Image courtesy of Scryfall.com
Reading the tides of value: How condition shifts Omen of the Sea’s price
Blue enchantments love to flash into a game state and tilt the tempo just enough to draw the next action you need. Omen of the Sea arrives in Theros Beyond Death with a modest mana press of {1}{U}, a common slot that promises consistent play in online formats like Arena and in paper leagues across the globe. But when you swing from a price perspective, condition becomes the difference between a casual pickup and a “why is this card so affordable in some copies and a touch pricier in foil?” moment. 🧙♂️🔥💎
First, a quick refresher on what this card does. Omen of the Sea is a blue enchantment with Flash, which means you can cast it when you could cast an instant, catching your opponent off-guard in combat or during a fragile standoff. On entering the battlefield, it selflessly leans into card selection by Scrying 2 and drawing a card, giving you immediate information and resources. Then, for a price of {2}{U}, you can Sacrifice the enchantment to Scry 2 again. This mix of card advantage and selection is what makes its price trace so interesting across conditions. The card has the flavor and utility unlocked in common form, printed in Theros Beyond Death, a set that remains a favorite among cube builders and budget players alike. 🎨🎲
What “condition” actually does to a common like this
Condition is the invisible elastic band on MTG pricing. For a common with a low mana cost and a powerful enter-the-battlefield line, condition matters, but not in the same way as for high-rarity cards. Here’s how it typically breaks down for Omen of the Sea, based on typical market patterns and the numbers we see from credible price feeds like the Scryfall data snapshot you’ve got:
- Near Mint / Lightly Played: These copies fetch the baseline price. In the provided data, non-foil copies hover in the neighborhood of USD 0.09, with foil variants at around USD 0.48. While not dramatic, the foil upcharge reflects the premium for rarity-preserving sheen on a common’s frame and its rarity marker. 💎
- Moderately Played / Heavily Played: Expect a slight dip below the baseline, perhaps a few cents, depending on the card’s wear, edge whitening, or scratches on the surface. The market often tries to quantify the “playability” of a condition through auctions and listings—some players will buy these as budget placeholders, while others avoid them in collector-focused decks. 🧙♂️
- Foil vs. Non-foil as a separate axis: Foil copies carry their own conditioning curve. The data you provided shows foil non-scarcity in the USD 0.48 range, with non-foil at USD 0.09. Foil availability can skew higher even for commons, because foiling is both a cosmetic and collectible feature that appeals to players building shiny EDH decks or online gym challenges. ⚔️
In practical terms, condition slows the card’s price drift for everyday players—if you’re just trying to throw Omen of the Sea into a budget deck, a reasonable condition can still deliver the card’s utility without breaking the bank. For the serious collector who wants the telegenic foil and the prestige of a pristine print, the condition premium adds a layer of pride to the price tag. The fact that Omen of the Sea is a common from a flavorful set like THB means there’s plenty of supply, keeping the baseline accessible, but not so abundant that the foil or pristine copies become utterly disposable. 🔥
Why foil copies sometimes outprice their non-foil siblings
Foil copies of commons from recent sets tend to collect premiums due to a combination of aesthetics and demand from foil-heavy deck builders. The data suggests that a foil Omen of the Sea sits inside a roughly fivefold to sixfold premium relative to its non-foil counterpart in many markets, though actual prices can swing with market conditions and print runs. The “value” here isn’t just the card text; it’s the visual pop in a casual cube, plus the satisfaction of a glossy blue enchantment flashing into play. If you’re price-checking, remember to factor both condition and foil status as distinct dimensions of value. 🎨
Lore, art, and how sentiment nudges the price curve
The flavor text—“My time will come, when the rising tide will surge above the tallest mountain.”—captures a mood of inevitability and patient strategy that resonates with anglers in control and tempo mirrors in decks. The art by Piotr Dura, paired with the Theros Beyond Death frame, is a draw for collectors who appreciate the linework that sits between sea-worn mystic and horizon-stretching prophecy. That emotional resonance can subtly tilt a buyer’s willingness to pay for a pristine copy or a foil, especially in donor markets and casual-competitive circles where aesthetics matter as much as function. 🧙♂️⚔️
“Scry 2, draw a card, then decide what to keep—and what to send back to the bottom.” That’s the rhythm this blue enchantment brings to the table, a tempo tool in the hands of players who value information as currency.
From a market perspective, the set’s print history and reprint risk also shape expectations. THB has seen a mix of reprints across the years, but as a common, Omen of the Sea isn’t the kind of card that triggers dramatic price spikes on reprint news. Instead, it tends to drift with the tide of modern and eternal formats, keeping a toe in player demand and a finger on collector interest. In formats where fast early draws are prized, the card’s flash ability adds a subtle strategic edge that can keep condition-sensitive demand stable, even as prices drift in the broader market. 🧭
Practical angles for players and collectors
If you’re price-shopping, here are practical takeaways to keep in mind:
- Consider foil for display value and potential appeal in commander tables—though expect the foil price premium to stand apart from the non-foil baseline. 💎
- Keep an eye on condition-sensitive listings in your favorite market—tiny scuffs or edge wear can push a card into a cheaper bracket that’s still perfectly playable in casual settings. 🧙♂️
- For EDH and cube builders, the card’s utility—flash into play, provide card selection and draw—remains a evergreen skill, making even lower-cost copies viable in certain lists. 🎲
As you navigate price trends, remember that this enchantment’s charm isn’t merely in its numbers. It’s in the loop of information you gain when it enters the battlefield and the value you reap by peering at the top of your library and choosing the path forward. That combination—price visibility, playable utility, and eye-catching foil potential—gives Omen of the Sea a dependable place in blue decks, and a measurable role in the ongoing price conversation. 🧙♂️💎
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