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my trade stories

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Post  dark burn Sun Aug 29, 2010 12:04 am

I'm going to keep an ongoing thread of trades that I make that have importance to me. Its mostly gonna be trades where I learn a new lesson, or feel like I messed something up, or examples of good strategy I employ to make the trade. All my prices will be what a dealer will pay me for the cards, not what dealers sell the cards for. Let me know if you guys want me to continue this thread more or not.

First trade

I recieved

Gideon Jura $12
Foil Gideou Jura $46
3x Lord of atlantis $2.5 each
Foreign horn of greed $?
Goblin Bombardment $0.25
Gaea's Revenge $3
Shield of Kaldra foil $1.35
Coralhelm Commander Foil $3
Verdant Catacombs $7
Abyssal Persecutor foil $9
Total $86

I gave

2x Braid of fire $2.50 each
3x Jenara $1 each
Dragonmaster outcast $2.20
4x Wrath of God Played $3
Doubling season Played $6
Baneslayer angel $17
3x Hypnotic specter $1
Total $48

I made a ton of money on this trade for a couple of reason's. The biggest is that I valued the Foil Gideon only $10 more than regular Gideon. I had no idea that the price between foil and non-foil was that much. I made out this time, but not having the right information could hurt me in the future. I made the rest of the money by trading played cards for near mint cards. Because the Doubling season and Wrath of gods were played, they were only worth half price to dealers. When you trade though, most players value the cards at about %85 of near mint, if they even care at all. If you take out the $20 I made by not knowing foil prices, all my money was made through trading played for near mint cards. This is an easy way to gain value in trades.

Trade #2

I Recieved

3x Knight of the Reliquary $7.50 each
2x Noble Heirarchs $7.50 each
1x Ulamog the Crusher $4
2x Progenitus $6.5 each
$54.50 total

I Gave

2x Elspeth $23 each
1x Gaea's Revenge Foil $?
$46+ Total

I make out a few dollars on this trade, but I mostly did it because of the cards involved. All the cards are rotating out of Standard at the same time, but the Knights, Nobles, and Progenitus all see a good amount of play in legacy or vintage. There is a deck based around each of these cards. Elspeth on the other hand, has seen limited play in legacy, but nothing mainstream. Also, there will be the dual deck Elspeth vs Tezzeret released soon, that will also drop the price. The nobles and knights are also at their lowest price since they began seeing play. They shouldnt be affected any more by the rotation. I expect the prices of these cards to continue to go up.

This next trade is absolutely insane and I just want you to know how it came about so you dont judge me.

A player at a local store I go to decided he wanted to build Ad nauseam for legacy but could not find infernal tutors anywhere. He knew me and knew I played the deck so he walks up to me and asks if I would trade my infernal tutors. He says straight away "They are worth about $5 each and I know you play them in your deck so I will just give you $10 cash each for them" I say "Ok, but you have to wait till after the tournament, cause I am still using them now." He says ok and we make small talk. I mention that I hope to win the random FTV Relics set. He says he has one unopened in his car. Instead of cash, he will just give me that for the infernal tutors. I say ok. A few hours later, after the tourny, we get together to trade. He then asks me if I could throw in a few more cards for the FTV set so he doesnt feel as bad about it. I hand him my binders and tell him to have fun looking. This is what the trade ends up being.

I Recieved
1 Unopened FTV Relics $100+

I gave
4x Infernal tutor $3 each
slaughter pact $0.60
3x ad nauseam $0.15
1x foil Spoils of the vault $1.50
4x various foreign Dark Rituals $2 each
2x Japanese Brainstorm $?
total $22.50+

This type of trade is called getting unbelieveably lucky and being in the right place at the right time. I have no other explination for this trade. It BLEW MY MIND!!!!! and made for a very profitable day overall. I dont have values for the Jap brainstorms because foreign cards can be very subjective in value. I have seen them quoted as valuing anywhere from $3 each to $10 each. Its all about who you talk to.

Hope you liked this and want me to continue. If you have any questions, post em and Ill answer.


