quickly, showcasing the potential for market manipulation. If you got in early, you could easily purchase more than your fair share and flip the extras to recoup costs.
While Wizards of the Coast has implemented a few changes to mitigate this issue, progress has been slow. We’ve seen multiple Secret Lair Superdrops be ruined by scalpers recently, especially Universes Beyond drops. Unfortunately, this problem didn’t stop with Universes Beyond Secret Lair drops.
Around the launch of the Final Fantasy MTG set, it was clear that scalpers were all over this release. Initially, it was incredibly difficult to get a hold of any product, although Wizards thankfully reprinted things quickly. While this has allowed Play Boosters and Commander decks to be somewhat affordable, the same couldn’t happen to Collector Boosters.
Unlike most MTG products, Collector Boosters only get printed once. Sadly, this makes these products perfect for scalpers with a lot of capital, as they can buy up and control supply.
We’ve seen this happen a few times now, most evidently to Final Fantasy Collector Boosters. Currently, a Collector Booster box for Final Fantasy sells for around $1275 on average. Even Spider Man Collector Booster boxes are selling for $700, and they haven’t been released yet. Unfortunately, it seems like the scalping genie is very much out of the bottle.
The Infection Spreads
For the most part, MTG scaplers have been focused on Secret Lair and Universes Beyond products. As time has gone on, however, it seems they’re not branching out to in-universe MTG sets. Over the past few months, the price of in-Universe Collector Booster boxes has been creeping up in a big way.
Bizarrely, Wilds of Eldraine is the first in-universe MTG set to have a $1000 Collector Booster box. In fact, current prices have pushed up to around $1100, with recent sales peaking at $1200. Should trends continue, there’s a non-zero chance that this set could give Final Fantasy a run for its money.
While it’s not uncommon for Collector Booster boxes to increase in value over time, having this happen to Wilds of Eldraine is… odd. If we’re honest, this is a pretty terrible Magic: The Gathering set to scalp. Sure, there are Confetti Foils in a very low percentage of packs, around 3%, but there’s so much better available.
The Lost Caverns of Ixalan, for instance, has Neon Ink cards while Modern Horizons 3 and March of the Machine have serialized cards. That said, it’s impossible to ignore the fact that some Wilds of Eldraine Confetti Foil cards are insanely expensive. Currently, the anime art Confetti Foil Rhystic Study is selling for $800.
As much as this high price tag is impressive, it doesn’t mean the Collector Booster box price is justified. If you were to open this box, there’s an exceptionally low chance you’ll break even, let alone make money. After the ultra chase of Rhystic Study, prices drop rapidly, and the odds of finding that specific card are approximately 0.11% per pack.
A Bizarre Non-Trend
Given the rise of scalping, you might expect that prices are going up across the board. While this is somewhat true, not every Collector Booster box is on track to hit $1000 soon. Curiously, despite the increased prevalence of scalpers, the in-universe Collector Booster boxes from 2025 are surprisingly cheap.
Currently, Aetherdrift Collector Booster boxes are $210, Tarkir: Dragonstorm’s are selling for $336, and Edge of Eternities is $366. Should scalpers be targeting these products as the trend suggests, then these should be more expensive than Wilds of Eldraine. Clearly, that isn’t the case, as there’s little reason why some boxes are targeted over others.
Looking at player-made supply charts, it’s not just a case of low supply means high prices either. Currently, Spider Man is one of the most widely available Collector Booster boxes, yet it’s still $700. Potentially, this might mean that prices will crash upon release, but that remains to be seen.
For now, if you’re after Collector Booster boxes for whatever reason, it’s best to get them upon release. While prices can fluctuate, prices typically trend upwards before too long, often leaving the MSRP in the dust. Alternatively, avoiding Collector Boosters entirely and just buying singles remains an always viable option.
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