Thank you all for your funny and nostalgic comments! Nostalgia is the reason why I decided to ask Mr. Rudy if he had a Stronghold box that he might be willing to part with. I will tell you that I made the choice to pay Rudy the highest price I could find because I know how hard it is for him to let go of some of his sealed boxes, especially from 1998. He did not ask, and there was no negotiation. I paid him what I saw as the highest price at the time when he told me he would be willing to do this box opening. Whether or not I went to hose-town or... this crazy crap unfolded, I was happy to see my favorite set be opened on RUclips by the rude-master. Whether or not my 2 SQ's and 2 MD's come back PSA 1 or PSA 10, having this video that I can always watch when I want to feel young again is priceless. Rudy did a flawless job making me feel like I'm opening a box with my buddy at the LGS table. Remember that when you consider what a box may be worth to you. Thanks to our friend Rudy for this.
Nah this is just how Stronghold boxes work for the most part. You get lots of duplicate rares and you either get 2 mMx diamonds or get hosed 90%. The Mox Diamonds are normally in the right and left columns and normally in the lower middle of those columns, just like in the video
Rudy is so funny guy. It's like having burning dumpsters outside his house, regarding MTG drama and problems, but he is happily sitting in his warm and cosy house, enjoying the box openings. This is somewhat hilarious, but at the same time - not all people has to get involved in drama and I'm glad (in a way), that Rudy stays Rudy.
I actually opened a box on release. When the video started I went and got my set out, oh the memories. I remembered just how Amazing my box was, little did I know I was about to see another double Queen, double Mox box. Hitting those doubles was what got me addicted to mtg. Was down right amazing to see it again 23 years later, the feels!!
"What was it like back in the 90's, during the Stronghold, Exodus, Weatherlight, Mirage, Visions era? Did everyone complain like today?" I got into MtG during the Ice Age/Chronicles era, and bought booster boxes and individual packs from my LGS up through Nemesis. I loved the Legends reprints in Chronicles and felt good enough about Ice Age to preorder a box of Homelands. That was such a stinker I gave away most of my cards and almost quit. Alliances and Mirage revived my interest, though I remember everyone at the time hated Cummulative Upkeep and Echo. Phasing and Shadow were controversial as well, lots of folks were tired of all the strings attached to the few good creatures that weren't hobbled by excessive mana costs. As for Stronghold, I opened a Sliver Queen as well, but I couldn't find anyone who wanted to buy it. I don't recall major hype around Mox Diamond, but in those days Revised Dual Lands were still widely available for around $20. The lack of distinguishing Rare and Uncommon set symbols really made it difficult to spot collectible cards. Information was mainly communicated via MtG magazines, there were very few online sources of data. Many of today's most sought-after cards from that era were largely overlooked at the time. Urza's Saga was the real blockbuster that blew open the moldy crypt that Magic had descended into. In the wake of that powerhouse, Mercadian Masques and Nemesis felt like uninspiring steps backward. WotC were pushing Standard exclusively, and unlike the years-long Ice Age era, were retiring cards faster than ever to make room for the new sets. To my eyes, it looked like the Urza block's days were numbered, so I checked out, figuring I had seen the game's best.
Personally, I think this is around the absolutely best era of Magic art. Just the right combination of realistic, grim-dark and fantasy. I think the earlier art was a bit too all over the place and overall not very high quality. And we all know the many shortcomings of the newer art. I think this era strikes a perfect balance.
I loved Tempest, Homelands, Alliances, and Ice Age art. The original core sets had a ton of BOMBS though. Melissa Benson, Anson Maddocks, Dan Frazier, and Mark Tedin had transcendental talent unlike much of the art we see now (especially compared to battlebond/M19...what a fucking joke).
before I watch let me guess what rudys gonna say. wow look at the art they would never print this now. wow that's a great rare idk about prices about this set. look at this packaging mam they dont make it anymore like this . wow the smell so good.
This box blew my mind. That's crazy. I opened two boxes back in the day and only pulled one diamond and one queen and one stronghold. Insane box, congrats!!
Wow what a box. Loved those old cards. I still have some in a binder at the back of my magic cupboard- feeling nostalgic to break it out again and flip the pages like a long lost family photo album. Thanks for posting Rudy- rock on dude!!
So 2022 Rudy asked me to go back and watch some of the older financial videos, but instead... I thought I would go back to one of the first videos I ever watched. Around the time MTGA was launched in Beta, my brother recommended your channel to me and I've been watching all the videos since. While I'm no longer a MTG cardboard collector, I still love to play... but its mostly online. Still... I appreciate your flavor of humor, and your perspective on life, and being grateful, and not being a miserable curmudgeon. So this is my best guess timestamp of when I jumped on the Alpha Investments train and it's been a wild ride. Thank you.
