Active eBay buyer and seller since 2003.
I first played Magic: The Gathering in the late 1990s while stationed overseas with the U.S. Army. A few cards traded around the barracks, a makeshift playmat on a footlocker — that was enough to get started. The game stuck with me the way certain things do when you're far from home and looking for something familiar and engaging.
Life moved on, as it does. The cards got packed away. But the interest never fully disappeared. Years later, I found myself back at the table — teaching the game from scratch, rediscovering formats I had forgotten, and building a collection again from the ground up. That second chapter has been a different experience entirely. Coming back with fresh eyes after years away gives you a perspective most long-time players don't have: you remember what it felt like not to know anything, and you remember exactly what kind of information would have helped.
The same instincts that make a good collector make a good player — and vice versa. Knowing what something is worth, when to hold it, and when to act on it matters in both contexts.
I have been active on eBay since 2003, buying and selling across multiple collectible markets — coins, sports cards, comics, and trading card games including Magic. That experience in the secondary market taught me that price, condition, timing, and demand tell a story if you know where to look. The Mana Report is built on that foundation.
The Mana Report covers Magic: The Gathering from a market intelligence and collector perspective. Every issue tracks what is moving in the meta, which cards are undervalued, and where the real opportunities are — whether you are building a competitive deck, growing a collection, or buying and selling on the secondary market.
Each issue includes a format deep dive series, deck building guidance across three budget tiers, Commander and constructed strategy, rules and mechanics education, an on-ramp section for newer players, market movers, and five undervalued card picks with direct purchase links. The goal is useful, honest analysis — not hype, not speculation for its own sake, and not content that treats newer players as an afterthought.
The Mana Report publishes weekly every Monday morning. It is free to subscribe and always will be. A supporter tier is available for readers who want to help keep the publication running.
The Mana Report is part of the Collector City family. You can find us across these platforms:
The Mana Report participates in the eBay Partner Network and may earn a commission when you purchase through pick section links at no additional cost to you. TCGPlayer affiliate links will be added as that program integration is completed. All picks and market analysis represent the publisher's honest opinion. Nothing in this publication constitutes financial advice.
The publisher is an active buyer and seller on eBay (collector_city) and TCGPlayer (The Mana Report store). No card currently listed for sale in the publisher's eBay or TCGPlayer stores will ever appear as a recommended pick in The Pick section. This policy exists to ensure The Pick section reflects honest market analysis only — never an attempt to drive traffic to the publisher's own listings.