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Post  Slyphidine Sun Aug 29, 2010 6:29 pm

Nice John. I'm definitely in a trading/acquiring frame of mind, so this appeals to me.

A note about the foil Gideon, which we already talked about to some degree. This recently happened to me as well, with the foil Jhoira I picked up. I valued the regular one at around $5 (what it goes for on SCG), so I figured the foil would be around $10, so I got it for that much. Afterwards, I looked it up at SCG, and found they sold it for $40. Sometimes that doesn't mean anything, since selling it for $40 means nothing if no one buys it. So I checked on ebay and found them going for about $20-25 on there.

The experience has lead me to value foils slightly differently depending on the circumstances.

1. Typically, foils are 50-75% more than their non-foil counterparts (of course, talking about non-promos).
2. EDH-able foils can easily push beyond that barrier, especially if they're a rare general and worth something in the first place. This is why Jhoira was much more than what I thought. I also traded my Darien, King of Kjeldor recently at $10, even though the non-foil version is closer to $2 or so.

So what that means is that if you can acquire a legendary foil for just 50% more than a non-foil, you should do it, as you can probably flip it pretty easily and profit.

That wasn't a Korean Horn of Greed was it? Congrats on your good deals. What are you doing with your FTV, out of curiosity?
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Post  dark burn Sun Aug 29, 2010 6:53 pm

It was not a korean horn of greed, unfortunately. I am not sure what I will be doing with the ftv set. I could definately use the quick money that selling it unopened would get me, but holding or trading away the singles appeals to me as well. I gotta think about it more.

I do want to point out again that the prices I am using are prices that dealers will pay me for the cards right at the time of the trade. So the price of the foil gideon is actually $46.75. It is true that pricing on places like starcity can be misleading because it is so rare that anyone would actually trade at that price, so using garanteed dealer prices is more realistic.

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Post  Slyphidine Sun Aug 29, 2010 7:46 pm

BTW, this is what I picked up at the Garden for $12:

tezzeret the seeker
birds of paradise
child of alara
mind shatter
chain reaction
admonition angel
jenara, asura of war
empyrial archangel
3 honden of infinite rage
3 honden of life's web
3 honden of night's reach
3 honden of cleansing fire
3 honden of seeing winds
merchant scroll
3 ghostly prison
2 skullclamp
3 shifting sliver
root sliver
krosan grip
darkblast
blue elemental blast
red elemental blast
3 cephalid illusionist
4 imperious perfect
engineered plague
2 sword of the meek
4 drowner of secrets
4 silvergill adept
3 delay
3 joraga treespeaker
energy flux
pelakka wurm
mana leak
2 artisan of kozilek
3 jagged-scar archers
4 wren's run vanquisher
ancient ziggurat

Like I said, I might have been pulling from the wrong box, but they were idiots for not marking things clearly.
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Post  dark burn Sun Aug 29, 2010 8:57 pm

yup dan, that is a pretty nuts pile of cards.

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Post  Slyphidine Sun Aug 29, 2010 9:06 pm

It's funny that you get to $12 after about the first 3.

I'm hoping that when I go back, they don't string me up. Maybe I'll let things cool down for a little bit.
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Post  dark burn Mon Aug 30, 2010 4:38 pm

This next one isnt a trade, I just want you to see the opportunities out there when people dont know the value of their own cards.

I went to comics and more and there was a player giving away commons and uncommons from m10 and zendikar block. There were about 3000 cards in boxes just waiting to be looked through. This is what I pulled out.

21 terramorhic expanse $.15 each
4 evolving wilds $.15 each
10 sejiri steppe $.10 each
3 bojuka bog $.10 each
3 explore $.10 each
16 naturalize $.15 each
11 Llanowar elves $.25 each
2 rampant growth $.25 each
8 harrow $.25 each
10 natures claim $.25 each
9 arbor elf $.10 each
13 searing blaze $.05 each
9 ponder $1 each
8 deprive $.25 each
8 duress $.35 each
13 child of night $.15 each
11 grim discovery $.05 each
6 disfigure $.05 each
9 vendetta $.25 each
10 hideous end $.05 each
13 sign in blood $.25 each
13 doom blade $.25 each
19 random commons and basic lands foiled $.05 each

Total $43.65

All of these cards are great trade fodder. I can trade any of these away for between .50 and 2 dollars each. These are also good for sweetening a trade. If I add in a few good commons, I can make a trade that the other person would normally walk away from. Since these were free to me, I make even more on the trade. I happened into another great opportunity this weekend. I've been running hot.