The best part of this, all past, and all subsequent old box opening videos are Rudy's reaction to the awesome artwork, I share the same reaction. Killer pulls here!
Man that brings me back. I was only 8 when this set came out, I couldn't understand a word of what these cards said, but damn straight, I played the shit out of those Skeleton Scavengers!
This title is just missing the *EMOTIONAL* tag. And the arrows pointing to the booster box with the text that says NO WAY. Also make sure to put a pic with your hand on your neck like it's sore or it's not legit. Love you Rudy!
As of right now, the Sliver Queens, the Dream Halls, and the Mox Diamonds alone - just those 6 cards - top out at $890. That's crazy, what a great box. Too bad you didn't get any Ensnaring Bridges or Volrath's Strongholds, too :)
God I love Stronghold, so much nostalgia. I remember cracking packs back in the day and buying a couple of the preconstructed decks. I wish I had opened a Mox Diamond but I did snag a couple Ensnaring Bridges and Dream Halls. Unfortunately I think I traded them, along with a couple Gaea's Cradles and Sneak Attacks....oh the infinite amount of regret...:( Great video Rudy!
Yeah, I am willing to bet thats how I got one of them! I wish I still had that sucker, the art is so much better than the 8th edition reprint. Plus black bordered greatness. The deck with Ensnaring Bridge was called MIgraine, and was a discard deck that included a few Megrims, that card was sweet. Of course the only card from that deck I dont have anymore is the Bridge. I had to go look it up after you mentioned that.
What a trip down memory lane. The card felt different, The smell was different, of course the artwork was incredible. And yeah it would be nice to see the cool artwork on the box covers again but we know that’s never gonna happen. Thanks for the memories🌮
Damn rudy, i still don't know how i found your channel but it prompted me to dig out old cards i havent seen in 20+ years, beta, the dark, empire, 4th ed, iceage.... I'm blown away just how much it's evolved over the years! anyway, really enjoy your vids mate! def sub to your channel.
I made a list of the value of the cards in the box Box value Pack 1 Intruder alarm (r) = 7.8 Pack 2 Flowstone mauler (R) = - Pack 3 Burgeoning (R )4.43 Pack 4 Primal Rage ( U) =1.37 Mindwarper (R)- Pack 5 Mindwarper (r)- Pack 6 Primal Rage ( U) =1.37 Skeleton Scavengers (R )- Pack 7 Wall of souls ( U ) -1 Rolling stones ( R) - Pack 8 Mortuary (r ) - Pack 9 Verdant touch (r )- Pack 10 Portcullis (r ) - Pack 11 Ruination (r) -3.85 Pack 12 Sliver queen (r )- 39 Pack 13 Volraths laboratory (r )- Pack 14 Burgeoning (R )4.43 Pack 15 Sliver queen (r )- 39 Pack 16 Horn of greed (r) -2.10 Pack 17 Thalkos deceiver (r)-7.11 Pack 18 Crystalline sliver (u)- 2.94 Evacuation (r) 1.70 Pack 19 Invasion plans (r)- Pack 20 Dream halls (r )-8.32 Pack 21 Constant mists (u) 3.44 Strong hold assassin (r )- Pack 22 Wall of souls ( U ) -1 Rolling stones ( R) - Pack 23 Strong hold assassin (r )- Pack 24 Mox diamond (r) 144.5 Pack 25 Constant mists (u) 3.44 Hidden retreat- Pack 26 Primal Rage ( U) =1.37 Hermit Druid (r )= 3.14 Pack 27 Mox diamond (r) 144.5 Pack 28 Awakening (r ) 3 Pack 29 Spitting Hydra (r )- Pack 30 Warrior angel (r)- Pack 31 Intruder alarm (r) = 7.8 Pack 32 Shard phoenix ( R)- Pack 33 Sword of the Chosen (r )- Pack 34 Dream halls (r )-8.32 Pack 35 Pursuit of Knowledge (r )- Pack 36 Spitting Hydra (r )- Card value=444.93 retail value of box is between $496.66 and $662.50 so whoever bought this box lost between $51.73 and 217.57 I guess this is why you're supposed to buy boxes and sit on them rather than open them yourself two mox diamonds and he still couldn't break even. all prices are TCG player market prices and are accurate to the time I posted this comment. I only counted cards worth 1 dollar or more. Also, I dint factor in the value of the mox diamonds after grading. If my hero creepy Rudy reads this comment I want him to know that my dream is to one day have a taco as floppy as his. P.S #greenscreen
Don't underestimate the value of pack fresh mint cards on the price they may fetch. That said, you're right. Even with two Mox Diamonds he still didn't break even.
