MTG Alpha/Beta land count

GoblinOutpost

Thought I'd start a short thread to build up MTG awareness here.

I am interested in finding out how many Alpha and Beta basic land cards was produced?

The original MTG Encyclopedia states the Alpha set has 2.6M total cards and Beta 7.3M. How much of these are basic lands?

-- Joe

Thulnanth

Hey Joe,

Here you go...

Limited MTG print run = 10,400,000 cards (25% Alpha, 75% Beta)
- Total Alpha print run = 2,600,000 cards, sold as 2400 boxes of boosters & 21,700 starter decks
- Total Beta print run = 7,300,000 cards, sold as 6700 boxes of boosters & 60,800 starter decks
- Alpha R1 (rares) = 116 cards, 1100 of each (127,600 total)
- Beta R1 (rares) = 117 cards, 3200 of each (374,400 total)
- Alpha U1 (uncommons) = 95 cards, 4500 of each (427,500 total)
- Beta U1 (uncommons) = 95 cards, 13400 of each (1,273,000 total)
- Alpha C1 (commons) = 74 cards, 15900 of each (1,176,600 total)
- Beta C1 (commons) = 75 cards, 47800 of each (3,585,000 total)
- Alpha lands = 10 cards, 86800 of each (868,000 total)
- Beta lands = 15 cards, 137,900 of each (2,068,000 total)

All frequency totals are rounded to the nearest hundred. All totals are approximates, since they're based off the frequency of cards on the printing sheets and the total number of booster/starters released. In addition, some Alpha rares were inserted into Beta starters in lieu of Beta rares.

Any more questions, or shall we move on to Arabian Nights?

Take it easy,
Jared

Osguard

I knew Jared would have "some" info on this, but I didn't know it would be so incredibly thorough! I've learned my lesson!!



<< <i>Any more questions, or shall we move on to Arabian Nights? >>



YES PLEASE!

Thulnanth

Very well, since Tony asked so nice

For Arabian Nights, the total print run was 5,000,000, sold as 10,400 boxes of boosters. There are 7 levels of rarity (U2, U3, U4, C1, C4, C5, C11), corrisponding to the number of times a particular card appears on a sheet. The U3 and C1 levels are identical in frequency. A booster had 2 Uncommons (U2, U3, U4 or C1) and 6 Commons (C4, C5, or C11).

- 33 U2 cards = 20000 of each
- 17 U3 cards = 30000 of each
- 1 C1 card (Mountain) = 30000 total
- 1 U4 card (Oasis) = 40000 total
- 16 C4 cards = 120,000 each
- 9 C5 cards = 150,000 each
- 1 C11 card (Desert) = 330,000 total

Always happy to add what I can to the MTG "mix"

Take it easy,
Jared

Osguard

THANKS AGAIN JARED!!!

Do we dare try for Antiquities?

PLEEEEEEASE?

GoblinOutpost

Ok, Jared must have missed Tony plea for AQ. This is what I came up with.

Total cards = 15M (from MTG Encyclopedia)

I calculated the following:
Total boosters = 1,875,000
U1 = 31,000
U2 = 62,000
U3 = 93,000
C1 = 93,000
C2 = 186,000
C3 = 279,000
C4 = 372,000

-- Joe

Thulnanth

Hey Joe,

Not bad, except there are no C3's, sorry

15,000,000 total cards
1,875,000 boosters (31250 boxes)
U1 = 30,000 each
U2 = 60,000 each
U3/C1 = 90,000 each
C2 = 180,000 each
C4 = 360,000 each

Take it easy,
Jared

Osguard

LEGENDS! LEGENDS! LEGENDS!

Tap4black

As I own a set of uncut Beta AP sheets, I thought I would pass along a quick FYI on the composition of the lands on A/B/U sheets:

There are 4 "RARE" Islands on the Beta and Unlimited Sheets, 5 on Alpha. 1 of the Alpha Islands was supposed to be the rare dual land Volcanic Island.

There are 26 Lands on the Uncommon Sheet broken down as 2 Islands, 6 Swamps, 6 Plains, 6 Mountains, 6 Forests.

There are 41 Lands on the Beta and Unlimited Sheets broken down as 10 Islands, 9 Swamps, 8 Plains, 10 Mountains, 9 Forests. There is one additional land on the ALpha Common sheet that took the spot of the C.O.P Black.

That's all for my 2 cents on the subject of random magic trivia!

Len
tap4black

Thulnanth

Hey Len,

Thanks for the info - as someone who was buying cards back when they were $2.45 a pack, I remember all too well the "rare" island . Cool that you have uncut sheets - I've seen them before over the years but never really gave them much thought. Do you know how many are out there? Did you acquire yours through a business purchase or directly from WotC? Just curious, as we all seem to be on these boards

Take it easy,
Jared

Thulnanth

Hey Tony,

Alright, here you go (all these demands - geesh, you're starting to remind me of my kids ).

Legends total print run = 35,000,000, sold as 64,800 boxes of boosters

- 121 R1 cards = 19,300 of each
- 107 U1 cards = 57,900 of each
- 7 U2 cards = 115,700 of each
- 29 C1 cards = 212,100 of each
- 46 C2 cards = 424,200 of each

Take it easy,
Jared

Osguard

Wow... fewer of each of the Legends Rares than any Antiquities or Arabian? I DID NOT know that.... Or I just forgot... It's been so long since I've been involved with vintage cards. Good stuff!

Thanks again Jared!

Tap4black

Hey Jared,

I bought my set of sheets through a random encounter via email and MOTL. I really do not know exactly how many sheets are out there but this is only the 4th different set that I have laid hands on in the 10+ years I have been dealing MTG. I know there is a set on Ebay at this time, see link below. The seller is asking $6K for his sheets. I know a set of the same sheets sold from a different seller earlier this summer and brought a price just under $5000. Fortunately for me, the seller of the sheets I now own wanted quite a bit less as there are small flaws on 2 of them.

http://cgi.ebay.com/MAGIC-MTG-BETA-Artist-Proof-Uncut-Sheet-Set-MINT_W0QQitemZ8701528748QQcategoryZ19114QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Len
Tap4black

GoblinOutpost

Len, you got your hands on 4 sets. Does that mean you own 4 sets. (Don't they have an icon for drooling. :-) )

-- Joe

Borst

Do you know the print runs for Unlimited?

AlphaInvestments

----------------------Print Run Breakdown--------------------------------------------------------


Common Uncommon Rare

Alpha 15,900 4,500 1,100

Beta 47,800 13,400 3,200

Unlimited 245,200 68,900 16,500

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stats from Scrye Magazine from like 5 years ago
article labeled "how rare is that black lotus anyways?"


-Rudy
Alpha_Investments

Thulnanth

Hey Len,

Thanks for the info - I would love to own a set of them, but $6000 is just a LITTLE out of my price range right now

The neat thing about uncut sheets is that it helps to explain things we suspect about the cards. If you look at them, notice how the notoiously off-center cards are on the right side of the sheet (Crusade, Vesuvian, Volcanic Island, Birds, Forcefield, etc.)? Just an interesting observation.

Are the Artists Proof "cards" that popular? I remember being at GenCon back in 1994 and all of the artists were giving them away with purchases or selling them for around $5 apiece. No real interest, due to the square corners. Of course, since I didn't bother to get any, it would figure they would be popular now

Take it easy,
Jared