Magic finance has a time and place. But for Sig, the practice has effectively ruined the game. This week he reflects on how this happened and makes some resolutions on how he can try and recapture his childhood innocence when engaging with the game.
Sigmund Ausfresser
Sigmund first started playing Magic when Visions was the newest set, back in 1997. Things were simpler back then. After playing casual Magic for about ten years, he tried his hand at competitive play. It took about two years before Sigmund starting taking down drafts. Since then, he moved his focus towards Legacy and MTG finance. Now that he's married and works full-time, Sigmund enjoys the game by reading up on trends and using this knowledge in buying/selling cards.
Bitcoin recently notched a new all-time high, almost doubling its previous peak in late 2017. Last time this happened, Magic cards followed suit. Are we due for another wave of Magic buying? This week Sig investigates the correlation.
Let’s be honest: 2020 was miserable. But rather than dwell on the negative, Sig is attempting to look at some positives from the year. From there, he shifts focus to things he is looking forward to in 2021 in an attempt to bring positivity into a trying time.
The rise in asset prices and the jump in employment seem paradoxical. This week, Sig takes a look at the economic environment and attempts to explain why asset prices are soaring despite this pandemic, with a look ahead to 2021.
What started as an activity to lift Sig’s spirits this holiday season has evolved into a valuable lesson in MTG finance. This week he shares four valuable takeaways from his MTG advent calendar as he passes the halfway point.
Have you ever searched for a card on TCGplayer and noticed a damaged/HP copy listed below all others? The damaged lottery can be enticing, depending on your threshold for play wear. This week Sig shares recent experiences in his heavily played purchases.
Follow along with Sig as he opens a booster pack every day from December 1st to December 25th. You can watch a pack opening video for each day and also track the value of the cards opened using the Trader Tools collection feature.
COVID-19 has certainly taken its toll on the MTG economy. This week Sig examines pricing trends over the past 8 months and attempts to predict what may happen once the pandemic ends and in-person paper events can once again take place.
The holidays are almost here. That means Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are kicking off. This week Sig highlights a couple of specials already available and speculates on what additional deals may come as the week unfolds.
When you think of the “Four Horsemen” sets, cards from Arabian Nights, Legends, and Antiquities readily come to mind. But lately, Reserved List and other cards from The Dark have been on the rise. This week Sig highlights this recent trend.
Recent spoilers in Commander Legends have triggered a buyout of some old, obscure cards from Magic’s history. This week Sig breaks down these buyouts and identifies some speculative targets that could one day be bought out should the right card be printed.
As Standard’s metagame evolved post-rotation, a host of new commons and uncommons are seeing significantly more play. This week Sig examines these cards and identifies top bulk picks for a future buylist.
For many, there’s a lot less to do nowadays thanks to COVID-19. Luckily, Magic is an excellent way to stay distracted. This week Sig shares three ways he has tapped into Magic to grind a little value and pass excess time more productively.
