Dragons of Tarkir pre-order is in!

The Pre-Order is in!  Once again I got my order from Mead Hall Games, which can be found here:

www.meadhallgames.com

Love these guys!

So yeah, I have a massive work weekend with some upgrades we are going through, so my plan is to open all the Tarkir block boxes, print out all the labels, and get everything sorted.  I really need to get caught up and get ready to play some standard.

So I hope I can get all this sorted out, and post my real countdown number to the blog.  But speaking of the countdown number, there is a guy from the Mead that is going for a complete set of Alpha and he is posting pictures of every card he gets.  So that got me thinking, since I always just post my sealed product, I think I am going to start posting pictures of all the cards I do get in, if it is for a trade or a purchase.

Well here is the picture!

Also wanted to add that I got the Buy a Box promo for Dragons of Tarkir!

Spreadsheet Update - Collection Tab: Need Cost

Ok, so just like the color and rarity section I removed the Standard Total Count at the bottom, I pull the same data from columns on the Set Tabs, but with this section I needed to add some more collection cells to those Set Tabs.

Cell A65: =SUMIF(X2:X600,"M",AA2:AA600)
Cell A66: =SUMIF(X2:X600,"R",AA2:AA600)
Cell A67: =SUMIF(X2:X600,"U",AA2:AA600)
Cell A68: =SUMIF(X2:X600,"C",AA2:AA600)
Cell A69: =SUMIF(X2:X600,"L",AA2:AA600)
Cell A70: =SUMIF(X2:X600,"T",AA2:AA600)


What this formula does is Looks into Column X from Cell 2 - 600, then it looks for the character defining the rarity (M = Mythic Rare), and will add up the dollar amounts in column AA if they match the search from Column X.

This way, we can look at the rarity column for the cards and do a check in the rarity we are looking for.  If the rarity is found, we can then SUM up the total price for all the cards with the specific rarity from the price column.

With this new Set Tab data collection we can now total it up in the section on the Collection Tab.

Column AA: Mythic Rare
Column AB: Rare
Column AC: Uncommon
Column AD: Common
Column AE: Land
Column AF: Token

Now we will fill the cells with the formulas with the needed Set Tab information.

Column AA: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$65
Column AB: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$66
Column AC: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$67
Column AD: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$68
Column AE: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$69
Column AF: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$70

So now we can gather all the data from the Set Tabs to find how much I would need to fulfil the sets I need.

Legacy Totals
Column AA: =SUM(AA2:AA9)+SUM(AA19:AA26)+SUM(AA36:AA43)+SUM(AA45:AA65)
- This will get applied to each column with the same cells in that column.
- This Cell is right below the complete total cell in Bold Blue.

Modern Totals
Column AA: =SUM(AA10:AA17)+AA23+AA44+SUM(AA66:AA104)
- This will get applied to each column with the same cells in that column.
- This Cell is right below the Legacy total.

There is a Standard total right under the Modern Totals, but I no longer use that total because it just changed too much, and I would fill out my Standard needs pretty quick.

Spreadsheet Update - Collection Tab: Need Count (Rarity)

Ok, so just like the color section I removed the Standard Total Count at the bottom, I pull the same data from columns on the Set Tabs, and everything is referenced from this other blog.

http://dogonsiereht-mtg.blogspot.com/2014/05/spreadsheet-update-color-rarity-needs.html

Column T: Mythic Rare
Column U: Rare
Column V: Uncommon
Column W: Common
Column X: Basic Land
Column Y: Token

Column T: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$55
Column U: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$56
Column V: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$57
Column W: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$58
Column X: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$59
Column Y: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$60

Legacy Totals
Column T: =SUM(T2:T9)+SUM(T19:T26)+SUM(T36:T43)+SUM(T45:T65)
- This will get applied to each column with the same cells in that column.

Modern Totals
Column T: =SUM(T10:T17)+T23+T44+SUM(T66:T104)
- This will get applied to each column with the same cells in that column.

Spreadsheet Update - Collection Tab: Need Count (Color)

So during my counting of all the cards I had, I hit an issue with how much space I needed for all the cards that I did not have yet.  I had 3200 count boxes, and moved to 3 row boxes that hold up to 4000 cards.  A lot of these cards would be in sleeves, and have card separators.  The question I had is how much space will I need for the rest of the cards, and I would need that count for both Vintage and Modern stacks.  And on top of that I would need to know per color how much space I would need.