THIS is what matters on these vids. THANK YOU!!!! and your value presumes he can actually sell ALL of them. dude got crushed with a "lottery" hit?!!?!?!?!
I'm not sure these prices are correct though. When I look up Mox Diamond, I see $250 for lightly played and $300 for pack fresh/near mint. Sliver Queen is also $80 near mint / pack fresh. It looks like this guy used the highly played prices or something.
@@link99912 No these cards spiked in the last few months to the point where almost all prices doubled. So even though he was boned at the time, he actually has made a decent chunk of change, especially since it's pack fresh.
As of May 13th, 2020. Median Stronghold Booster Box Rounded Down: = $1,500 Box Value (Rare Only): = $861.90 Net Loss: = $628.10 Really cool video though. Those old cards have something magical about them. Wizards need to go back to the old printing process, nice sharp colors
I've been cracking packs since 97-98 myself. Started with Saga, but was busting whatever the store had. Mirage, visions, weatherlight, tempest, stronghold, exodus, fallen empires, homelands, alliances, italian legends and ice age. Man, those were the days.
Hermit Druid was part of the broken 4 from back in this set's day. Reoccurring Nightmare, Hermit Druid, Survival of the Fittest and Living Death. I did some horrible, broken things with those four cards together.
These days, this is an amazing box. Back when stronghold dropped, this was considered a problem. There were pack sorting issues, having boxes with 2-3 copies of multiple rares was normal for stronghold. When that rare is Mox Diamond, Ensnaring Bridge, or Sliver Queen, this is amazing. However, when those rares were Flowstone Mauler, Carnassid, or Mindwarper... then it's a big fat box of suck.
That was SICK only Rudy can opena box that good. Only thing missing was a volrath stronghold and I have a mint condition one with the printer marks in the picture 🔥
Their logic behind humanoid slivers is that designers believe people who don't know what slivers are want to remember something sunconciously if its human like. Where as the old slivers where in-human af, card designers didn't like that as a selling point. That's why you don't see pure monster creatures in league of legends or overwatch. It was on purpose because of business decisions.
Raaanch hey, someone somewhere is GOING TO want to fuck them, so to sell them better they needed to make slivers more humanoid to make those people feel less bad : ^)
those were the years that i was introduce to play MTG, back in 97, I remember getting one of those lotus petal, people are hyped about that card back then. Man I'm freaking old lol
17:13 and 18:35 for all those new players to Magic the Gathering playing along at home 10:58 and 12:22 well would you look at that the history of magic is priceless
My first pack of Stronghold back when it came out had a Sliver Queen and definitely pushed me to build a Sliver deck. Still have all those cards. Great memories.
Thanks for the video. This is my first time on your channel. I myself started in MTG in like Iceage and ended around Mirage. I still buy some packs just to see how the art looks but i'm not really a big player or collector anymore. But what i do just buy the digital games and play online. Very casual and for fun. I do miss opening packs though :d
As somebody who opened CASES of Stronghold, this box occured about twice per case of 6 boxes. Remember that at 36 packs and fewer rares than the larger set of the block, that how sorting went
That's pretty amazing of a box, I remember I opened a box of unlimited - back in the day and all the uncommons were rare and the rare was an uncommon . . . a god pack/box as we called it I've never seen one for Magic since then, but I have for a few other games. The guy Daniel, who got this box, that's an amazing box - also Rudy, you missed a few dupes :P
Those kind of pulls are fairly common during those days. Especially if the box you opened was from the first batches from release date. Our first Stronghold box contains 3 Mox Diamond, 2 Sliver Queens. WoTC marketing ploy maybe ...back then.
I can't believe he didn't say anything about Fling. Such a fun red common! Especially with Act of Treason, take their creature, attack them with it, then Fling it at em haha.
Indeed. I once killed an opponent with a Mogg Maniac that first dealt 3 damage to him, and then flinged for 15 damage as I had put two Righteousness on it.
Bro, that was a god box of Stronghold boosters!!!!!! I've only seen One box that had both Mox and queen in it back in the day, they were kinda like rare of rares back then. Nice!!!!
Back in -99 my friend was collecting Stronghold and the only card he didn't have was Mox Diamond. Then I bought my first ever Stronghold booster and opened a Mox Diamond. Afterwards I traded it to him and many many years later traded it back. I still have it.
