Let's Talk About Command Tower
What we’re seeing with Secret Lair, Universes Beyond, Special Guests, and other special versions of prominent cards, is an economy based on the desirability of specific versions more than the availability of the effect.
In this article I’m looking at
The Original - Commander (2011)
The original printing of Command Tower briefly hit a high of around $6 at a time when the format was first developing. The card's effect was rare, useful, and highly desirable. With a reprinting the following year we see a drop in price, and then another peak around $4.
This trend of common reprintings repeats annually, until we arrive where we are now, with cheaper versions between 25 and 50 cents.
Judge Promo and Commander’s Arsenal
In 2012 we saw the first two foil printings, one as a
The Judge Promo has the iconic original art, and a special printing, which you see reflected in its higher market value. This version currently sits as the fourth most expensive printing of Command Tower.
Both of these versions peaked at over $100, with the Commander’s Arsenal printing settling to around $30 and the Judge Promo sitting around $50.
Secret Lair
For a few dollars more we have a Galaxy Foil Secret Lair Command Tower, which is currently the third most expensive printing of this format staple. This has a special foil treatment, a borderless art, and is overall a very appealing version.
With a price tag of roughly $55, the allure of this card is clearly reflected.
Fallout Surge Foil
Currently the second most expensive printing of Command Tower is a Collector Booster exclusive. This printing of Command Tower is desirable for several reasons: It’s within the Fallout universe, it’s a borderless printing, and it has a special foil treatment.
This checks several boxes for collectability, on top of what might be the most crucial: availability.
Collector booster supply tends to dry up pretty quickly, and Fallout was no exception. The overlap in fanbases is also cause for more demand.
This is something we’re seeing more and more as Universes Beyond becomes a primary driver in the market. These cards can sometimes be innocuous, and their long term value can be hard to evaluate. This printing spent the majority of the past year hovering around $50. Now it sits at nearly double what some might have considered overpriced a year ago, at $90.
Mystery Booster 2
For the most expensive version of this card we have a
This card can only be pulled from Mystery Booster 2 packs, and only in foil. It features the Future Sight frame that’s only available on a handful of cards. This elusive version is in a set that’s not readily available, and with very unique characteristics. This alone would make any card expensive, but it’s the widespread playability on top of all of this that ultimately drives its value.
This special version rightfully sits as the holy grail of Command Towers, commanding a $150 price point.
Why Write About Command Tower?
I decided on Command Tower because it’s been reprinted dozens of times, is played in countless decks, and still has some very expensive versions.
Something I found most fascinating about these four most expensive versions is that we see a Judge Promo, a Secret Lair, a Collector Booster exclusive, and a special treatment in a limited release set. I would expect some overlap, but I was pleasantly surprised to see a wide variety here. Although, it’s worth noting that three of these printings have been released within the past two years.
Another reason I wanted to write about Command Tower is because it’s been featured as a bonus card in recent Secret Lair releases, like the Spongebob and the Sonic the Hedgehog drops. These versions are relatively inexpensive in comparison to the versions I’ve mentioned here, which is worth noting because it likely means they have room to grow.
Conclusion
Command Tower isn't going anywhere, and is unlikely to be usurped by any other multicolored land in Commander.
The demand for special printings of this card will only grow as the player base expands.
Cards like this are significant to the secondary market because they will always be bought and sold, even as a bulk card; there is still constant demand for Command Tower.
Understanding the drivers for the value on cards like this can help to better evaluate potential market trajectories of other cards and their specialty printings.
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Bill Bingham
Bill Bingham has spent the past decade in the throws of competitive play, travelling, and managing a collection. With expansive knowledge and deep ties to the community, he looks to share this insight. In his time away from the game, he is utilizing these problem solving skills, learning, creating, or cooking.
