Irony of Card prices

So I was talking with some of my fellow MTG friends and they all came up with a rather similar analogy; to play modern, one has to sell a kidney. 

As much as we like to laugh it off and continue to take out the bills for that mint blue card to the right, or for the overrated, but still important monster above, it came to my point on how ridiculous MTG can be.

For instance, Tarmogoyf is nearing $250 a piece even after a limited reprint. In fact, the demand went up higher! If that's the case, it's not really far-fetched to say that 4 of those would really equate to an iPhone.

Almost there if you think about it...

Well, apart from the insane investment price that we are looking at to invest into Modern, I'm more concern at the irony of the prices for certain cards. Really, I'll give a few examples and you'll see. Some of the cards are justifiable to be expensive, but NOT at the current price they are at now. Seriously...

Take Cryptic Command for example. It's widely regarded as the best blue counter/tempo spell in modern. Sure, 4 mana, four options with each option is a very relevant utility in the format. The power level of the card is surely something that that blue decks would kill to find 4 slots to jam these beauty in. The current price? ~$60 as of writing....

Can you actually imagine that 4 of these would cost you $240? To put this in perspective, $240 is approximately 2 booster boxes, or 60 packs. In the non-MTG related? To me, that's about a month's worth of food expenses! I'm a student... so that's like half of my allowance already.

But, in my opinion, it is justified. Given that this card is widely used in the format and the given power level, it's justified to be at that price. Consider the prices of the card are directly proportional to the apparent power level and the effectiveness in its use. I would also assume that in the possible best case scenarios, aka, not countered, evaded, etc. 

With those assumptions considered, I would say that this can be considered as a "premium" for decks, like if we were to take decks as a form of a machine or equipment, it can be upgraded to increase the efficiency and power. Likewise, we would try other alternatives first to get the hang of the deck, learn to play with it, manipulate it, and finally, upgrading it. This would be something like an end-point upgrade for the decks and having it at a premium price, I personally think it is like a "final" upgrade to the deck. 

That being said, it's just ideally... Normally we would net deck isn't it? (Don't lie!) Alright jokes aside. Here's the next example:

I can swear by this card that this card is extremely underrated. Many hate on this card as by saying it's a mere 0/1 Bant dork with Exalted. Try sticking her around with Geist or some other beatstick... the bonus is usually extremely relevant. 

The power of this card, justified. It's one of the most powerful mana dork around. Having able to give exalted, produce all 3 of Bant colours for only 1 mana, it's really an efficient creature.

So current price tag? ~$75!!!!

Wait. $75 for this?! I can justify and argue that this is a good card, but I cannot justify her at that price. You know Deathrite Shaman? That poor dude who got banned! He didn't even make it near the $30 mark, which Noble Hierarch was hovering around there before the price spike due to banning of the former... And basically jumped nearly two-fold just overnight!

Now, don't get me wrong, the rant is not about the card not deserving the price it is valued at now. Instead, I'm talking about the irony of that being more expensive than the card that was banned in any point of time when both are legal in Modern format.

I can give more examples, but I think I have made my point across. In no way am I condemning the cards; except for Tarmogoyf... seriously you are just too expensive for a vanilla beatstick that just grows fat. Yes I know the power level and play demand of him, but it's just a sad thing that no other cards can come close as a substitute or replacement in that slot..

Whole in all, I am sure Wizards are doing something to curb the high prices for Modern Singles. They are pushing hard for this format, so expect reprints to be in the way to ensure the cards remain relatively affordable. Modern Masters 2 is anticipated to be on the way next year May 2015, expect the coming blocks to bear certain cards with replacements or as reprints.

I'm expecting prices to stabilize like Legacy after next year. The prices going up and down probably would not fluctuate too much from the original unless banning or a direct replacement/upgrade prints occur.

I rest the case here. This is a short rant post that I feel I have to share. Sometimes just take a step back and think whether is the card really worth its value or is it simply due to supply/demand. You'll be surprised most of the time.