Ten Most Valuable Pack (Non-Promo) Tokens
One thing I learned buying collections is that you can find value in very strange places. Old, empty fat pack boxes? Someone will buy 'em. Spindown life counters? There's a market for those. A big part in being successful buying and selling collections is to glean every bit of value from the contents of the collection. In a lot of cases you can sell all the chase cards to make your money back, but the way you actually make a profit is by putting in more work and having more knowledge than the person selling the collection. Not everyone, or even most people, know what random, old Commons buylist for $0.10. In a 50,000 card collection, being able to pull out these cards can easily make you hundreds of dollars!
Today we are going to talk about one of the most overlooked moneymakers in all of Magic, tokens. While it may not be obvious, tokens come in different rarities, just like "real" cards. What I'm about to tell you is essentially my theory on tokens because, as far as I can tell, Wizards has never released print run or distribution numbers on tokens, so take this next paragraph with a grain of salt.
Typically, tokens produced by cards that are printed at Common or generated by multiple cards in a set are the equivalent of "Common" tokens, which are all worthless. In fact, if you want to sell them you'll have difficulty finding a vendor who will pay you more than what it costs to ship the cards. Next we have tokens that are produced by just a single Rare or Uncommon, which are essentially "Uncommons" in the token world. Finally we have tokens that are both unique (produced by a single card) and the card is a mythic. These token are the "Rares" of the token world, and some end up being worth quite a bit of money!
We're going to break down the Top Ten Most Valuable Pack (or non-promo) Tokens, but beyond just making a list, we are also going to talk a bit about why each token is expensive. This way, by the end of the article, we should have a pretty good idea of what makes a token valuable. First, a couple of honorable mentions that didn't make the list!
Honorable Mentions
Old Promo Tokens
More often than not, old promo tokens are worth a few dollars each, but they don't make our list because they didn't come from packs. Instead, they were given away at various events and leagues. The good news is they are super easy to identify for two reasons. First, they have a regular Magic card back, while pack tokens have promotional material on the back side of the card. Second, tokens didn't appear in packs until 10th Edition/Lorwyn, so if the token comes from a set released before 2007, it's a promo of some type.
The downside is that these tokens are pretty rare, so you are unlikely to come across them unless you are intentionally seeking them out. If you've been playing forever and have a bunch of old cards in a closet, it might be worth taking a look. Many of these old promos retail for $4 or more.
Newer Magic League Promos
Magic League tokens are a bit trickier to identify. Unless you know your tokens really well, they look like something that could come out of a pack (since they have the promotional back). Starting in 2013 (and ending in 2015) these tokens were given away by Wizards, 20 to each store, to support leagues. Ideally the top 10 players in each league would get one of the promo tokens as a reward for their performance, but I'm not sure this works out in practice. I once bought a collection that had two sealed token packs — the allotment for an entire store. They retail between $1.50 and $2.50 (and more for the Theros Solidier token, because the Theros league was canceled, further limiting supply). If you find a strange art token from a more recent set, make sure to look it up to see if its a Magic League token, because it could be worth a couple dollars.
Top Ten
#10: Goblin Token (New Phyrexia) - $1.99
I've never actually seen anyone cast a Chancellor of the Forge, which is the only card in New Phyrexia that makes Goblin tokens. Goblin tokens are far from unique in Magic. There's a 1/1 Red Goblin token from 12 different sets and four supplemental products. That said, over the years there have been a ton of powerful cards that make 1/1 red Goblin tokens, including Goblin Assault, Goblin Rabblemaster, Krenko, Mob Boss, Mogg Infestation, Hordeling Outburst, Siege-Gang Commander and, of course, Sarpadian Empires, Vol. VII. The value of the New Phyrexia Goblin token is likely tied to the overall demand for 1/1 Goblin tokens rather than Chancellor of the Forge itself. While I'm not a huge Vorthos guy, I'm guessing this version is considered the most pimp (non-promo) 1/1 Goblin token. Since everyone from kitchen table casuals to Legacy aficionados play decks that produce 1/1 Goblin tokens, they are likely in high demand. Plus, many of the cards that produce 1/1 Red Goblin tokens produce a ton of 1/1 Red Goblin tokens. If you're building around Krenko, Mob Boss, Goblin Assault, or Goblin Rabblemaster, you're probably going to need a bunch of these tokens, rather than just a single copy. Finally, in many sets the 1/1 Red Goblin token is tied to a Common card, which means the supply is extremely high, but the New Phyrexia Goblin token is tied exclusively to a Rare. All in all, it seems to be a combination of high demand for 1/1 Red Goblin tokens in general, combined with the sweet art and low supply of the New Phyrexia version that gives this token its $1.99 price tag.