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Post  dark burn Sat Sep 11, 2010 12:57 am

Trade #4

I received

1 unopened FTV Relics $75

I gave

2 Gideon Jura $15 each
1 Misty rainforest $7
1 Obstanate Baloth $4
1 Sword of Vengence $3
1 Devastating summons $1.50
Total $45.50

This trade shows the value of connections. I set up this trade with a regular player at AU Bluebell when he first won his FTV set. He wanted zendikar and newer cards to play standard again and knew I have a ton of them. I offered to trade for the FTV set and he just pulled out good playables.

Trade #5

I recieved
2 Knight of the Reliquary $7 each
total $14

I Gave
1 Murmuring Bosk $2.20
1 Lord of Atlantis $2.50
1 Bloodghast $3.75
1 austere command $.75
2 Kitchen finks $1.00 each
Total $11.20

This trade just shows that I dont speculate. The murmuring bosk was considered the breakout card of the new extended format with doran decks. I dont care if people think it will go up. I picked up 2 knights, which are definately played in multiple legacy decks, and will be played in extended for the next 3 years. Knight is also at its lowest price in a year because its now rotating. It wont drop lower because of is legacy playability. It has also shown a high price of $20, which it could easily reach in future extended seasons.

Trade #6

I gave
3 Bloodghast $3.75 each
1 Nantuko shade $Not buying
Total $11.25

I received
1 Akroma's Memorial $8.50
1 Capsize $.50
1 Rystic study $.25
2 Accumulated Knowledge $.25 each
2 Buried Alive $3 each
1 Sword of the meek $1
7 counterspell $.60 each
Total $20.95

This trade was with another regular that specifically brought commons and uncommons for me to trade. He knew I would trade for them, but didnt bother to look up how much they were actually worth. The trade was basically the Memorial and buried alives for my cards. The other cards were just throw-ins.

All 3 of these trades were with local players and they show the importance of having connections with players. I have traded with everyone here multiple times. I am willing to take losses off individual trades with these people, and I also try to find out what cards they need and get them. Keeping connections with these people is very profitable and an easy way to have a steady income.


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Post  Slyphidine Sat Sep 11, 2010 7:51 am

Funny story, I have never been able to accumulate more than one AK
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Post  MidniteEffort Sat Sep 11, 2010 4:30 pm

i read and reread this thread a lot. i really like it and keep doing it.

i am not kidding, trading makes me black out. i gotta figure it out
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Post  Zuty Sat Sep 11, 2010 5:31 pm

Nice reads indeed. I am going to need to have John O teach me how to wheel and deal, but I am not as knowledgeable with Magic nor do I have the collection size that he has, so I think I will have to target my market to the WoW cards.

John O can be a tyrant Magic card dealer and I can be a tyrant WoW card dealer xD

~Zuty
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Post  Slyphidine Sat Sep 11, 2010 6:36 pm

I never knew John O was such an aggressive trader! He sure hides it well.

John W and I hung out at the TCG Player qualifier today. We both did a fair amount of trading. I'll just post the one of mine:

My:
18 Fetchlands
2 Ajani Goldmane
Something else random

His:
5 Taiga
Foil Troll Ascetic

This is one of those high value trades that I'd typically be petrified to make, but John was sitting right there giving me the "YOU MUST MAKE THIS TRADE" look. I was valuing the fetches at $10 each, and he was putting the Taigas at $38 each (everything else is just throw-in stuff). After we finished, John told me that he sells fetches for $7 each, and taigas for $38 each. Which would mean that if I were to liquidate it all, I would end up with $3 extra for each fetch I traded (3*18=$54). It's not a way I typically look at trades, but it was interesting.