I have a Sliver EDH deck led by a Heavily Played, borderline Damaged Sliver Queen that I got for $10 in 2005. Needless to say, those pack fresh ones are beautiful.
The nostalgia! I will never forget cracking that Sliver Queen and ignoring the Volrath's stronghold in the other pack I bought. Also double mindwarper was not uncommon, ran into that numerous times back in the day... I have like 6 of those dudes.
"Tell me that's not the most ridiculous Stronghold box you're ever seen in your life." Me: erm, that's the first one ever...but I love watching you open stuff :)
I remember when Stronghold first came out. I got 3 Mox Diamonds out of 3 consecutive packs. Tempest block was always my favorite block, even though Urza block is a close second. Great cards
Yeah. I never felt the shift. I always loved the Amy Weber style artwork. The weird stuff. That feels "Magic". The newer, pristine artwork feels more like videogame screenshots, which seem so profane in comparison.
A lot of comments to the effect of "but the card value is still less than the box price" are fundamentally misunderstanding two things: 1. No one who can afford to buy a box of stronghold is cracking it "for value", it's nostalgia gambling 2. Gem Mint graded RL cards (even from more recent sets like Stronghold) fetch a pretty damn good multiplier on most cards, given that two moxes make up most of the value of this box, if they both come back Gem Mint (unlikely, admittedly) that turns a slight loss into a huge profit. Did you hear the palpable excitement when Rudy said pack fresh? Also, re-grading cards is a thing that happens A LOT with pack fresh cards, the difference between the multiplier on a 9 with bad subs and 9.5 with good subs is significant and in the case of moxes, makes a difference of ~500 bucks give or take. Let's say your grading costs you 20 bucks a pop and you get back a 9 with shitty subs: would you spend the extra 20 to try at another 500 when you know how subjective high end grading is? Y'all think you're the fireman but you're the burning house. #gethosed
Takes me back. I may recall seeing people play with unlimited and al lthe legends, arabian nights, antiquities, and revised. I may have had osme of those, but I really got into mtg with fallen empires, 4th edition, and ice age. Chronicles helped to fill in the gaps , and I got into homelands, mirages, visions, portal, and 5th. But nothing prepared me for the storylines that erupted with weatherlight>tempest, stronghold, and exodus. I got a few character cards from those sets ( gerrard and volrath, greven il vec) as well as Volraths stronghold, his dungeon, but this vid made me happy srolling down memory lane of those good ol days, when the cards smelled so good. That new car, new comic, new girlfriend smell. Cant beat it. Great pulls in the vid RUDY! ^,;,^
Question to all you Experts: I really like the artwork of some of those cards. I do not intend to play the game, but rather consider to collect some of those foil design cards. Now, I am very new but realised there are so many cards. I want to follow some kind of strategy. How or where may I get an overview of what kind of foil design cards are out there? Do not really want to start cracking packs but focus maybe on a certain branch of design. Not sure yet, but they look so nice. Any suggestions?
Takes me back...you lucked out even by standards back then. I watched a homie crack a Stronghold box in like 1999 and open 1 Sliver Queen, and the rest was garbage. No Mox. So the fact you got 2 of both is awesome.
Omg this is around when I started the first time. I don’t remember many, but I do remember the stronghold icon and I just recognized the card with the blindfold on it. I feel like I must have had no idea what I was doing.
How can you not remember one of the most broken cards ever printed that is Hermit Druid? It lets you mill your whole deck to your graveyard so it enables ton of really degenerate combos.
One of the stores I go to a fair bit still had some stronghold boosters they were charging a fair bit for them and surprisingly not many sold, I bought 3 and got two sliver queens still have them today was so happy
stronghold was back when there was A boxes and B boxes and so you'd get double of a lot of your rares. I opened two sliver queens and two dream halls in the box i bought years ago.
Very Cool, I started in Portal, this block was right around then. Stronghold is great. The art was insane back then. I remember years later people were freaking about pokemon and the devil or something, I was sitting there with dark rit's and other crazy cards like these in my backpack. Mindwarper was always an old favorite of mine, 90's playable.
I am the Daniel, and I received the cards. Wonderful condition, already sent out for grading! Glad you all enjoyed the video :)
Daniel Turcich your Taco just got floppier 😀
gz! one of the sickest openings I have seen! guess u make a sliver deck now :D
nvm about the deck :P
I dunno...I only remember seeing Acidic Sliver besides the duo Queens.