#9: Vampire Token (Innistrad) - $1.99
Unlike the 1/1 Goblin token, there are only two cards in the entire history of Magic that make 2/2 black Vampire tokens with flying. The good news is that both are extremely popular in casual circles, and one sees play in Modern. First up we have Bloodline Keeper, which not only generates 2/2 black Vampire tokens with flying, but does so every single turn. If you are playing a casual Vampire deck with Bloodline Keeper, you're going to need several tokens. The second is Sorin, Solemn Visitor, which is not only a Mythic, but a planeswalker, which automatically gives it bonus points for casual playability. While the Innistrad version is the most valuable, it's also worth noting that the Khans of Tarkir 2/2 Black Vampire token retails for $1.49.
#8: Solider Token (Modern Masters): $1.99
The $1.99 price tag for the 1/1 White Solider token from Modern Masters has two justifications. First, while there are plenty of 1/1 White Solider tokens available, the original Modern Masters version is likely the rarest. Not only is it attached to a Mythic in Elspeth, Knight-Errant, but the original Modern Masters was extremely low supply to begin with. In some ways it's a double-rare, which may make it the pimpest non-promo printing. Second, like the 1/1 Red Goblin token, there are about a million good cards that make 1/1 White Soliders, so just having a couple of Solider tokens won't do. These cards include Decree of Justice, Hero of Bladehold, Kjeldoran Outpost, Martial Coup, Alliance in Arms, Throne of Empires, and Timely Reinforcements, along with every version of Elspeth ever printed. As such, these tokens are not only in demand from Commander players, but constructed players as well. It was only a couple of weeks ago that LSV was playing Decree of Justice in his Vintage deck!
#7: Insect Token (M15): $2.49
The 1/1 Insect token with flying and deathtouch is valuable for the opposite reason as the 1/1 Goblin and Soldier. There are a total of two cards in the entire history of the game that make these tokens, Hornet Queen and Hornet's Nest. Neither is especially playable in constructed. On the other hand, there is only one printing of a 1/1 Green Insect token with flying and deathtouch, so if you want to have four (or more) to play Hornet Queen in your Commander deck, you have to pony up $2.49 each to get the Magic 2015 printing. This distinction is important because it provides a good example of how there are two paths for how a token becomes valuable. The first is to have a token in high supply, but also have high demand because there are a bunch of different Rares and Mythics that make the token. In this case it is usually the rarest version that commands a premium. The second path is for a specific token to be printed in only one set, so if players want that "right" token for their deck, they only have one choice.
#6: Vampire Token (Dark Ascension): $2.49
The 1/1 Black Vampire with lifelink is similar to the 1/1 Green Insect we just talked about. It's only produced by one card, in this case Sorin, Lord of Innistrad, but it only has a single printing in Dark Ascension, which helps it command $2.49 per copy. Probably the most important thing to learn from this example is that when a planeswalker makes a unique token (a 1/1 White Solider from Elspeth or a 2/2 Green Wolf from Arlinn Kord doesn't count), it almost always ends up being worth something. I'll save pretty much any token produced by a Mythic Rare. Unique tokens produced by planeswalkers are even better.
