Booster pack

A booster pack, depending on the expansion set, contains 8 to 15 cards of that set. It is one of the ways to purchase cards. The are also sold in starter decks and theme decks.

Over the years booster packs have grown in size and cost. Arabian Nights was sold in 8-card booster packs for $1.45 per pack. Each pack contained two uncommon cards and six commons (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 have 8 cards. Alliances booster packs have 12 cards: 1 rare, 3 uncommons and 8 commons. From Mirage on, booster packs are sold containing 15 cards: 1 rare, 3 uncommons and 11 common cards. The latest expansion set's booster pack retails for $3.95.

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

Time Spiral block

The Time Spiral (block) has "timeshifted" cards and due to this their rarities in booster packs are different.

• Time Spiral booster pack has 10 commons, 3 uncommons, 1 rare, and 1 purple-rarity "timeshifted" card.
• Planar Chaos booster pack has 8 commons, 2 uncommons, 1 rare, 3 timeshifted commons, and one uncommon or rare timeshifted card.
• Future Sight booster pack has 11 commons, 3 uncommons, and 1 rare, any of which might be a timeshifted card.

10th Edition

10th edition booster packs contain 16 cards: 1 rare, 3 uncommons, 10 commons, 1 land and either be a token card or a "Tips & Tricks" card. If the booster pack contains a foil card, it replaces one of the common card slots.

Packaging

Booster packs can be sold in blister packs. A blister pack is putting platic 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.