Something else I should mention about my method of collecting. I only collect a playset of either the FIRST set a card came out in OR the pimpest version of a card.

Example: I have 4x Foil M10 Drowned Catacombs & 4x Foil M10 Baneslayer Angels but ZERO M11 Drowned Catacombs / Baneslayers.

I figure that I'd only want to use the best version of a card in my deck, so why continue to duplicate playsets with inferior cards? The money I save on those 2nd playsets of duals / baneslayers now gets spent on upgrading the rest of my collection or completing the sets that are still missing cards.

Waste not, want not. Right? ;P

Carl

@Psilence6K: I've never really had the problem of which to pick up 4 of and which to pick up 1 of since I need to have 4 of everything! However, even in my case it still makes sense to pick up some cards before others. Generally I pick up a playset of the playable cards before going after the true bulk. Even if I think a card might be marginally playable I try to grab those before getting my 4x Venser's Journal.

@Luke Sonnier: I used to just buy a case of a new set then trade for the few remaining cards I needed but with Scars I went a different route. I've only opened one box, plus prize packs, and this time I've just traded for the set. The other day I decided to trade for a second playset of Scars and talk about those trades in a future article. I'm a good portion of the way there after less than a week! I'm definitely looking forward to writing that article so look for it in about 2 weeks.

@pureval: My motivation for collecting is generally to have every card available for deckbuilding. In the case of promo cards and such it has more to do with me being a completionist. When I complete a set I generally put them into a properly labeled binder, in set order, so I have easy access to them. For bigger sets especially this can put "binder-bend" into some of the cards so this method certainly isn't for everyone. It works well for me as a player since I can find any card quickly.

Thanks again for the comments guys and look for another collecting article in about two weeks!

Oh and Luke, I am pretty sure the book promo was not released as a foil.

I started playing again (after a more than 10 year hiatus) when M10 was released. Somewhere along the way I decided that I wanted to collect full playsets of each set that was released. The way that I've been doing it recently has been to pre-order about four boxes of each set (usually at about $84/box). I open the boxes, build my sets and check what's missing and what I have duplicates of. It's a bit of a gamble because sometimes you will get extras of great tradeable cards. Other times you have a stack of Necrotic Plagues.

What I then try to do is trade the extras I opened for the cards I'm missing. This is usually a very slow process, but I admit…it is fun. There is a rewarding feeling to completing a set when so much work was required to do it.

I currently have full playsets of every card in Zendikar and Worldwake. I am only missing 3 Baneslayer Angels to complete M10.

I'm pretty far off on Rise of the Eldrazi and Scars because they both had a number of high dollar mythics that have taken/are taking a while to come down in price. Same with M11. The titans have all been pretty pricey so far.

I don't mind taking my time with collecting because there isn't any real need to complete the set while the cards are in standard. Of course I also like to play them so I always try, but waiting until rotation can be a great way to pick up former all-stars on the cheap.

My next collecting goal is going to be planeswalkers. Ever since I returned to the game I've just been enamored with planeswalkers. My goal is to collect one foil copy of each planeswalker in each English version that is available. So for instance I would be looking to get four Jace Belerens: 1 book promo, 1 original art (Lorwyn, M10, M11), 1 Duel Decks (English), and in the special case of Jace and Chandra, I will also get the new manga art Japanese duel deck versions just because they are cool. But for Nicol Bolas, I only need to try for one…Conflux English foil. It will be a real challenge I think, but it will be fun (except for a foil Jace, the Mind Sculptor. I imagine that will be the most difficult to get my hands on).

I am one of those fabled "collector / traders" of which you were making reference and can agree that it carries its own set of challenges.

I've fallen into the trap of NOT bringing my collection with me to FNMs etc because of it's sheer size / volume. Your Iona example was perfect… I have playsets of all of those mythics that are used as 1x or 2x in some decks that are just sitting around in a binder growing mold.

I think another important skill us collectors need to learn is to evaluate which cards should be "pick up a playset" vs. "pick up a 1x for EDH". When I look back on my collection and see my 4x of Sensation Gorgers and Spearbreaker Behemoths it makes me (and my wallet) sad.

Collecting is AWESOME, and is probably the aspect of MTG that I enjoy most. It's been a challenge for me to curb my spending from "buy a playset of everything" to "buy just what you need / want to speculate on". I've found that since I cut down on my old theory of "buy everything" that I've had a lot more disposable income to use to buy collections / underpriced singles which I then use to trade for the cards I would have outright purchased anyways. 😉

Cheers,

Carl Szalich