The Financial Aspects of Amulet Titan
For nearly a decade Amulet Titan has been in or around the upper echelons of the Modern format. Through bannings, countless set releases, and an ever-shifting metagame, Amulet Titan has adapted.
This past weekend has once again been prominent for Amulet. With Nathan Goldberg winning RC Las Vegas, this is a continuation in the legacy of this archetype, and another great example of the power and resiliency for this deck.
There’s some crossover with these cards and this playstyle in Commander, thanks to the prominence of
Mandatory Cards
Amulet of Vigor
Amulet of Vigor is powerful, and was at one point a very unique effect. Recently we’ve seen several similar effects, but none as powerful as a one-mana artifact. With three special printings in the past five years, all have more than doubled from their initial prices. Worldwake remains the only printing in a Standard set, and currently sits as the cheapest version around $40.
Amulet of Vigor sees play in only a handful of Commander decks. Outside of Commander, this card is exclusively used as a four-of, contributing to its resilience.
| Amulet of Vigor | ||
| Amulet of Vigor (Borderless) | ||
| Amulet of Vigor |
Primeval Titan
Primeval Titan has been printed eight times. Despite being banned in Commander, it recently spiked from speculation of an unban, only to fall back down.
With versions ranging from $5 to a little over $30, there are several options.
| Primeval Titan | ||
| Astral Tiran - Primeval Titan (Showcase) | ||
| Primeval Titan | ||
| Primeval Titan (494) |
Scapeshift
Corey Williams wrote a great synopsis on Scapeshift’s price recently. All of these points ring true, as this is currently the most expensive card in Amulet Titan. This is simultaneously one of the most powerful cards in Amulet Titan, and also one of the most potentially financially volatile.
A reprint could easily bring this price point down to a more manageable level.
For now, the combination of Amulet Titan, Commander, and Pioneer decks keep Scapeshift’s price point high.
| Scapeshift | ||
| Scapeshift | ||
| Scapeshift (Borderless) |
Lands
A significant portion of the cost for this deck comes from its lands, which shouldn’t be surprising from a deck that’s roughly half lands. Interestingly enough, most of this value comes from two cards.
Urza's Saga
Urza’s Saga has proven itself in every format where it’s legal. A tutor as well as a potential win-con, this is one of the most powerful lands printed within the past two decades.
We’ve seen several printings in the past four years, although the price has remained stable, for no reason other than constant demand.
Notably we have a new version of Urza’s Saga in the
Copies are currently available for only a few dollars more than the median for base set printings. I expect this number to only grow as cheaper listings are absorbed.
| Urza's Saga | ||
| Urza's Saga (Showcase) | ||
| Urza's Saga (Halo Foil) | ||
| Urza's Saga (White Border) |
Boseiju, Who Endures
Another land with multiple format appeal, and an important role, is Boseiju, Who Endures, a mainstay in Commander decks of all power levels, and a necessary piece for Amulet Titan.
Boseiju has largely stabilized, with all versions sitting between $35 and $45. This is a relatively high price point, but this land is in constant demand and frequently played in the top tiers of the game. Being intrinsically tied to Kamigawa also makes Boseiju harder to reprint, adding to the price's resiliency.
I wouldn’t expect drastic shifts in any direction for the current price on Boseiju, although constant demand could lead to slow and steady growth if there’s a long period without a reprint.
| Boseiju, Who Endures | ||
| Boseiju, Who Endures (Extended Art) | ||
| Boseiju, Who Endures (Borderless) |
Undervalued Gems
Spelunking
Spelunking is an uncommon with only one printing, and it sees play in a top tier competitive deck. These are all signals that the card may be undervalued. Interestingly enough this card may be overlooked in Commander. An upgrade over
On top of this, Pioneer also features the potential for highly competitive archetypes featuring Spelunking and Scapeshift.
Spelunking’s future could come down to a stream of reprints, or could climb as an outlier and chase uncommon. Either way, it’s currently undervalued at its current price point of $2.50
| Spelunking |
Aftermath Analyst
Once the most expensive uncommon in
Aftermath Analyst currently sits around $1.50 for the median, with copies available for significantly less. It slots into a wide array of land and graveyard centric decks, and will likely slowly get absorbed until the prices trend up.
Importantly, foil prices are currently less than the all-time high for regular printings, despite only having one printing in foil. If you’re interested in foil cards for Amulet Titan, or for land-centric Commander decks, now may be the time.
| Aftermath Analyst | ||
| Aftermath Analyst |
Conclusion
There are countless versions and card choices for Amulet Titan. While outlying cards may fluctuate and change, the core of the deck is rigid. So are the prices for the cards. While I don’t think there are many cards to speculate on in this sphere, this is a generally consistent deck, which is rare. It doesn’t disappear from the meta in its entirety, and the majority of its cards don’t fluctuate by significant margins.
Amulet Titan isn’t for everyone, and it’s not the easiest deck to play with, or against. However, it is one of the most consistent decks competitively and financially.
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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.
