To buy, or not to Buy; that is the question

[TheAmericanSpirit]

So I am currently considering purchasing a Gaea's cradle. Most prices are around ~800 for a HP copy. I have the money, sure, but I am hesitant because of the sheer expense on what is ultimately only cardboard.

To those who do buy high end cards, what's your experience with that? To the finance wizards among us, is a cradle a good investment now or has its price spiked beyond its actual value? Am I better off just slamming Growing Rites of Itlimoc and accepting that I probably missed the boat on acquiring one reasonably? Should I seek out a gold bordered copy instead?

The end goal would be to play it in my Selvala cedh if that matters.

[wildfire393]

Growing Rites of Itlimoc is a poor substitute, because green has so many ways to tutor nonbasic lands (Crop Rotation, Sylvan Scrying, Pir's Whim, Reap and Sow, Ulvenwald Hydra, etc) but no ways to tutor enchantments.

The card has recently spiked, but it is not likely to lose a ton of value, ever. Looking at hits price history, market price has not depressed appreciably, effectively ever. Low and Average prices seem to have come down by about 10% approximately 3-6 months after a spike, before spiking again, so if you want to get the best deal I'd recommend a timeline in the June-August range, but keep your eyes peeled on the major services for a deal in the $720 range. You may also have the best luck looking at Facebook Buy/Sell/Trade pages like the High End group, as those prices tend to be ~10% lower than TCG/eBay prices.

A gold-bordered copy is a reasonable alternative, but do bear in mind you are likely going to pay $200+ for a card that isn't tournament-playable. I don't know what your goal is with your cEDH deck, but if that "c" includes actual competitions, you're probably going to want to stick with the real thing.

In general, the best time to buy RL cards was 3-5 years ago. The second best time is right now. Wizards has shown no sign of any kind of reconsideration on the existence of the RL, and demand for cards like duals, Cradle, and similar that are Commander staples will only continue to grow as paper Magic shifts its focus ever more towards Commander.

[TheAmericanSpirit]

Damn, one couldn't ask for a clearer answer than that. I guess I'll have to pull the trigger soon if I ever want a copy... I'll sleep on it for a few days.

Believe it or not, I had a chance to buy one for about 200 back in 2019, but I felt too stingy then (I also had a significantly worse job). You can only imagine how hard I've been kicking myself ever since.

[Outcryqq]

I'd buy one immediately. And if you have the money, I'd pay a bit extra for a nicer condition. Like @wildfire393 said, check out facebook groups (like MTG Sick Deals, MTG Savage Deals, MTG High End), as typically the starting prices there are 10% below TCGlow. It's pretty easy to find a reputable seller on those groups.

Gradle might depress slightly, but it's not going to crash back down. And you'd have to ask yourself whether the small amount of money you MIGHT save by waiting for a small dip is worth the time you get to actually play with the card AND the chance that a dip never comes.

Good luck!

[TheAmericanSpirit]

The deed is done. I bought a HP copy for 868 USD including shipping and insurance. That was officially the most I have ever spent on a discretionary purchase in my life so far, I think. The only expenses that exceed it were my car, my collegiate education, and the one time I had to hire a lawyer and bail myself out of a jail in Utah.

It feels good to finally be one of the 'haves' when it comes to magic. I don't think I'll ever do it again though unless I win the lottery (unlikely considering my general aversion to gambling & lottery games), but I think it'll prove worth it in time.

Thanks for the help and advice, comrades!

[duducrash]

I had to hire a lawyer and bail myself out of a jail in Utah.

I don't know why but this being so specific got a nice laugh out of me. Hope everything is ok

[TheAmericanSpirit]

I had to hire a lawyer and bail myself out of a jail in Utah.

I don't know why but this being so specific got a nice laugh out of me. Hope everything is ok

Oh it was years ago now. I was just a dumb kid driving cross country with too much pot in my pockets, I got slapped on the wrist and ultimately just paid a fine. But that one night in jail spooked me good, yessir.