Thank you all for your funny and nostalgic comments! Nostalgia is the reason why I decided to ask Mr. Rudy if he had a Stronghold box that he might be willing to part with. I will tell you that I made the choice to pay Rudy the highest price I could find because I know how hard it is for him to let go of some of his sealed boxes, especially from 1998. He did not ask, and there was no negotiation. I paid him what I saw as the highest price at the time when he told me he would be willing to do this box opening. Whether or not I went to hose-town or... this crazy crap unfolded, I was happy to see my favorite set be opened on RUclips by the rude-master. Whether or not my 2 SQ's and 2 MD's come back PSA 1 or PSA 10, having this video that I can always watch when I want to feel young again is priceless. Rudy did a flawless job making me feel like I'm opening a box with my buddy at the LGS table. Remember that when you consider what a box may be worth to you. Thanks to our friend Rudy for this.
I love Rudy passing over Hermit Druid like it isn't totally broken lol
No clickbait here. Legit best stronghold box. Not even done watching yet.
Nah this is just how Stronghold boxes work for the most part. You get lots of duplicate rares and you either get 2 mMx diamonds or get hosed 90%. The Mox Diamonds are normally in the right and left columns and normally in the lower middle of those columns, just like in the video
Might be the best, but the buyer still got raped. He lost 1100 dollars
Rudy is so funny guy. It's like having burning dumpsters outside his house, regarding MTG drama and problems, but he is happily sitting in his warm and cosy house, enjoying the box openings. This is somewhat hilarious, but at the same time - not all people has to get involved in drama and I'm glad (in a way), that Rudy stays Rudy.
Magnums Does Overwatch & More Rudy realizes drama it too volatile an investment.
Drama?
And now he’s always involved
18:36 "mox diamond, slight play"
I actually opened a box on release. When the video started I went and got my set out, oh the memories. I remembered just how Amazing my box was, little did I know I was about to see another double Queen, double Mox box. Hitting those doubles was what got me addicted to mtg. Was down right amazing to see it again 23 years later, the feels!!
I wish someone would talk about me the way Rudy talks about his cards
Casey Durbin youre pack fresh
Oh my god! Look at that creepy dude!
You're welcome ;)
sloppy taco
"What was it like back in the 90's, during the Stronghold, Exodus, Weatherlight, Mirage, Visions era? Did everyone complain like today?"
I got into MtG during the Ice Age/Chronicles era, and bought booster boxes and individual packs from my LGS up through Nemesis. I loved the Legends reprints in Chronicles and felt good enough about Ice Age to preorder a box of Homelands. That was such a stinker I gave away most of my cards and almost quit. Alliances and Mirage revived my interest, though I remember everyone at the time hated Cummulative Upkeep and Echo. Phasing and Shadow were controversial as well, lots of folks were tired of all the strings attached to the few good creatures that weren't hobbled by excessive mana costs.
As for Stronghold, I opened a Sliver Queen as well, but I couldn't find anyone who wanted to buy it. I don't recall major hype around Mox Diamond, but in those days Revised Dual Lands were still widely available for around $20. The lack of distinguishing Rare and Uncommon set symbols really made it difficult to spot collectible cards. Information was mainly communicated via MtG magazines, there were very few online sources of data. Many of today's most sought-after cards from that era were largely overlooked at the time.
Urza's Saga was the real blockbuster that blew open the moldy crypt that Magic had descended into. In the wake of that powerhouse, Mercadian Masques and Nemesis felt like uninspiring steps backward. WotC were pushing Standard exclusively, and unlike the years-long Ice Age era, were retiring cards faster than ever to make room for the new sets. To my eyes, it looked like the Urza block's days were numbered, so I checked out, figuring I had seen the game's best.
End of 2022; nothing WoTC tries to pawn off as special even comes close to this. What a phenomenal opening.
Personally, I think this is around the absolutely best era of Magic art. Just the right combination of realistic, grim-dark and fantasy. I think the earlier art was a bit too all over the place and overall not very high quality. And we all know the many shortcomings of the newer art. I think this era strikes a perfect balance.
You're absolutelly right
agreed, and honestly, from around stronghold/tempest up to and including the mirrordin block i liked alot of the art in magic
I loved Tempest, Homelands, Alliances, and Ice Age art. The original core sets had a ton of BOMBS though. Melissa Benson, Anson Maddocks, Dan Frazier, and Mark Tedin had transcendental talent unlike much of the art we see now (especially compared to battlebond/M19...what a fucking joke).
Yeah. I began with ice age and tempest was awesome. A friend of mine won a tournament with four moxes the pursuits gerrard wisdom...what a memories
Yeah
before I watch let me guess what rudys gonna say. wow look at the art they would never print this now. wow that's a great rare idk about prices about this set. look at this packaging mam they dont make it anymore like this . wow the smell so good.
man *
100% prediction achieved
This is me right now
"before I watch" huehuehue who you think you foolin'...
