Booster pack

A booster pack, depending on the expansion set, contains 8 to 16 cards of that set. A Booster Pack Box consists of 36 booster packs. A Booster Case consists of 6 boxes or 216 booster packs. It is one of the ways to purchase cards.

Contents and cost

Over the years booster packs have grown in size and cost:

• Arabian Nights was sold in 8-card booster packs for $1.45US per pack. Each pack contained:
  • 6 commons and 2 uncommons (there were no rares).
• Antiquities was also sold in 8-card booster packs.
• Legends booster packs contain 15 cards.
• The Dark, Fallen Empires and Homelands boosters contain 8 cards.
• Alliances and Chronicles booster packs contain 12 cards:
  • 8 commons, 3 uncommons and 1 rare.
• From Mirage until Coldsnap, booster packs contain 15 cards:
  • 11 commons, 3 uncommons and 1 rare.
• In Core set booster packs from 7th Edition to 9th Edition 1 common was replaced with a basic land card. These boosters contain 15 cards:
  • 1 basic land, 10 commons, 3 uncommons and 1 rare.
• The price went up to $3.29 starting with 9th Edition.
• The Time Spiral block has "timeshifted" cards and due to this their rarities in booster packs are different, though each booster pack contains 15 cards.
  • Time Spiral booster packs contain 10 commons, 3 uncommons, 1 rare, and 1 purple-rarity timeshifted card.
  • Planar Chaos booster packs contain 8 commons, 2 uncommons, 1 rare, 3 timeshifted commons, and 1 uncommon or rare timeshifted card.
  • Future Sight booster packs contain 11 commons, 3 uncommons, and 1 rare, any of which might be a timeshifted card.
• 10th Edition Core Set booster packs introduced an additional marketing card and thus contain 16 cards:
  • 1 marketing card, 1 basic land, 10 commons, 3 uncommons and 1 rare.
• From Lorwyn to Eventide, booster packs contain 16 cards:
  • 1 marketing card, 11 commons, 3 uncommons and 1 rare.
• From Shards of Alara on, both Core set and Expansion booster packs contain 16 cards:
  • 1 marketing card, 1 basic land, 10 commons, 3 uncommons and 1 rare (occasionally, about 1 in 8 packs, replaced by a mythic rare).

The latest expansion set's booster pack retails for $3.95US.

Packaging

Ice Age packs appear to be the first packs made of foil wrappers and the first with artwork on the wrappers.

Booster packs can be sold in blister packs. A blister pack is putting plastic and a cardboard backing around the booster pack, this is somewhat of a theft-deterrent. This kind of packing can add cost to the booster pack. Blister packs can hold one, two, or three booster packs.

The Ravnica block has been sold as a "perfect for draft" piece. This includes one booster of Ravnica, Dissension, and Guildpact, and a spindown life counter. Retail price: US$11.99.

Artwork

• Booster packs from Alpha until Fallen Empires have no card artwork
  • Homelands packs have no card artwork

• Ice Age block
  • Ice Age packs have artwork from one of five cards: Jester's Cap, Dire Wolves, Scaled Wurm, Pygmy Allosaurus, Karplusan Yeti
  • Alliances packs all have artwork from the card Benthic Explorers
  • Coldsnap packs have artwork from one of the cards: Adarkar Valkyrie, Rimescale Dragon, Allosaurus Rider

• Mirage block
  • Mirage packs have artwork from one of the cards: Maro, Polymorph, Taniwha, Jungle Troll
  • Visions packs have artwork from the card Teferi's Puzzle Box
  • Weatherlight packs have artwork from the card Steel Golem

• Tempest block
  • Tempest packs have artwork from one of the cards: Auratog, Volrath's Curse, Commander Greven il-Vec
  • Stronghold packs have artwork from the card Warrior Angel
  • Exodus packs have artwork from the card Exalted Dragon

• Urza block
  • Urza's Saga packs have artwork from one of the cards: Herald of Serra, Chimeric Staff, Phyrexian Colossus
  • Urza's Legacy packs have artwork from the card Beast of Burden
  • Urza's Destiny packs have artwork from the card Emperor Crocodile

• Masques block
  • Mercadian Masques packs have artwork from the cards: Squee, Goblin Nabob, Cateran Slaver, Saprazzan Legate
  • Nemesis packs have artwork from the card Sliptide Serpent
  • Prophecy packs have artwork from the card Avatar of Hope

• Invasion block
  • Invasion packs have artwork from the card Captain Sisay, Dromar, the Banisher, Kavu Titan
  • Planeshift packs have artwork from the card Draco
  • Apocalypse packs have artwork from the card Anavolver

• Odyssey block
  • Odyssey packs have artwork from one of the cards: Seton, Krosan Protector, Mirari, Aboshan, Cephelid Emperor
  • Torment packs have artwork from the card Sengir Vampire
  • Judgement packs have artwork from the card Phantom Nishoba

• Onslaught block
  • Onslaught packs have artwork from one of the cards: Jareth, Leonine Titan, Kamahl, Fist of Krosa, Blistering Firecat, Grinning Demon
  • Legions packs have artwork from one of the cards: Riptide Mangler, Scion of Darkness, Phage the Untouchable
  • Scourge packs have artwork from one of the cards: Dragonstorm, Dragon Tyrant, Bladewing the Risen

• Mirrodin block
  • Mirrodin packs have artwork from one of the cards: Mindslaver, Icy Manipulator, Worldslayer
  • Darksteel packs have artwork from one of the cards: Shield of Kaldra, Arcbound Ravager, Eater of Days
  • Fifth Dawn packs have artwork from one of the cards: Etched Oracle, Fist of Suns, Bringer of the Red Dawn

• Kamigawa block
  • Champions of Kamigawa packs have artwork from one of the cards: Mindslaver, Icy Manipulator, Worldslayer
  • Betrayers of Kamigawa packs have artwork from one of the cards: Shield of Kaldra, Arcbound Ravager, Eater of Days
  • Saviors of Kamigawa packs have artwork from one of the cards: Infernal Kirin, Maga, Traitor to Mortals, Adamaro, First to Desire

External links

• 6 card booster pack for mass market stores