My advice, Steve, would be to just hang out and watch one of us (probably John, since he's better than I). You get a sense of what the value ranges are (one guy trades Knight of the Reliquary at $14, another at $10; you start to know what is acceptable, what is not acceptable, and what is exceptional). You also get a sense of the rhythm of trading, which cards are in demand, which cards should be in demand, but are being given away, etc. Really, if you sit down and watch for about an hour or so, it becomes much clearer.
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Post  dark burn Sun Sep 12, 2010 9:08 pm

I also wanted Dan to make this trade because of what was being traded.

This is very important to understand when trading.

There is a hierarchy of cards when it comes to trading. Power 9 is near untouchable to trade for. Next you have Portal and starter set cards like Grim tutor and imperial recruiter, hard to trade for because you almost never even see them. Next up is dual lands. Duals are better than cash when it comes to trading. You can trade for any cards you want when you have duals in your binder. Next are pimp foreign cards. Then a category that is just arabian nights, legends, antiquties, Jace the mindsculptor, and tarmogoyf. Then vintage/legacy staples like the old fetches. Next are staples that are still in print. The new fetches, noble heirarch, knight of the reliquary all fall into this catagory. Then standard playables, then casual only cards.

Dan's trade traded up from in print staples to Dual Lands, and traded up purely value-wise. Most of the time when you trade up the card hierarchy you have to take a value loss on the trade. Dan totally won out with this one. He can replace those fetches in 2 weeks of trading, but might only even see 3 duals for trade in that same time.

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Post  Slyphidine Sun Sep 12, 2010 9:45 pm

I suppose for the same reason, the trade of Primeval Titan and a few Steel Overseers for Tarmogoyf, Simic Sky Swallower, and promo Ghostly Prison was solid. Though I lost a tiny bit in value, I made up for it in a staple that will not lose value.
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Post  dark burn Sun Sep 12, 2010 11:21 pm

Trade 7

I gave

Foil Gideon $32
2x spell snare $1 each
Angels vs demons Akroma $8
Volrath's Stronghold $4
Total $46

I received

Force of will $30
Maze of ith $14
Dragon Broodmother $3
Total $47

This is a trade about knowing the meta and changes in magic. Two new planeswalkers have been spoiled in scars that both cost 5 mana and are white. Most people think these are better than gideon and will replace him. His price already dropped $13 from a few weeks ago and will continue to drop further. I traded away a dropping gideon for a steady/slowly appreciating force of will. Force is also higher on the trading hierarchy.

Trade #8

I gave

overgrown tomb $2.25
Misdirection $7
Fauna Shaman $5
Rootbound crag $2
Celestal colannade $2
Total $18.25

I received
Tolarian Academy $23
Meekston $.50
Niv Mizzett $3
Balefire Liege $3
2 creekwood liege $3 each
2 sanguine bond $2 each
death baron $2.50
memory erosion $1.70
Purity $1
Knight Exemplar $3
Total 47.70

This trade is all about knowledge is power. The dual lands all command at least a $5 price tag, but no dealer is buying them because there have been so many printed and opened because of Jace. The other person also made the mistake of handing me a binder he called "dollar rares". Everything I pulled except the tolarian academy came from his dollar binder. I pulled out dollar cards I wanted first, then looked through his other binder and saw some newer cards I was interested in. He couldnt find anything he really wanted outside the fauna shaman though. We were chatting and he mentioned he only wanted tolarian for edh and was mad they just banned it. I offered to trade for it, so he pulled out the duals and misdirection cause he though he could trade them away easier than the academy. Always make small talk with your trade partners!!!

