Last weekend, Sig received some very unfortunate news regarding an eBay sale he made of an Alpha card. It turns out, the card may have been clipped Beta. This begs the question: how can one detect the difference? This week Sig investigates.

The post Clipped Beta vs. Alpha: A Cautionary Tale first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

Sig's records aren't perfect, but he has recently just passed his 500th MTG finance article--nearly ten years of writing! This week Sig reflects back on his MTG finance journey, the key decisions along the way, and what makes Magic the greatest game in the world.

The post My 500th (ish) MTG Finance Article: A Self-Reflection first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

Returning from a well-deserved vacation, Sig takes a wider look at the Magic finance landscape, examining Modern Horizons 2, Reserved List staples, and more.

The post Modern Horizons 2 and Summer Regressions first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

Last week's inflation data created shock waves in the stock market. This piqued Sig's curiosity: does inflation also impact the Magic market? He found an article that describes the potential impact very well...oh, and that article was written in 1978!

The post Inflation’s Impact on Your Magic Investment first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

In any sort of investing, it's important to define key terms in order to make sense of and properly evaluate investment opportunities. David outlines these key terms, and how they relate to Magic.

The post Defining Our Terms first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

It's no surprise some older cards have peaked and are now pulling back. What DOES surprise Sig is that some cards are back on the climb and nearing previous highs. Why the split? This week, Sig looks at the numbers.

The post A Dichotomy in Old Card Prices first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

Magic broke into mainstream media, briefly, last week. Popular music artist Post Malone was sighted purchasing Magic cards at a local card shop. Is this enough to catalyze some sort of growth? This week, Sig shares his thoughts on the matter.

The post How Could Magic Go Mainstream? first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

This week Sig examines recent pricing trends on some of Magic's historically most overprinted and under-powered sets: Homelands, Fallen Empires, and Chronicles. Without looking, can you guess what booster boxes of these sets sell for today? The answer may surprise you!

The post What Was Once Undesirable is Now Hot first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

It's no secret: Alpha cards are very expensive now. There are just not very many copies to go around. But what about Beta? It's print run is larger, but relative to the player base, it's still tiny. This week Sig examines the Beta market and shares his thoughts on Beta's likely price trajectory.

The post Shifting Focus to Beta first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

Nine years ago, Sig wrote his first article describing the collectibility of Alpha rares. At the time, he had no idea just how much the Alpha market could explode. This week, he revisits the topic, updating his view on the set and sharing tips on where to buy.

The post A Resurgence in the Alpha Market first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

"History repeats itself." We hear this phrase time and again to describe all sorts of socioeconomic phenomena. But does it apply to the Magic market this time? This week, Sig examines the market-moving forces of 2020-2021 and compares back to 2017-2018.

The post Will History Repeat Itself This Time? first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

As card prices continue to climb, it's OK to take profits. Really. This week, Sig shares three mantras he keeps in mind to help him overcome negative emotions associated with selling.

The post Three Mantras to Taking Profits first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

David examines the recent movement in Reserved List rares, and outlines the telltale signs of a bubble about to pop.

The post Insider: Bubble of Baubles first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

With the recent run on Commander / Old School cards, players have been reaching towards budget, Foreign Black-Bordered option. Suddenly, these cards aren't so "budget" anymore. This week Sig examines the trend and shares thoughts on how best to sell these once-obscure cards.

The post The Foreign Black Border Upswing first appeared on Quiet Speculation.