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The Glimmer | 25 Years of Foil Magic Cards

Rhystic Studies・68 minutes read

Card Kingdom sponsors a video showcasing foil Magic cards while Basilisk partners with the video to inspire scientists through challenging gameplay. The text delves into the history and evolution of foil Magic cards, highlighting key moments like promotional releases, player reactions, and advancements in production techniques.

Insights

  • The introduction of foil cards in Magic: The Gathering faced initial skepticism from players due to concerns about collectibility and rarity, with Mark Rosewater addressing these worries directly.
  • The Masterpiece series revolutionized Magic by offering unique foil treatments and luxury elements, enhancing pack opening experiences and connecting physical products to the game's lore.
  • Changes in Magic's business model, like the introduction of various foil treatments and Collector boosters, have shifted the landscape of foil card availability, impacting both the secondary market and the player experience.

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Recent questions

  • What is the history of foil Magic cards?

    Foil Magic cards were introduced in September 1998 with the Lightning Dragon promotional card, marking a significant shift in the collectible trading card industry. Initially, players were apprehensive about the introduction of foil cards due to concerns about collectibility and rarity. However, Magic's first foils, like Ring of Gix, were released as rewards for event participation, drawing players to pre-releases and tournaments. Seventh Edition of Magic, released in April 2001, featured foils for every card with new artwork, making it a collector's favorite despite initial poor sales. The Redemption program by Wizards of the Coast allowed players to convert digital cards to physical ones, making seventh edition foils highly treasured collectibles.

  • How did the Masterpiece series impact Magic cards?

    The Masterpiece series, starting with Modern Masters, guaranteed a foil in every pack and introduced a new level of luxury with unique foil treatments. The series preserved the value of foils in the secondary market by featuring them at any rarity. The Amonkhet Invocations, the final installment, showcased gold foil accents and Egyptian-themed designs. Despite its success, the Masterpiece series was prematurely canceled due to Wizards' fear of diluting its essence by including it in every major set release. The series provided a thrilling pack opening experience, creating a counterbalance to normal foils and connecting the physical product to the world-building of Magic's planes.

  • What are the changes in foil cards in recent sets?

    Recent sets have introduced various changes to foil cards, such as extended borders, showcase frames, and Collector boosters, making once rare foils more common. Different sets have altered the foil drop rates, with Theros Beyond Death guaranteeing 13 out of 15 cards to be foiled. Foil treatments have evolved, with Commander Legends introducing foil etched cards featuring a unique texture achieved through printed metallic inks. Subsequent sets like the Mystical Archive continued the foil etched treatment, offering a subtle yet elegant alternative to traditional foiling. Modern Horizons 2 brought back premodern frames and foiling, including iconic elements from Magic's history, but faced printing inconsistencies.

  • How do serialized cards impact Magic card collecting?

    Serialized cards aim for a less than 1% rate, equating to one per two cases of collector booster boxes. Neon inks like Hiet Sugu create artificial rarity for select foil cards, with the red version becoming a sought-after collectible. Serialized cards have faced criticism for lack of player input, seen as contrived and uninspired. Collector boosters, seen as short-term money makers, have impacted the long-term sustainability of Magic card collecting. Serialized cards have been tested in secret layer products, marking manufactured scarcity in Magic.

  • What are the recent innovations in foil Magic cards?

    Recent sets like All Will Be One have introduced innovative foil treatments, including Oil Slick and Secret Lair Showcase. March of the Machine concluded a story arc, featuring Halo foils for Multiverse Legends and Praders. Neon Dynasty introduced neon inks, creating artificial rarity for select foil cards, with the red version becoming a sought-after collectible. Streets of New Capenna introduced gilded foils with embossed gold frames, enhancing the art deco theme of the set. Double Masters 2022 featured textured foils on borderless Mythic rares, utilizing a 3D hot stamp to create a unique pattern that refracted light.

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Summary

00:00

Evolution of Foil Magic Cards and Holograms

  • Card Kingdom sponsors the video, offering a variety of foil Magic cards, including classics like 7th edition and contemporary hits like Gilded foils.
  • Basilisk, an Esports organization, partners with the video to inspire scientists through challenging gameplay, focusing on games like chess, Starcraft, and Magic.
  • A holographic film fact is shared, explaining how cutting it into pieces still recreates the entire image based on orientation.
  • In September 1998, players worldwide received a promotional foil card, Lightning Dragon, a significant shift in the printing industry for collectible trading cards.
  • Holograms, invented by physicist Dennis Gabor in 1947, gained commercial popularity in the following decade, appearing in various applications like magazines, cards, and CDs.
  • The relationship between Magic and Pokémon is explored, with both games utilizing similar business models of selling booster packs with randomly distributed cards.
  • Magic's introduction of foil cards faced initial player apprehension, with Mark Rosewater addressing concerns about collectibility and rarity in premium foil cards.
  • Magic's first foils, like Ring of Gix, were released as rewards for event participation, drawing players to pre-releases and tournaments.
  • Seventh Edition of Magic, released in April 2001, featured foils for every card, with new artwork, making it a collector's favorite despite initial poor sales.
  • The Redemption program by Wizards of the Coast allowed players to convert digital cards to physical ones, but the limited availability and other factors made seventh edition foils highly treasured collectibles.

