Black Bordered BoP

[Machinus]

Okay, first off I know that no one plays birds anymore, and that Control is still more than a year away, but the last black bordered printing of BoP was in Beta (or foil 7th, but I thought those were kind of ugly, and the old illustration was pwn anyway). So, I am curious (since I am a collector), is the common sense method of predicting card prices (more in print = lower value) applicable here, or does the stupid R&D reasoning that they have been using to express their retarded understanding of the secondary market have some value (standard legality = higher demand, and higher value)? Any ideas?

[iccarus]

actually, if you count FBB versions, birds exist is several BB variants, not just A/B/foil.

As for predicting value, I would imagine that A/B versions will drop a little once control hits, but not greatly because there is still the nostalgia factor.  Plus, birds may not see T1 play, but it is used in extended and always makes it's way into at least 1 standard deck.

[Kowal]

Well, not for long.  9th ed won't have Birds in it.  Though, I highly doubt the value will decrease at all, to be honest.

[johnstown713]

I can't wait to get my hands on a playset of black border birds with new artwork for under $15.  To bad we will have to wait more than a year.

Johnstown713

[goober]

9th ed won't have Birds in it.

but "Control" will.

[Jhaggs]

In my experience with trading, Birds of Paradise are like magic currency.  You can always count on them for keeping their value and you'll always be able to trade them.  Often times when trades need to be evened out I'll throw in BoP or just ask for some because they are essentially act like cash.

[xrizzo]

9th ed won't have Birds in it.

but "Control" will.

Can someone please clue me in on 'control?'  Is this a BB reprint set?

[Bulls on Parade]

9th ed won't have Birds in it.

but "Control" will.

Can someone please clue me in on 'control?'  Is this a BB reprint set?

No, it's the first set of the block after the Kamigawa Block (CoK block    )

Control Alt Delete is the codename for that block.

[Triple_S]

Also, BoP are played in Vengeur Masque which, in the right hands, can be a very competitive deck.

[Jacob Orlove]

The control ones will most likely have awful art, potentially reducing their collectability.

However, since there'll be about 10 bajillion more "control" drafts than 9th drafts, there may be an oversupply of in-print birds, driving prices down in general. Of course, if they see a lot of T2 play, it won't matter.

Incidentally, this is kinda what they did with Dark Ritual--move a popular card to the expansions, and then eventually phase it out. Will they get rid of birds forever? Hard to say.

[johnstown713]

I never thought of it that way.  It is an interesting comparison that dark ritual might be foreshowdowing birds.  That would be awful ince so many people love the birds.  It seems like it has become one of the poster cards of magic.

Johnstown713

[Dr. Sylvan]

***SPEAK NOW UNTO THE TMD ORACLE***

The control ones will most likely have awful art, potentially reducing their collectability.

TMD ORACLE: "Gaea's FUCKING Blessings! When they stopped being good, so did Magic."

[ProZachar]

They did that with Counterspell too.

My thoughts on this are that Dark Ritual (and Counterspell) were in expansions so that Limited formats would have access to staple cards.  Then they banned Ritual in Extended, and, at least recently, Wizards has never reprinted a card into an expansion or core set that was previously banned or restricted in any format.  Hence, the end of Dark Ritual.  Counterspell just got the axe because they thought blue was too good in T2 (this was back in the heyday of T2 Tog, a year and a half or so after the War Against Trix (tm)).

Also, Wizards revised the policy of printing staples in expansions because they took up slots that would otherwise be filled with new cards.  Now they seem to only reprint in expansions where it's fitting.

[Machinus]

I hate to say it, but I think Jacob is right. Wizards has been getting rid of cards that are good, but require deckbuilding and player skill to be really excellent. Instead, they have started printing Visara's and Skullclamps all over the place. I would not be surprised if we started to hear talk from R&D about how G is too cheap for the ability it gives. Look for a "reader" poll to decide if this or Utopia tree is a fairer card. At least when they kill good cards these days, they let us blame the readers of wizards.com.

[goober]

It isn't getting rid of Birds, only putting them in a different set than the Core.  I think they just want people to buy Black Boardered Birds again and up their revenue.

[Bulls on Parade]

It isn't getting rid of Birds, only putting them in a different set than the Core.  I think they just want people to buy Black Boardered Birds again and up their revenue.

But they (WotC) make exactly $0.00 from sales of singles (excluding online singles? I'm not too familiar with that system..) and traditionally, many more boxes of expert level sets (in this case, Champions of Kamigawa) are sold than those of Core sets available at the same time, such as 9th Edition.