You forgot the questions about whether or not we "remember that, you guys". Vintage Rudy.
This box blew my mind. That's crazy. I opened two boxes back in the day and only pulled one diamond and one queen and one stronghold. Insane box, congrats!!
Love that reaction to hermit druid
*reads one of the most broken cards ever*
......meh
Ye must have never played commander
Wow what a box. Loved those old cards. I still have some in a binder at the back of my magic cupboard- feeling nostalgic to break it out again and flip the pages like a long lost family photo album. Thanks for posting Rudy- rock on dude!!
So 2022 Rudy asked me to go back and watch some of the older financial videos, but instead... I thought I would go back to one of the first videos I ever watched.
Around the time MTGA was launched in Beta, my brother recommended your channel to me and I've been watching all the videos since.
While I'm no longer a MTG cardboard collector, I still love to play... but its mostly online.
Still... I appreciate your flavor of humor, and your perspective on life, and being grateful, and not being a miserable curmudgeon.
So this is my best guess timestamp of when I jumped on the Alpha Investments train and it's been a wild ride. Thank you.
Stronghold is released in early spring 1998. Ahh, I still remember those days..
The best part of this, all past, and all subsequent old box opening videos are Rudy's reaction to the awesome artwork, I share the same reaction. Killer pulls here!
The art from back then is so so sooo much better than the homogeneous art we have today.
Yup. When Hasbro took over, they marketed the game to teenagers. This included a huge overhaul in the art style.
Every red card has to get red art! Heck even Lightning Bolts are red -.-
Man that brings me back. I was only 8 when this set came out, I couldn't understand a word of what these cards said, but damn straight, I played the shit out of those Skeleton Scavengers!
"We're gona have a fun, relaxing old-school video today...
... Oahhh, Oh my god! Whooohooo!"
The opening caught me a little off guard, as I got to it from autoplay right after one of the Prof's videos
This title is just missing the *EMOTIONAL* tag. And the arrows pointing to the booster box with the text that says NO WAY. Also make sure to put a pic with your hand on your neck like it's sore or it's not legit. Love you Rudy!
HOLY FLIPPIN TACOS! ! ! Rudy - you weren't kidding. This is the BEST box opening of Stronghold I've ever seen! Thanks for the opening, good sir!
FINALLY getting back into the good stuff. More vintage box openings please? Maybe even an Urza's Saga box opening.....
2021 comment here: how is it possible the patron wasn't happy? This box more than paid for itself back in 2017, and 3+ years later, it's insane.
As of right now, the Sliver Queens, the Dream Halls, and the Mox Diamonds alone - just those 6 cards - top out at $890. That's crazy, what a great box. Too bad you didn't get any Ensnaring Bridges or Volrath's Strongholds, too :)
I love the old artwork. They make the pop.
The card pop
I have to say, I felt some weird sensation seeing these cards again. They really represent what Magic is to me. I especially like the Spined Wurm.
God I love Stronghold, so much nostalgia. I remember cracking packs back in the day and buying a couple of the preconstructed decks. I wish I had opened a Mox Diamond but I did snag a couple Ensnaring Bridges and Dream Halls. Unfortunately I think I traded them, along with a couple Gaea's Cradles and Sneak Attacks....oh the infinite amount of regret...:(
Great video Rudy!
Ensnaring bridge was even in a preconstructed deck of memory's serves me well.
Yeah, I am willing to bet thats how I got one of them! I wish I still had that sucker, the art is so much better than the 8th edition reprint. Plus black bordered greatness.
The deck with Ensnaring Bridge was called MIgraine, and was a discard deck that included a few Megrims, that card was sweet. Of course the only card from that deck I dont have anymore is the Bridge. I had to go look it up after you mentioned that.
What a trip down memory lane. The card felt different, The smell was different, of course the artwork was incredible. And yeah it would be nice to see the cool artwork on the box covers again but we know that’s never gonna happen. Thanks for the memories🌮
Damn rudy, i still don't know how i found your channel but it prompted me to dig out old cards i havent seen in 20+ years, beta, the dark, empire, 4th ed, iceage.... I'm blown away just how much it's evolved over the years!
anyway, really enjoy your vids mate! def sub to your channel.
