An Introduction to Summer Magic

Codenamed “Edgar” during its design period, Summer Magic remains one of vintage Magic’s more controversial products – not because of what it contains, but because of how it was released. So, what is it, what does it mean for the secondary market, and how can you buy it? 

Let’s take a look.

What Is Summer Magic?

Initially designed for release in 1994, Summer Magic was Magic’s knee jerk reaction to the myriad problems with Revised Edition. While Revised was widely panned by critics for having washed out colors, Summer Magic’s print run corrected in the opposite direction – oversaturating cards across its print run.

Similarly, the Revised printing of Serendib Efreet uses the incorrect artwork (instead sourcing from Ifh-Bíff Efreet), an issue which Summer Magic attempted to correct but failed to address in the artist credit. Also prominent throughout Summer Magic were the first attempts by Wizards of the Coast to tone down the demonic figures in its artwork, resulting in a printing of Demonic Tutor that has a pentagram missing from the central figure’s head but not chest.

Finally, to cap it all off, copyright lines were finally added to the bottom of all cards in the set, another indicator of future design space which Wizards was eagerly exploring but hadn’t quite made it to print yet in the initial Revised release.

Despite Summer Magic’s attempt at fixing Revised’s flaws, the final verdict from Wizards was to recall the initial print wave before it hit shelves so that it could be destroyed. Revised would be printed as-was, with Summer Magic (ideally) never seeing the light of day.

Luck intervened, however, and an estimated 40 booster boxes of Summer Magic made their way to stores, a mishap which continues to serve as the only source of Summer Magic throughout the whole of Magic’s market.  

Summer Magic Pricing Issues

You don’t have to spend a lot of time in the world of collectibles to know that 40 booster boxes isn’t exactly a lot, and this is reflected in Summer Magic’s prices – $10,000 Hurricanes, $1,000 Islands, the list goes on. So, while it would be wrong to say that the prices of these oddities are completely abstract, it is absolutely important to understand that they are incredibly volatile and illiquid.

Not much of this stuff exists out there, even less of it is on the market, and what is out there often takes a bit to move. That said, things are worth what people pay for them, and many of the more playable and/or infamous cards do have more than a few people paying for them.

So, with these limitations in mind, the closest comparison to Summer Magic when it comes to pricing is somewhere between a misprint and a serialized card. Both of these comparisons are unique in their own ways – whether that be the number printed in their corner or the factory mishap changing their design – but serialized cards are official products, whereas misprints aren’t, even if they came directly out of a sealed booster pack.

Meanwhile, Summer Magic comes from a standardized roster of cards, much like serialized cards, but the story behind their existence is much more cryptic, just like misprints. As such, treat their prices with a bit of skepticism and a dash of individuality; they sure can move in awkward ways.

Where to Find Summer Magic

We know what they are, we’ve digested the pricing advisory, so where are we to actually buy them?

Well, unfortunately it’s not as clear cut as just TCGPlayer – although sometimes these will pop up there. Instead, it’s time to turn elsewhere.

In descending order of accessibility, the first option here is eBay. As we’ve come to understand, based on their proximity to misprints, cards from Summer Magic have volatile prices from sale to sale, not just year to year. This makes them the perfect type of asset for an auction, something which will draw attention and competition. As such, while they aren’t exactly commonly listed on eBay, the platform is certainly a seller-favorite when it comes to maximizing an auction’s audience, so check here first.

Second up is Cardmarket. But first, a caveat: this website primarily caters to its European audience, so while it does offer an excellent roster of Summer Magic listings, not everyone out there may have as easy a time navigating it as others. Additionally, like eBay, Cardmarket is a peer-to-peer sales website, meaning that – should a problem arise – you’ll be dealing directly with your vendor. Not too uncommon in the world of trading cards, but worth noting.

Finally, the most dedicated Summer Magic outlet: individual social media groups. Facebook, Discord, etc – all of these platforms have circles which trade specifically in Magic oddities, including Summer Magic. These can be a bit hard to find and get into at first – they are, like Cardmarket, peer-to-peer, but without the backing of a larger company.

That being said, these circles often have among the better prices and selections, thanks to the dedication of those involved. If you want to buy more than just one piece of Summer Magic, I suggest you find your way into these.

Wrap Up

Summer Magic continues to vex the world of old Magic due to its limited availability, volatile swings, and awkward classification as a quasi-misprint. However, it is undeniably a cool part of Magic’s history, one which, regardless of the day’s swing, commands a high price.

Five Most Exciting Reprints from Innistrad Remastered