Trade 9

I gave

Force of will $30
Nev's Disk $4
Pulmonic Sliver $1
Niv Mizzet $3
Mind Twist $2
Mystical tutor $4
Commandeer $.30
Total $44.30
I recieved

seaside citadel $.75
Arcane sanctum $.75
savage lands $.75
crumbling necropolis $.75
Akroma's memorial $8
creakwood liege $3
breaking point $2 (yea look that shit up)
Deathbringer liege $3
reanimate(battle royale version)$4.50
Sword to plowshares $2
tombstalker $7.50
chain lightning $9
Sensei's top $4
Standstill $5
Total 47.75

I traded down for this trade. I actually like to trade down for a bunch of cards because it creates more opportunities in the future. The one force will only be sought after by a few people, while all these other cards are sought after by many more people. I picked up a good mix of legacy staples and casual hits in this trade, which is what I really like to see my trades look like. It is really good to have a bunch of casual cards for trade because casual people are willing to trade just about anything for the cards they actually want, and dont care much for card values. It is a must to have cards for casual players in your trade binder.

Trade 10

I gave

2 english Reset $9.50 each
1 Spring Mishra's workshop $5
Total $24
I recieved

1 Primeval Titan $30

Yes, I did trade down the hierarchy for a standard playable, but primeval is so hot right now, and the others are pretty stagnant. I do have to trade away the primeval soon to make it worth the trade, otherwise I lose out. Must get rid of this this by the prerelease.

These trade, plus about 6 more were all made in about 7 hours in a room with about 100 people. Assume I did just as well on all these trades and thats about $10/hour in profit. I believe I actually did much better than that. Three of these trades were basically even because I was getting diversifying my trade fodder rather than looking for straight value. Trades that look for straight value aren't usually interesting to talk about. Let me know what you think!

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Post  Slyphidine Mon Sep 13, 2010 11:56 am

Nice dollar binder!
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Post  dark burn Sun Apr 10, 2011 10:57 pm

Alright, I'm dredging this post up again. This next trade seems insane to me, but I have to move fast or lose a ton of value.

A player at my local store was going on about selling cards he didnt want. He had 3 jace, some duals, and some other standard expensive cards, plus a lot of cheap stuff. I jokingly said I would pay $25 each for 2 bayou's, 1 tiaga, and 1 plateau. He thought about it, said he could do $25 for everything but the tiaga. Then I said id give $60 each for the jaces. He said Ok. Now im already up to $255. I pulled out a playset of vengevines and said Id give $300 for everything. He countered with $325 for everything.

I receieved(all in played condition.)
3 Jace the mind sculptor
2 revised bayou
1 revised plateau
4 vengevine

I gave
$325

Because of the condition of the cards, dealers would not give a very good price for these. I will therefore sell them on ebay. The jaces are averaging $75 each, the bayous are 45 each and the plateau is 40. The vengevines are $20 each. This will gain me a profit, but the time involved is just barely worth it.

Then, because I was flashing some cash, another player approached me with his playset of jaces. This playset is special because they are all altered art jaces. I said I didnt want to spend any more money. He said he could find other stuff to trade as well as cash. I looked through his binder and pulled out more cards. I said I would give $60 cash for these, but not buy the jaces. Then he went through my cards and pulled some out. We haggled for a while and ended up with this trade.

I recieved
4 Jace(altered art) $?
1 Mana vault $3
1 sol ring $12
1 priest of titania $1
4 rite of flame $1 each
1 demonic tutor $8
1 solemn similacrum $5
1 Umezawa's jitte $18
1 plateau $40 (ebay price)

I gave
4 played vengevine $20 each
1 vindicate $16
2 foreign choke $2 each
$150 cash

I will have to sell the jaces on ebay, and i dont know how popular they will be. I will value them right now at $75 each, because they wont go less that a regular one.

So, to sum these trades up easily

I Gave
$475 cash
1 vindicate $16
2 foreign choke $2 each
Total $495

I recieved
4 altered art jace $75 each
3 slightly played jace $75 each
2 bayou $45 each
2 plateau $40 each
1 mana vault $3
1 sol ring $12
1 priest of titania $1
1 rite of flame $1 each
1 demonic tutor $8
1 solemn similcrum $5
1 umezawa's jitte $18
Total $743

This whole thing show the power of cash. I waved some money around, word got around, and a very good deal just walked right up to me.

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