#5: Elemental Token (M14): $2.79-$2.99
The 1/1 Red Elemental token produced primarily by Young Pyromancer is an outlier. It's the only "Uncommon" token to make our list of 10 most valuable. Not only that, but the 1/1 Red Elemental was actually produced by two different Uncommons in Magic 2014. While everyone knows Young Pyromancer, the forgettable Molten Birth also makes the same type of token. As such, we actually have two different versions of the 1/1 Red Elemental token printed in the set, one by Nelson and one by Jones. Both are quite valuable, although Nelson's version typically retails and buylists for a bit more.
So the question is, how does a token produced by not one, but two Uncommons in a recent set end up among the most valuable pack tokens of all time? Well, the answer is twofold. First, amazingly enough the 1/1 Red Elemental is the only 1/1 Red Elemental token ever printed. If you are planning on playing Young Pyromancer and want the correct token, there's only one option for you. Second, and more importantly, Young Pyromancer is a staple all the way back to Legacy. The entire idea of playing Young Pyromancer is to win by producing a whole bunch of tokens. As a result, Legacy players, Modern players, and even casual players not only need 1/1 Red Elemental tokens, they need a stack of them. While some rare tokens command a decent price even if they are only needed in small numbers, Young Pyromancer flips the equation. Sure, the tokens are fairly common, but lots of players want them, and those players want a lot of them.
#4: Dragon Token (Return to Ravnica): $2.99
Utvara Hellkite is a Mythic and the only card in all of Magic that produces 6/6 Red Dragon tokens, which is the main reason why they are worth $2.99. In fact, Utvara Hellkite and its token is almost the direct opposite of Young Pyromancer. Not only is Utvara Hellkite only played in Commander, but even in Commander it's only played in very specific decks. The number of people that need a 6/6 Red Dragon token is pretty small. However, those people probably need quite a few 6/6 Red Dragon tokens, since they are likely looking to make enough of them to kill three different players with 40 life. If you have a Dragon Commander deck, you probably have a deck box full of 6/6 Dragon tokens. Plus, Commander players are unique in the Magic community in regard to how much they care about the look of their deck. It's totally believable to me that a Commander player would pony up $60 to have 20 of the "right" Dragon token for their Dragon deck. Commander isn't just about killing your opponents, its about killing your opponents in style.
#3: Beast Token (Shards of Alara): $3.99
Everything I just said about Utvara Hellkite's 6/6 Dragon token holds true about Godsire's 8/8 Beast token, except its ramped up in the extreme. I've never actually seen anyone cast a Godsire in any format, so I've never actually seen a Godsire token on the battlefield. I'm pretty sure the $3.99 price tag is all about the scarcity of the 8/8 Beast tokens. Not only do they only have one printing, they are produced by a Mythic Rare and come from the "pre-massive Magic growth period," Shards of Alara. As such, there just aren't many of these tokens out there.
#2: Wurm Token (Scars of Mirrodin) - $3.29 (deathtouch) and $4.49 (lifelink)
The 3/3 Wurm tokens with deathtouch and lifelink produced by Wurmcoil Engine go to show that it's possible for a token to be valuable (extremely valuable, as far as tokens are concerned), while being attached to a card that only produces a small number of tokens. Say you're playing Wurmcoil Engine in a Commander deck; how many 3/3 Wurm tokens do you really need? One of each? Two of each in case you Reanimate Wurmcoil Engine, while the tokens are still on the battlefield? The point is, you don't need many.
On the other hand, there are a ton of people that want one or two of each. Wurmcoil Engine is among the 100 most played cards in Commander (and the third most played token producer in Commander behind Beast Within and Avenger of Zendikar). It sees play in Modern and even in Legacy. So whereas Utvara Hellkite's 6/6 Dragon token might be worth $2.99 because 5 players want 20 copies each, Wurmcoil Engine's Wurms are expensive because 50 players want a one or two of each.