I made a list of the value of the cards in the box
Box value
Pack 1
Intruder alarm (r) = 7.8
Pack 2
Flowstone mauler (R) = -
Pack 3
Burgeoning (R )4.43
Pack 4
Primal Rage ( U) =1.37
Mindwarper (R)-
Pack 5
Mindwarper (r)-
Pack 6
Primal Rage ( U) =1.37
Skeleton Scavengers (R )-
Pack 7
Wall of souls ( U ) -1
Rolling stones ( R) -
Pack 8
Mortuary (r ) -
Pack 9
Verdant touch (r )-
Pack 10
Portcullis (r ) -
Pack 11
Ruination (r) -3.85
Pack 12
Sliver queen (r )- 39
Pack 13
Volraths laboratory (r )-
Pack 14
Burgeoning (R )4.43
Pack 15
Sliver queen (r )- 39
Pack 16
Horn of greed (r) -2.10
Pack 17
Thalkos deceiver (r)-7.11
Pack 18
Crystalline sliver (u)- 2.94
Evacuation (r) 1.70
Pack 19
Invasion plans (r)-
Pack 20
Dream halls (r )-8.32
Pack 21
Constant mists (u) 3.44
Strong hold assassin (r )-
Pack 22
Wall of souls ( U ) -1
Rolling stones ( R) -
Pack 23
Strong hold assassin (r )-
Pack 24
Mox diamond (r) 144.5
Pack 25
Constant mists (u) 3.44
Hidden retreat-
Pack 26
Primal Rage ( U) =1.37
Hermit Druid (r )= 3.14
Pack 27
Mox diamond (r) 144.5
Pack 28
Awakening (r ) 3
Pack 29
Spitting Hydra (r )-
Pack 30
Warrior angel (r)-
Pack 31
Intruder alarm (r) = 7.8
Pack 32
Shard phoenix ( R)-
Pack 33
Sword of the Chosen (r )-
Pack 34
Dream halls (r )-8.32
Pack 35
Pursuit of Knowledge (r )-
Pack 36
Spitting Hydra (r )-
Card value=444.93
retail value of box is between $496.66 and $662.50
so whoever bought this box lost between $51.73 and 217.57
I guess this is why you're supposed to buy boxes and sit on them rather than open them yourself two mox diamonds and he still couldn't break even.
all prices are TCG player market prices and are accurate to the time I posted this comment. I only counted cards worth 1 dollar or more. Also, I dint factor in the value of the mox diamonds after grading.
If my hero creepy Rudy reads this comment I want him to know that my dream is to one day have a taco as floppy as his.
P.S #greenscreen
Don't underestimate the value of pack fresh mint cards on the price they may fetch. That said, you're right. Even with two Mox Diamonds he still didn't break even.
That's a shame. Still. He probably got his rocks off watching this.
THIS is what matters on these vids. THANK YOU!!!! and your value presumes he can actually sell ALL of them. dude got crushed with a "lottery" hit?!!?!?!?!
I'm not sure these prices are correct though. When I look up Mox Diamond, I see $250 for lightly played and $300 for pack fresh/near mint. Sliver Queen is also $80 near mint / pack fresh. It looks like this guy used the highly played prices or something.
@@link99912 No these cards spiked in the last few months to the point where almost all prices doubled. So even though he was boned at the time, he actually has made a decent chunk of change, especially since it's pack fresh.
As of May 13th, 2020.
Median Stronghold Booster Box Rounded Down: = $1,500
Box Value (Rare Only): = $861.90
Net Loss: = $628.10
Really cool video though. Those old cards have something magical about them. Wizards need to go back to the old printing process, nice sharp colors
I love these old school box openings
Mirage-Visions-Weatherlight & Tempest-Stronghold-Exodus then urzas block and then mirrodin block. The good Ole days!
16:14 Rudy is so moved by the quality of the cards that he almost begins to cry :D
Gotta love the Professor intro lol.
I lol'd. But, yes Localoco, fuck the Professor. He is indeed a little bitch.
Corey C How so?
I've been cracking packs since 97-98 myself. Started with Saga, but was busting whatever the store had. Mirage, visions, weatherlight, tempest, stronghold, exodus, fallen empires, homelands, alliances, italian legends and ice age. Man, those were the days.
I remember my two boxes I bought back in 97, both boxes had two mox diamonds and two sliver queens. Blew my mind!!!
Rudy acting like Hermit Druid isn't that good when it's completely broken.
Hermit Druid was part of the broken 4 from back in this set's day. Reoccurring Nightmare, Hermit Druid, Survival of the Fittest and Living Death. I did some horrible, broken things with those four cards together.
yeah, i thought, isnt that banned, and he is like... i dont remember this card
Isnt hermit druid jason mamoa in disguise lol
@@PlacidBogle no its Max Cavalera....