18:10

Magic: 7th Edition Foil Card Value

  • Redemption program sold at Heritage auctions for $33,600
  • Foil City of Brass graded 9.5 listed for just under 5K
  • Most valuable ungraded foil in Magic history is 7th edition Birds of Paradise
  • Foil counterparts of some cards exclusive to 7th edition set
  • Seek oldest versions of cards, like Goblin Matrons, for higher value
  • 7th edition foils not of higher quality than others of the time period
  • Cards from 7th edition printed with white borders, except foils
  • Foil cards require more labor-intensive production process
  • Foil cards printed with black borders to avoid issues with white ink
  • Foil cards from 8th edition introduced new card frames and premium treatments

35:37

Magic's Foil Card Evolution and Impact

  • Placing curled foils under heavy objects like books or weights is ineffective in flattening them due to a misunderstanding of the issue.
  • A heavily warped Prismatic Piper card from Commander Legends was tested, showing minimal improvement after 3 days in a bag.
  • Some players avoid premium foils to prevent cheating allegations in tournaments, as heavily curled foils can be considered marked cards.
  • At GP Orlando in August 2018, a player avoided a match loss due to foil curling by using a proxy basic Mountain for a foil Nexus of Fate card.
  • Older foils are sturdier and more reliable compared to recent offerings, with Secret Lair foils often being lackluster and damaged upon arrival.
  • Foil cards have always been integral to Magic's business model, serving as incentives to buy booster packs and enhancing the thrill of pack openings.
  • The Masterpiece series, starting with Modern Masters, guaranteed a foil in every pack, with foils appearing at any rarity and preserving their value in the secondary market.
  • The Masterpiece series introduced a new level of luxury with unique foil treatments, culminating in the Amonkhet Invocations featuring gold foil accents and Egyptian-themed designs.
  • The Masterpiece series was prematurely canceled, despite its success, as Wizards feared diluting its essence by including it in every major set release.
  • Masterpieces provided a thrilling pack opening experience, creating a counterbalance to normal foils and connecting the physical product to the world-building of Magic's planes.

52:43

Evolution of Foil Cards in Magic

  • The release of Throne of Eldraine in Fall 2019 marked a shift from community-driven decisions to corporate influence in the Magic: The Gathering card game.
  • Various changes were introduced to foil cards, such as extended borders, showcase frames, and Collector boosters, making once rare foils more common.
  • Different sets altered the foil drop rates, with Theros Beyond Death guaranteeing 13 out of 15 cards to be foiled.
  • Foil treatments evolved, with Commander Legends introducing foil etched cards that featured a unique texture achieved through printed metallic inks.
  • The foil etched treatment continued in subsequent sets like the Mystical Archive, offering a subtle yet elegant alternative to traditional foiling.
  • Modern Horizons 2 brought back premodern frames and foiling, including iconic elements from Magic's history, but faced printing inconsistencies.
  • Adventure in the Forgotten Realms featured a crossover with Dungeons & Dragons, offering retr framed cards in foil and unique treatments for premium members.
  • Neon Dynasty introduced neon inks, creating artificial rarity for select foil cards, with the red version becoming a sought-after collectible.
  • Streets of New Capenna introduced gilded foils with embossed gold frames, enhancing the art deco theme of the set.
  • Double Masters 2022 featured textured foils on borderless Mythic rares, utilizing a 3D hot stamp to create a unique pattern that refracted light.

01:09:46

Magic: Serialized Cards and Collector Boosters

  • Serialized cards aim for less than 1% rate, equating to one per two cases of collector booster boxes
  • Neon inks like Hiet Sugu mark manufactured scarcity in Magic, tested in secret layer products
  • Brothers War schematics vary in price, some cards more desirable due to playability or Rarity
  • Certain numbers like 069 and 420 carry meme tax, while 001 and 500 demand special prices
  • Serialized cards criticized for lack of player input, seen as contrived and uninspired
  • Collector boosters seen as short-term money makers, impacting long-term sustainability
  • Bank of America downgrades Hasbro stock due to Magic mismanagement, overprinting cards
  • Magic hits milestone with over 5,000 judges, receiving foil promos of Force of Will and Greater Good
  • All Will Be One introduces innovative foil treatments, including Oil Slick and Secret Lair Showcase
  • March of the Machine concludes story arc, featuring Halo foils for Multiverse Legends and Praders

01:26:37

Magic cards: Community, holograms, and collectibility.

  • Magic cards have always been a hub for various communities, with collectibility dependent on the richness of the game and the interactions among players.
  • Wizards of the Coast experimented with 3D holograms on Magic cards in 1995, but the project was abandoned due to issues with shuffling and visibility, leading to only a few existing copies.
  • Hologram verification stickers were considered for Magic cards in 1993 but were rejected due to leaving marks on the cards and concerns about counterfeiting, with foil stamps later reintroduced in M15 but criticized for poor background visibility.
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