Finishing a magical weekend

So...I gave in and went over to 401games to pick up some of the Artifact cards out of the Unstable Magic The Gathering set. I also decided to pick up three booster packs of the set, just to open as a comparative point to see if it was better to hand pick the cards, or through picking up some packs.

First, a go through the cards I picked up for about $10 (compared to the $12 for the three packs)...oh, and the single card scanning here is to go with being able to add the cards to the tradingcarddb.com website.

First we have the contraption cards which go to a non-standard full bleed design taking a page out of Topps Stadium Club. These are also the cards with the different back from what every other single sided Magic card has had for the last 25 years.

From a naming perspective, I have to say, I like Gnomeball Machine.


Looking at an artistic side, I really like the blowing up chicken view of Inflation Station.


Mandatory Friendship Shackles...love that feeling of an overbearing friendship that brings you down...


Then there are some cards that have names which...just don't sound right...don't try to say Quick-Stick Lick Trick 5 times fast....


Top secret tunnel in card and art pretty much sums up what this set is all about. Nice fun card.



With the contraptions done, we can go to the "normal" artifacts in the set...

Buzzing Whack-a-Doodle does a good job of bringing in something like rock paper scissors into the game.


A different name for the four cards, but the same number and "same" card - definitely interesting.


Robo is a decent front end card which get slapped on top of a card like Labrobot above.


Cute card for the bunch has to go to the Steel Squirrel....hehehe...bolt hole....



Lastly - my one screw up because I missed this being a white card (not that there's anything wrong with it, but I don't count it as a pure artifact for my collection).


So - that was the hand picked pile, now we have these to open...

Ok, I lied, I didn't have one of the designs in unopened materials, so only two to open.


First pack provides 5 keepers for the artifact collection, but only one new one I didn't directly buy above. A very decent pack to get 5 out of the 15 (plus token).


The Rules Lawyer card is the rare out of this pack. Nothing spectacular in value, but as far as the card itself goes, I love it for the laugh it is. Also, if you are wondering, the rule reference is legit, here is the link to the rule in the game.


The elemental token is pretty nice - all the tokens are foil which is a decent look as well.

So that was pack one. Pack 2...

All dupes, but since I collect four of each, still good for the collection.


Unfortunately a dupe between the two packs...


Selfie preservation...I'll admit, I find the name funny.


I really like the full art lands - looking on line, the foil versions of the lands go for big bucks these days. No luck in getting one here though.


This is the one foil card I got in the pack, which looks nice of course, but only a common.

Overall - I liked opening the packs, but I should have spent the money on specific card buys. Oh well, maybe next time.