What's Good In Secretversary 2023?
A Tale of Two Gods
Secretversary 2023 marks the celebration of another year of
Each purchase totaling the equivalent of $200 will then receive a bonus card:
Notably,
Long story short, avoid spending $200 or its equivalent if you don't have to. The alternative art will likely experience a substantial reduction in price in the coming months.
Furthermore, anticipating the Winter/Secretversary drop in 2024 to be
New-Wave Metal
In my view, the greatest justification for Secret Lairs is their ability to reintroduce old, yet relevant cards into new, easily accessible foil versions. This often involves providing the first foil printing of a card, but also revamping old foils that have no business having inflated prices, thus providing a more affordable alternative while changing the original art.
Enter the Mycosynthwave Secret Lair, which provides us with two such cards:
Mycosynth Golem, a noteworthy card primarily played in EDH rather than other constructed formats, has seen a surge in price due to its prolonged wait for a reprint. As Affinity is a rather powerful mechanic to include in any set, its future reprinting options may be largely limited.
On the other hand, Mycosynth Lattice is quite popular, seeing a large amount of play in a variety of decks across Vintage and Legacy. The Secret Lair's reinterpretation offers a budget-friendly alternative for players seeking to incorporate it into their decks as a valuable sideboard piece.
| Mycosynth Golem | ||
| Mycosynth Lattice |
From Craft to Croft
The introduction of Lara Croft into the Universes Beyond series initially surprised me. The incorporation of cards in this context brings to mind a parable of the Dracula Series box toppers featured in
This particular Secret Lair stands out with several notable cards, beginning with the eponymous
While an in-universe reprint is currently absent, one would expect a rise in price from its existing average of $33 over time. In a worst-case scenario, the price trend may resemble that of
Another noteworthy inclusion in this product is
| Lara Croft, Tomb Raider | ||
| Totec's Spear - Shadowspear | ||
| Morgul-Knife |
Best Gifts Are Universal
Typically there’s a standout card in all of the Secret Lair bundles that offers something that can't be beat. In this release, Through the Wormhole has blown me away in terms of offerings and potential.
Given that EDH is by far the most popular format, this Secret Lair presents several advantages. It serves as a substantial upgrade for enthusiasts of the format while creating a versatile gift option, especially with the holidays around the corner. Boasting an array of playable cards that span from EDH to CEDH staples and some representation in Vintage through the inclusion of
Speaking of Sol Ring, a card that’s seen over a dozen reprints, it typically hovers in the price range of $1 to $2 for the more readily available versions. The price range is also very consistent across previous iterations of Secret Lairs. Despite Sol Ring’s additional printings in various Commander products, the previous Secret Lair versions remain between $12 and $16. Similarly,
| Sol Ring (1494) | ||
| Arcane Signet (1492) | ||
| Command Tower |
Happy Birthday, What's Next?
Secretversary 2023 may seem unassuming at first glance, but it presents two net positive options for players: Mycosynthwave and Through the Wormhole. Both offer great options for collectors, with the latter doubling as a fantastic gift or entry into alternative art products.
As always, it's advisable to explore each product to identify anything particularly interesting for individual preferences. Echoing my note regarding the false scarcity of The Locust God, a similar situation applies to many of the singles featured in the Secret Lairs. Rarely will a player be interested in the entirety of the cards included; most enthusiasts are only seeking one or two singles as prices stabilize over time.
With 2024 on the horizon, there will, of course, be another plethora of Secret Lairs, Superdrops, and various other products for players to look forward to. Secretversary is merely a reminder that this system of selling cards directly to a player is here to stay.
Join me in the next installment of New Horizons as we uphold the Guildpact in
Further Reading:
Matt Grzechnik
Matt Grzechnik started playing Magic with the release of Dragon's Maze. Since then he has tried and experimented with all of the formats before discovering his love for EDH and Pauper. Piloting the same Jund deck for the last 10 years, he now tries to both understand and break Sealed as a format.