Pre-Order Prices

Machamp The Champion

Machamp The Champion

TCG Articles Head
Member
With Roaring Skies coming up I've been thinking of pre-ordering some of the better cards in the set - mainly Shaymin EX and the Colorless M Rayquaza EX line. I'm wondering if this is a good idea from an investment standpoint. From your experience, when do prices for new cards tend to be the lowest, or highest? Should I wait until right after the set is released to buy? Should I wait until right before Roaring Skies becomes tournament legal (May 27th)? Or will they be the cheapest right now? I may need to use them for Georgia Regionals on May 30th, so I'd like to get them before then. I think giving the current price of the cards is somewhat irrelevant, as I'm simply wondering when you guys think it will be the cheapest.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks! :D
 
Clearly the cards will be cheapest once they're no long in the current format, so you might be waiting a couple years. :p

In all honesty, though, it's hard to say; it's all market manipulation. Prices usually fluctuate the most right around when a set is released (with the most bloated prices being assigned to pre-release cards). If a particular card is hyped up a lot more than its actual use, the price will likely stabilize lower than pre-order values. This also works in reverse, with cards rising in value as their game use is discovered.

I don't know all too much about the current metagame, but Shaymin EX at least looks like it will be a very popular tech and seems to already be selling several pre-orders on Ebay. Based on its current price and interest alone, I'm thinking that I would probably pre-order one if I were in your shoes, but again, it's just speculation.
 
The best I can say is that a hyped card=$$$. I remember 2 years ago, when PLB was in its Pre-release weeks, some people paying/trading up to $80 for Genesect-EXs, and sites like TnT listed them at around $75. And as a much recent example, most AT cards (specially Swampert) were hyped a lot and were very expensive (I paid around $8 for a Swampert. :v), and now they're like $4 just for being a Holo.

Now, Rayquaza cards tend to be very pricey and playable. That said, pre-order prices can be through the roof. My rough estimate would be that Ray could be $12-15 for RA EX, $18-20 for FA EX, $23-25 for RA Mega and $30-35 for FA Mega. However, it could be a LOT higher. Oh, and Shaymin could easily be $10-12/$15-20 for RA/FA respectively, maybe a bit higher.

I'd personally wait until most people cool down their hype and you can get them a bit cheaper.
 
I wouldn't preorder anything yet. There's no rush as this set will be around for a long long time. And, there's always the internet to look at what the values are. I've went to a prerelease today and pulled some amazing cards - people were offering my money right there but I told them I need to wait, assess my deck, and check the values. I pulled a secret rare energy switch and a few full arts. I have no idea what they're supposed to be 'worth' and I might want to hold onto them. It's all a game, even when you're not playing.
 
At a prerelease I attended, the game shop owner suggested not to trade/sell/buy any cards until after the set has been released, since prices will fluctuate. It might be best to wait until after the set is legal. If you were looking for an investment standpoint, you wouldn't have much to look into. Something like Rayquaza EX will only be good as long as competition legal.
 
I'd keep a really close eye on Colourless M/rayray EX. It could go the way of Seismitoad and escalate in cost. If you can grab it for cheap now you'll probably make a profit.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top