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 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 contain 8 cards.
- Alliances and Chronicles booster packs contain 12 cards: 1 rare, 3 uncommons and 8 commons.
- From Mirage until Coldsnap, booster packs contain 15 cards: 1 rare, 3 uncommons and 11 common cards.
- The Time Spiral block has "timeshifted" cards and due to this their rarities in booster packs are different.
- 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 one 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 booster packs contain 16 cards: 1 rare, 3 uncommons, 10 commons, 1 land and either be a marketing card. One side of each marketing card either represents a token or explains a game concept; the other side is an advertisement.
- From Lorwyn to Eventide, booster packs contain 16 cards: 1 rare, 3 uncommons, 11 commons and either be a marketing card.
- From Shards of Alara on, booster packs will contain 15 cards: 1 rare (replaced occassionally by a mythic rare), 3 uncommons, 10 commons, 1 basic land and 1 rules tip or token.[1][2]
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.