#1: Elemental Token (Dragon's Maze) - $5.49
Finally, we come to the card and token that put everything together. First off, Voice of Resurgence's */* Elemental token is unique. No other card in the game produces this type of token, and it's only been printed one time. Second, Voice of Resurgence is a Mythic, so the token is quite rare. It doesn't hurt that Dragon's Maze was notoriously bad and under opened, which lowers supply further. Third, Voice of Resurgence has the potential to make a ton of tokens. In fact, on last week's Budget Magic our opponent ended the game with 18 */* Elemental tokens on the battlefield. If you are going to play a Voice of Resurgence deck, you'll want a minimum of four tokens, and likely more than that. As such, the $5.49 price tag on the */* Elemental token reads like a checklist for identifying potentially valuable tokens: one printing, Mythic, low-supply set, many required, heavy play across formats. That's why it's the most valuable pack token of all time!
Criteria for Identifying Valuable Tokens
- Focus on Mythic, and to a lesser extent Rares: Discounting Young Pyromancer, the five most valuable pack tokens ever printed are attached to Mythics. Rares can also make valuable tokens, but these tokens need help.
- Focus on single print tokens: Eight of the ten most valuable tokens are unique, meaning they have only been printed in one set. While Elspeth, Knight-Errant's 1/1 Solider token has value as the rarest in a sea of 1/1 White Solider tokens, every token to break the $2 mark only has one printing.
- Focus on playable cards: Every single card on our list is playable somewhere, with the most valuable tokens being playable not only on Commander, but also in constructed formats. There are examples of cards that pass the first two tests by being Mythic and producing unique tokens, but still end up in the bulk token pile. One of the best examples is Deathpact Angel, simply because no one plays the card so no one needs the token.
- Focus on cards that produce a lot of tokens: This is a big one. When you are evaluating a token, think about how many the typical player needs. If they are going to need more than a playset, and the token has potential to be valuable.
- Focus on casual hits: Casual/Commander players are willing to pay to pimp out their decks, and this includes buying the best tokens. While most tournament spikes are fine using a scrap of paper to keep track of their tokens (because their goal is to win the game), in Commander you're not just looking to win, you're looking to win in style, which means ponying up $60 to get a bunch of 6/6 Red Dragon tokens.
Bonus: Shadows over Innistrad Tokens
The problem with Arlinn Kord's Wolf token is that it's also produced by the Uncommon Pack Guardian, which means the supply will likely be higher than "Mythic only" tokens. Plus, there's been a lot of 2/2 Green Wolf tokens printed over the years, so even in the best case I'd expect the Wolf to top out in the $1.50 range. Being just above bulk seems more likely.
I'm legitimately excited about the 1/1 Black and White Human Cleric token produced by Westvale Abbey (and also Hanweir Militia Capitan). Not only is the token tied to a rare, so the supply should be reasonable, but [[Westvale Abbey can produce a lot of tokens. Plus rumor has it that Westvale Abbey will see heavy play in Standard (and possibly Modern as well), and there's little doubt this card will be a huge casual hit. I'm definitely saving these tokens out of any box I open. If Westvale Abbey is the real deal, I expect I'll easily sell them for between $0.50 and $1.00 each at some point in the next year, possible even more!
As far as the rest of the tokens in Shadows over Innistrad, Inexorable Blob's 3/3 Green Ooze is unique and attached to a Rare, but I'm not sure many people will play the card. The same is true of the 4/4 White Angel which is produced by Descend Upon the Sinful and Invocation of Saint Traft, neither of which seem super playable. Even if Descend Upon the Sinful ends up being good, you don't need many copies of the Angel token. The 1/1 Red Devil that deals a damage when it dies is a unique token, but can be produced by an Uncommon and neither of the cards that make it (Dance with the Devil and Devil's Playground) seem very playable. Sorin, Grim Nemesis's 1/1 lifelink token is unique because it's a Vampire Knight and not just a Vampire, but it's also produced by the uncommon Call the Bloodline which makes it less exciting.
Conclusion
Anyway, that's all for today. As always, leave your thoughts, ideas, options, and suggestions in the comments. You can reach me on Twitter @SaffronOlive, or at SaffronOlive@MTGGoldfish.com.