I the added these columns to see how many of a color I needed on a per set basis.

Column J: White
Column K: Blue
Column L: Black
Column M: Red
Column N: Green
Column O: Gold
Column P: Colorless
Column Q: Artifact
Column R: Land

And then I populated the cells per color, per set with the data I collected from the Set Tabs.

Column J: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$42
Column K: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$43
Column L: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$44
Column M: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$45
Column N: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$46
Column O: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$47
Column P: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$48
Column Q: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$49
Column R: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$50

Reference this: http://dogonsiereht-mtg.blogspot.com/2014/05/spreadsheet-update-color-rarity-needs.html

So really I am taking this data I am collecting from all the Set Tabs and compiling it here for the total counts of all the colors based on sets needed to complete my collection.

Really, it is just a good way to know how many more cards I need to plan for in the boxes I have to finish.















Again, at the bottom I have the totals per collection stack and what is required to finish.  Also, I have updated spreadsheet today to remove the standard totals.  The sets switched out so frequently I just felt it silly to keep up with those counts.

Legacy Totals
Column J: =SUM(J2:J9)+SUM(J19:J26)+SUM(J36:J43)+SUM(J45:J65)
- This will get applied to each column with the same cells in that column.

Modern Totals
Column J: =SUM(J10:J17)+J23+J44+SUM(J66:J104)
- This will get applied to each column with the same cells in that column.

Spreadsheet Update - Collection Tab: Prices

Here is the first section, and really the first part of this tab that I configured.  What this does is total up all the cards on all the set tabs to show you what your current collection is set to.  So if we look at the cell configurations we can see that it is pulling directly from the set tabs.

Column B: Set total

Column C: Mythic Rare

Column D: Rare

Column E: Uncommon

Column F: Common

Column G: Basic Land

Column H: Token

Column B: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$6

Column C: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$7

Column D: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$8

Column E: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$9

Column F: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$10

Column G: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$11

Column H: ='Journey Into Nyx'!$A$12

This is a snapshot of the Total Column on the Set Tabs.  We are looking at the Collection section near the top.  And if you remember from the Set Tab setup, we looked at the card counts and split up those counts by rarity.  

Please refer to http://dogonsiereht-mtg.blogspot.com/2013/08/set-tab-total-column.html

So what this will do is collect all the totals from all the Set Tabs and condense them all on to this single tab.  You will get the total, and all the other rarities split up for all the sets, and then at the bottom a total for your entire collection of singles.  And since we split out the Foil and cards for Trade, you will just get the count for cards you consider in your collection.

Also just wanted to point out that the last set on this picture is Journey Into Nyx, and it is currently pre-release weekend for Dragons of Tarkir, so you can see that I have not really done much for pretty much a year...  :-)  I have updated the entire spreadsheet with all the latest sets, just not my pictures.

Spreadsheet Update - Collection Tab: Overview

So la ti da, where the hell have my updates been for the spreadsheet?  Jerk face started the updates to all the tabs, and just left us hanging after the foil tab.  With everything we have talked about the spreadsheets and never got to the real purpose, it is like hearing 90% of a joke and never hearing the punchline.

This is the second to the last tab I have on the spreadsheets, but with the collections tab we can see totals for everything we have, and everything we still need.  I have this tab split up into 4 different sections:

Collection Tab: Prices
Collection Tab: Need Count (Color)
Collection Tab: Need Count (Rarity)
Collection Tab: Need Cost

I would like to also point out that at the bottom of the spreadsheet there are some totals.  Since we have split up the collection into Legacy and Modern stacks, then we can total up the required space/count needed based on color to finish the collection.  This is important for me, so I can plan for space in the current boxes that I have all the cards stored.

I also have rarity count needed totalled up for personal reasons, but I am really only concerned about the set needs, not the total need.

Finally I have totalled up the needed cost to fill out the sets based on rarity, and again it is really more important to know prices for the sets rather than legacy / modern.

Battle Royale, Beatdown, Duels of the Planeswalker

Well well well...

