Forecasting Future Prices For Magic: The Gathering Rotating Standard Booster Boxes

In October 2019, multiple Magic: The Gathering sets will rotate out of the current Standard format card pool. Each fall, a few sets rotate out of Standard to update the format. An article on Card Game Base explains the 2019 Standard rotation. The specific MTG sets rotating this fall are Ixalan, Rivals of Ixalan, Dominaria, and Core 2019. 

In my previous article, I evaluated the investment potential of former Standard set booster boxes. I looked at their historical prices over time to determine growth, profitability, and investment potential. This article will attempt to forecast the future prices and potential returns of Standard set booster boxes rotating this fall. 

There are multiple techniques one can use to forecast the future of a product's price and demand. This detailed article on forecasting techniques covers qualitative methods, time series analysis, and causal models. I did a simple time series analysis to forecast booster box prices over the next year. The data used to predict and analyze rotating Standard booster boxes is available here. I referenced the worksheet titled October 2019 for this analysis. Data from my previous article are available in the October 2018 worksheet. The data and calculations found on the October 2018 worksheet can be used to establish an average growth rate for forecasting future booster box prices.

Evaluating Current Booster Box Prices 
Before going into further details, I need to assume that all rotating fall set print runs have ended. While I have no hard proof this has occurred, I believe it is a safe assumption at this time. As long as booster boxes are print to demand, their prices will remain pretty stagnant. This analysis also assumes booster boxes are available at a low retail price of $80.00. This price is reflective of the cost of a distributor. Also, some businesses sell booster boxes of Standard sets at their expense to move inventory. There are other methods of buying close to distributor pricing as well—the below graphic shows rotating booster box average market prices on eBay for August 2019.

August booster box prices

It is interesting how much people are paying for a booster box of Dominaria. The other sets are selling for around the expected retail price of a Standard booster box. Why is Dominaria worth much more money than the different rotating sets? While I cannot provide specific evidence, Dominaria does have a few unique qualities. It is considered one of the best drafting sets in recent history. Also, the nostalgia of the set brought back many former MTG players to the game. Half of the players I spoke with at the pre-release came because they wanted to play with Llanowar Elves, Goblin Warchief, Icy Manipulator, and other iconic cards. I believe the expected value (EV) from opening a booster box of Dominaria supports these qualitative reasons.

Comparing set EV and booster box prices

Next, I compared current booster box prices to the EV of each set found on MTG Dawnglare using the default TCGplayer Mid pricing. The set EV and booster box prices do not correlate well. Dominaria booster boxes are selling at two and a half times their set EV. Rivals of Ixalan has the highest set EV and the lowest booster box price. There are other factors beyond set EV affecting current booster box prices. 

Forecasting Future Booster Box Prices
I used formulas combining set EV, booster box pricing, and a historical average monthly growth rate to forecast future price movement. First, I divided the current market value of a booster box by its set EV to get a percentage. This basic formula combines current market prices and underlying value. For example, Ixalan's booster box price of $90.00 divided by $56.12 equals 60.4%. After establishing the percentages across four sets, I wanted to apply known historical information. I multiplied the calculated percentages by the average monthly growth rate of the six previous Standard set booster boxes. The result from this calculation gave me adjusted average growth rates for each set rotating in October 2019. For example, Ixalan's adjusted average growth rate became 1.07% after multiplying 60.4% by 1.78%. Finally, I multiplied the average monthly growth rate by the number of months for the hold period and added $80.00 (price paid for a booster box). The results showed that Ixalan and Dominaria were likely profitable one year later after applicable shipping and fees. Another point worth noting is that anyone who bought Dominaria booster boxes at $110.00 or less would probably make a profit.

​Accuracy of a Forecast
This analysis is just one method to predict future price changes. While future prices seem reasonable, the model is not without flaws. I am assuming that current market conditions do not change for a year. If there is a global recession in 2020, it could negatively affect the future growth rates of booster boxes. If I wanted to test this number for accuracy, I could add additional data for previous Standard sets to the historical analysis. While my data analysis is not perfect, I hope it provides some insight into understanding forecasting models.  

*The information in this article is my knowledge and opinion and is meant for informational purposes only. I am not a registered financial professional or trying to act as one.* 
​​​​