WEBVTT 00:01.966 --> 00:04.500 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% GUEST: I brought in Magic cards. My husband played Magic in the '90s. 00:04.500 --> 00:06.566 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% APPRAISER: Okay. 00:06.566 --> 00:10.500 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% GUEST: And at the time, he made a concerted effort to get whole sets. He played with his 00:11.633 --> 00:12.933 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% friends, and played in tournaments. 00:12.933 --> 00:14.400 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% APPRAISER: Okay. 00:14.400 --> 00:16.666 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% GUEST: But then I think he wanted to have a complete set. 00:16.666 --> 00:18.366 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% APPRAISER: Yep. 00:18.366 --> 00:20.600 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% GUEST: And so he would buy individual packs at the, at the store. 00:20.600 --> 00:22.633 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% APPRAISER: Mm-hmm. 00:22.633 --> 00:25.733 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% GUEST: Until he was able to put together a complete set. He traded for some of the cards, 00:25.733 --> 00:27.733 align:left position:40% line:89% size:50% as well. 00:27.733 --> 00:31.000 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% APPRAISER: Magic: The Gathering was created in 1993 by Richard Garfield in collaboration 00:31.000 --> 00:34.866 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% with Wizards of the Coast. And it was actually considered the first trading-card game that 00:34.866 --> 00:39.833 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% started the craze. So, like, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh, all those card games came afterwards, after 00:41.833 --> 00:44.766 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% the influence Magic had on the collecting community. Now, when Magic came out, it was 00:44.766 --> 00:49.733 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% first alpha limited set. Now, the alpha set consisted of 295 cards, and then there was 00:51.700 --> 00:55.433 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% a second reissue called the beta limited set, and which you have here, all cards for the 00:55.433 --> 00:59.666 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% beta set, which, it was limited to 302 cards. Now, you've never played Magic or anything 00:59.666 --> 01:01.133 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% like that? 01:01.133 --> 01:03.133 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% GUEST: I haven't played-- my husband played. 01:03.133 --> 01:05.666 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% APPRAISER: Okay, so to give you the image, just pretend you're two dueling wizards, and 01:05.666 --> 01:08.400 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% you're going to be summoning some spells, you're going to be put, bringing out some 01:08.400 --> 01:13.000 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% creatures. And the whole point is each player starts with 20 life points, and the whole 01:13.000 --> 01:17.166 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% goal is me, as a competing wizard, I want to say, "Oh, I want to drain your life points." 01:17.166 --> 01:21.333 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% So the first person to bring the other opponent to zero wins. Do you know why we have the 01:21.333 --> 01:24.300 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% binder open to this page with these nine particular cards? 01:24.300 --> 01:25.733 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% GUEST: No, I don't. 01:25.733 --> 01:27.000 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% APPRAISER: Okay. (imitates explosion): That's like mind... 01:27.000 --> 01:29.033 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% GUEST: (laughs) 01:29.033 --> 01:31.866 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% APPRAISER: This is referred to as "the power nine," and the reason why we call it the power 01:31.866 --> 01:36.866 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% nine is, these are literally the most powerful cards in existence in the Magic world. Now, 01:38.900 --> 01:40.633 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% today, the power nine are not allowed to be played in decks or anything like that. 01:40.633 --> 01:42.633 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% GUEST: Really? 01:42.633 --> 01:44.766 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% APPRAISER: Unless it's a vintage tournament. So all of these cards were printed in 1993 01:44.766 --> 01:48.333 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% as part of the beta set. And after that, they went into an unlimited printing. They just 01:48.333 --> 01:49.333 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% printed and printed and printed. 01:49.333 --> 01:51.400 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% GUEST: Oh. 01:51.400 --> 01:54.166 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% APPRAISER: So, by seeing the black border, the rounded corners, and the little white 01:54.166 --> 01:56.766 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% dots in the printing on each edge of the image? 01:56.766 --> 01:58.900 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% GUEST: Yeah. 01:58.900 --> 02:01.000 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% APPRAISER: That's how we're able to tell these are printed in 1993, part of the original 02:01.000 --> 02:03.933 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% set. If you had to guess, what do you think the value on nine cards is? 02:03.933 --> 02:06.166 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% GUEST: Couple of hundred dollars. Couple of hundred dollars. 02:06.166 --> 02:10.866 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% APPRAISER: Now, because they're ungraded-- now, the grade and condition of a card significantly 02:10.866 --> 02:14.600 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% affects the value. That's why we left it right in the binder, because I don't even want to 02:14.600 --> 02:19.566 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% breathe on them, let alone touch it, because the slightest nick, the slightest crease all 02:19.566 --> 02:24.266 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% affects the value. Looking at both sides of the cards, judging the wear, I would say they 02:24.266 --> 02:28.800 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% all probably range around an eight out of ten condition. You might have a 7.5 in there. 