Love me some ABU Games! Found at http://www.abugames.com/

I know there are a lot of LGS with online shops, but honestly where can you go to seriously find everything?  Now I do have to admit that for anything new that comes out I will to to Mead Hall Games because I love supporting my LGS, or sometimes I will head up to the Source Comics & Games to see what they have.  But when I am looking for some rare small set, or some card that no one in their right mind would collect, I head over to ABU Games.

You can pretty much find everything you ever wanted on this site.  Their prices will never be lower that TCGPlayer.com, but the accuracy of the cards is spot on.  Now they are no StarCityGames.com, but they give you what you are looking for at a fair price.

Lets just take a reference of the prices out there today for Beatdown sealed.

eBay: $199.98, $99.99, $79.99

TCGPlayer: Only Singles

Alter Reality Games: Only Singles

Star City Games: Only Singles

Channel Fireball: Only Singles

Ideal808: Only Singles

ABUGames: $149.99

Now this is just one example, but really these guys take the time to stock all the cards you might be looking for.  I am all for supporting your local game store, and if you need to branch out there are online gaming stores that you can find what you need.  I tend to mostly lean towards ABU Games, just because I like their service, and they always have what I am looking for.

Now I know you could say that there was a seller on eBay for $79.99, why didn't just buy that set and save myself $70?  Well I consider cash and my spending power as a resource, and I like to use that resource to provide support to places that I enjoy so they can continue running their business.  ABU Games and Mead Hall Games have gained my trust providing me with a selection and service that I have come to value, so I will always go to those stores first to find my Magic the Gathering needs.

Besides, I have no idea who is selling that product on eBay.  It could be a scam, it could be someone that just stole a bunch of cards from someone and now are trying to unload them on the cheap, or it could be product not in the condition as posted.  Either way, I would rather support a company providing a service for the community of the game I enjoy, looking out for the best interest of that community so that it can stay in business.  After all, why would a good gaming store want to rip off it's repeat customers?  It does not make good business sense.

I feel that spending the extra $70 at ABU Games, or any LGS is well worth it to keep them in business.  Keeping them in business will allow me to keep buying the card game that I love.  I will always pay a premium to them for that reason.

I never even knew these sets were sets until I started looking up Archenemy back in 2012, and I seriously never thought I would be able to get some of these for my own.

So here we go with the new adds:

16712 Big Trade in

I have just been lazy.  Just completely lazy.  I have my Khans of Tarkir, and my Fate Reforged in, but not opened.  I also have my Dragons of Tarkir pre-order in, and that should be coming when it gets here. I went with my standard order from Mead Hall Games.

I also bought my Elspeth vs Kiora.

But I have yet to do anything this year, just trying and sort in my big trade that I was able to accomplish. So the count number is a bit off, since I have yet to open the two newest sets, I am not going to add them to the count until I can get the time to open them.

I dont know if it is because I just got in my big trade, or just running out of time, but I think it has to do with not spending the needed time on the collection.  I made this massive trade, and got in over 8000 cards, and it was a pretty big deal, as I almost completed all the Legacy Block sets with one single trade.  Hopefully in the coming year I will be able to trade in all the Legacy sets, and I can concentrate on the Modern sets.

The way I see it, I have 5 blocks that I need to concentrate on.  Been considering going on Puca Trade and sending out some high priced cards to get most of the cards I need.  Just not sure what I could get back in return.  I am pretty sure I could get all the throw away cards, but I still need some pretty high end cards from those sets.  Nothing over three digits, but it does add up.

I did just make a final purchase of the smaller sets to fill out that part of my collection.  A couple of years back I made a big trade with ABU Games to get most of the smaller sets I needed, and now I finally picked up the last sets I have been looking for.

Battle Royale
Beatdown
Duels of the Planeswalker

Now with those coming in, all I need to do is concentrate on getting the new sets.

Pretty sure Modern Masters 2015 is going to break me, and if they announce that they are coming out with a Conspiracy 2015, I am going to vomit.

Honestly I am just really looking forward to getting all the older sets complete, so I can stop trading away the newer cards, and I can let that stuff just sit while I wait for the value of those cards to increase.

Oh yeah, I was also able to trade in my final Polukranos, World Eater and finished up my Theros set!  Ya Boom!

Still not sure what I am going to do about getting older booster boxes.  I really need to get a second job.