For a lot of people who are new to the trading part of the trading card game, this one's for you. What exactly is a card worth? Well...there are a few factors that decide the worth of a card, so let's look at them.
1). Rarity. Obviously this is the biggest. A rare card is worth more than, say, a common. But that's not all that you take into consideration with rarity. For example,
Treachery and
Deceit cards, as well as Siege of Gondor cards are worth more than your typical set cards, because of the smaller quantity released. Thus, a card from Siege of Gondor or
Treachery and
Deceit is going to be slightly rarer than your typical card.
Also, a core set, such as Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King, Shadows or The Hunters will contain more cards than an expansion set, such as the Mines of Moria, Bloodlines, or
Mount Doom. Thus, the chance of getting a specific card from a core set is smaller than getting one from an expansion. This is another thing to keep in mind when determining the rarity of a card.
Type of set is also very important. For example, a set like Reflections is packaged to include multiple rares per pack, and with it already being a small set, Reflections rares are worth considerably less than a typical rare (rare plus cards, however, are not guaranteed in each pack, and thus can be considered slightly rarer than a typical rare). Some cards are "fixed" meaning you know exactly what cards you're getting, such as cards from Expanded Middle Earth Deluxe Draft Box, The Wraith Collection and Age's End, or more commonly starter rarity cards. Ordinarily, this would depreciate the value of the cards, but still, keep in mind the limited quanitity released of these sets, for example, EME DDB cards are worth quite a hefty sum because there are almost no more availiable for purchase. Cards from starter decks, however, are usually fairly easy to acquire and thus are not worth quite as much as rares.
Errors and misprints can also affect the rarity of a card. For example, the ever so rare
Answer to All Riddles FOIL is considered the most valuable rare in the game, often fetching a price of $40 to $50. What makes this card so valuable? Quite simply, Decipher made and error and almost NONE of these cards were released.
So, to summize, things to keep in mind about a rarity of a card.
1). Base Rarity
2). Expansion Circulation
3). Expansion Size
4). Expansion Type
5). Errors and Misprints
2). Playability.Put quite simply, how good is the card? If the card is an awesome card, like
Goblin Armory, its going to fetch a bigger price than, say,
The Weight of a Legacy.
A few things to remember here.
First, is the card banned or restricted? If a card is banned or restricted, then its less likely to see play.
Second, set rotation. Is the card legal in standard, or expanded? A card from sets 7 to 19 is usually more valuable than a card from sets 1 thorugh 6.
Finally, a weird card is not always a banned card. This is a big mistake! If a card does something strange that doesn't look that great, don't just toss it aside! The number one mistake a newbie makes is underrating the value of a card. For example,
Saved from the Fire is quite arguably the most playable card in the game. A quick glance at it will usually leave a newbie not impressed. Don't do this. Explore the possibilities of your card.
3). How Much Do I Want It/Does He Want It? Finally, it all comes down to how much you want the cards you're getting as opposed to the cards you're giving away, and vice versa. Much flexibility can be used here. If someone has been looking for a particular card for a long time, he may be prepared to trade a lot more for it.
EXAMPLECompare the two cards,
Heirs of Gondor and
Noble Leaders. Let's take a look at them, applying the rules we've learned.
1). Playability. Well...
Noble Leaders gets multiple tokens, while
Heirs of Gondor doesn't get as many. However,
Heirs of Gondor typically gives a more valuable boost. Both conditions may be reinforced quite easily, so they are approximately the same playability, very high.
2). Rarity.
Noble Leaders is from a core set, and is a rare. Thus, it is a considerably difficult card to get a hold of. On the other hand,
Heirs of Gondor is a common and can be found in any Bloodlines Boromir deck, making it quite easy to get a hold of.
So guess how much
Noble Leaders is worth compared to
Heirs of Gondor?
Heirs of Gondor, because of its wide circulation, is only worth less than a dollar, typically $0.50. However, a
Noble Leaders because of its rarity can usually go for around $8-10!
I hope this post has helped you in figuring out the value of your cards.
Thanks for reading!
~NB