02:28.800 --> 02:33.800 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% But they've all been well taken care of. For the power nine right here, as they sit, without 02:35.766 --> 02:38.466 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% professional grading, at auction, you'd be looking at $50,000 to $75,000. 02:38.466 --> 02:40.500 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% GUEST: (chuckles): Oh, my gosh. 02:40.500 --> 02:45.500 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% APPRAISER: (laughs): Yeah, right? So out of that $50,000 to $75,000, the black Lotus, 02:47.633 --> 02:50.633 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% which is, like, the crème de la crème-- that's the card everybody wants-- is $15,000 02:50.633 --> 02:52.366 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% to $20,000 in its current condition. 02:52.366 --> 02:54.433 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% GUEST: Okay. 02:54.433 --> 02:56.866 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% APPRAISER: The second card right here, the Mox Emerald, which is one of the five jewel 02:56.866 --> 03:00.666 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% cards that you can see here, is the rarest of them all. In its current shape, you'd be 03:00.666 --> 03:04.800 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% looking at about $8,000 to $12,000. Now, that's just this page of nine cards. 03:04.800 --> 03:06.400 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% GUEST: (laughs) 03:06.400 --> 03:07.433 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% APPRAISER: When it comes to the other cards that you have here... 03:07.433 --> 03:09.400 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% GUEST: Yeah. 03:09.400 --> 03:11.500 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% APPRAISER: If you look here, this card right there, Volcanic Island, now, that is what 03:11.500 --> 03:16.500 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% we refer to as a dual land or a dual mana card. The cool part about that card is, it 03:17.666 --> 03:18.766 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% was not included in the alpha set. 03:18.766 --> 03:20.800 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% GUEST: Mm-hmm. 03:20.800 --> 03:24.500 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% APPRAISER: It was only issued in the beta set. So, that's its first issue. That card 03:24.500 --> 03:28.966 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% alone, at auction in its current shape, would be between $5,000 and $10,000. 03:28.966 --> 03:30.966 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% GUEST: Huh. 03:30.966 --> 03:33.000 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% APPRAISER: And the remainder of the binder, for all the pages there-- 'cause they're all 03:33.000 --> 03:37.800 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% beta cards, they're all early 1993 beta cards. You're looking at an additional $10,000 to 03:38.266 --> 03:39.133 align:left position:40% line:89% size:50% $15,000. 03:39.133 --> 03:41.200 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% APPRAISER: (chuckles) 03:41.200 --> 03:45.133 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% APPRAISER: So cumulatively, you're looking, at auction, at between $65,000 and $100,000 03:45.866 --> 03:46.666 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% in trading cards here. 03:46.666 --> 03:48.733 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% GUEST: Oh, my gosh. 03:48.733 --> 03:49.966 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% APPRAISER: So, see? Aren't you happy you didn't lose them in your backpack? 03:49.966 --> 03:51.966 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% GUEST: I am happy. (both laughing) 03:51.966 --> 03:54.133 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% APPRAISER: Would you have ever expected your husband's trading cards... 03:54.133 --> 03:56.333 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% GUEST: No, because they're just, like, they're cards to me. 03:56.333 --> 03:59.466 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% APPRAISER: Yeah, now, this is, like, "Let's send the kids to college" kind of money right 03:59.466 --> 04:01.033 align:left position:40% line:89% size:50% here. 04:01.033 --> 04:03.366 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% GUEST: That's exactly, the college savings right here. 04:03.366 --> 04:06.200 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% APPRAISER: Yeah, it's literally the best culmination of Magic cards I've ever seen in one setting. 04:06.200 --> 04:07.233 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% Like, it's absolutely ridiculous. 04:07.233 --> 04:09.333 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% GUEST: Oh, wow. 04:09.333 --> 04:11.800 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% APPRAISER: That's why when you came up to the stall, I was, like... (imitates heart 04:11.800 --> 04:14.366 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% racing): Looking at the... Looking at the binder, I was, like, "Whew!" In the marketplace, 04:14.366 --> 04:18.833 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% this is hotter than fire. The demand for these cards is uncontrollable. And you would absolutely 04:20.733 --> 04:23.733 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% sell them individually. Because if I'm at home, and I have five out of the nine cards, 04:23.733 --> 04:27.200 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% I don't need to buy all nine-- that's a ton of money. I just need that one or two extra 04:27.200 --> 04:28.200 align:left position:40% line:89% size:50% card. 04:28.200 --> 04:30.300 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% GUEST: Right. 04:30.300 --> 04:32.133 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% APPRAISER: Power nine, baby-- unbelievable. For me, this is like looking at a painting. 04:32.133 --> 04:34.633 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% Like, you go to the museum, it's, like, "Oh, a Renoir." 04:34.633 --> 04:34.766 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% GUEST: (laughs)