@@PlacidBogle just watched this now and thought the same bloody thing lmao
"Oh..... shit we did it!"
"Oh shit no way! Another...."
Hahahaha love Rudy
Rudy: "Bring back slivers"
Modern Horizons: "Alright."
These days, this is an amazing box. Back when stronghold dropped, this was considered a problem. There were pack sorting issues, having boxes with 2-3 copies of multiple rares was normal for stronghold. When that rare is Mox Diamond, Ensnaring Bridge, or Sliver Queen, this is amazing. However, when those rares were Flowstone Mauler, Carnassid, or Mindwarper... then it's a big fat box of suck.
That was SICK only Rudy can opena box that good. Only thing missing was a volrath stronghold and I have a mint condition one with the printer marks in the picture 🔥
rip doran the siege towers players 8:43
Slivers looked better back then. Now they're too "human" looking. Slivers are Love. Slivers are Life.
Agreed, they used to be cool unique bird-insects now they are boring humanoid creatures that look like every other MTG monster.
I bet you loved this box Ranch haha. Two Queens!!!
I wish I had one of those Sliver Queens. lol.
Their logic behind humanoid slivers is that designers believe people who don't know what slivers are want to remember something sunconciously if its human like. Where as the old slivers where in-human af, card designers didn't like that as a selling point. That's why you don't see pure monster creatures in league of legends or overwatch. It was on purpose because of business decisions.
Raaanch hey, someone somewhere is GOING TO want to fuck them, so to sell them better they needed to make slivers more humanoid to make those people feel less bad : ^)
So much Ron Spencer! Best illustrator. So much chaos in the drawing! Love the colors and the details!
those were the years that i was introduce to play MTG, back in 97, I remember getting one of those lotus petal, people are hyped about that card back then. Man I'm freaking old lol
Good to have a chance watching the oldy booster box opening. I wish I could see some Urza’s Saga epic opening very soon 😁😁
two years later, they brought back slivers. creepy rudy nailed it
i havn't played in so long i started playing magic in around ice age, brings back alot of memories
Still watching this after more than a year of filming. By far best box opening hairy arms with 16 thumbs.
17:13 and 18:35 for all those new players to Magic the Gathering playing along at home
10:58 and 12:22 well would you look at that
the history of magic is priceless
My first pack of Stronghold back when it came out had a Sliver Queen and definitely pushed me to build a Sliver deck. Still have all those cards. Great memories.
Rebecca Guay has great artwork. What an insane box!
Did you just comment on Rebecca Guay's vagina?!
aww man I love you. You hit me right in the nostalgia Rudy.
Thanks for the video. This is my first time on your channel. I myself started in MTG in like Iceage and ended around Mirage. I still buy some packs just to see how the art looks but i'm not really a big player or collector anymore. But what i do just buy the digital games and play online. Very casual and for fun. I do miss opening packs though :d
I'm flabbergasted at how much Rudy's green screen skills have improved.
As somebody who opened CASES of Stronghold, this box occured about twice per case of 6 boxes.
Remember that at 36 packs and fewer rares than the larger set of the block, that how sorting went
I can definitely smell it. Stronghold/Tempest is when I started. Gooood memories. Spike Feeder, Wall of Blossoms and original Shock bring me back.
That's pretty amazing of a box, I remember I opened a box of unlimited - back in the day and all the uncommons were rare and the rare was an uncommon . . . a god pack/box as we called it I've never seen one for Magic since then, but I have for a few other games. The guy Daniel, who got this box, that's an amazing box - also Rudy, you missed a few dupes :P
Those kind of pulls are fairly common during those days. Especially if the box you opened was from the first batches from release date. Our first Stronghold box contains 3 Mox Diamond, 2 Sliver Queens. WoTC marketing ploy maybe ...back then.
Rudy, the Mox and the queen normally hit in the bottom left of the box close to the last row, lol. That's how we used to try and pull em
I can't believe he didn't say anything about Fling. Such a fun red common! Especially with Act of Treason, take their creature, attack them with it, then Fling it at em haha.
Indeed. I once killed an opponent with a Mogg Maniac that first dealt 3 damage to him, and then flinged for 15 damage as I had put two Righteousness on it.
Bro, that was a god box of Stronghold boosters!!!!!! I've only seen One box that had both Mox and queen in it back in the day, they were kinda like rare of rares back then. Nice!!!!
Back in -99 my friend was collecting Stronghold and the only card he didn't have was Mox Diamond. Then I bought my first ever Stronghold booster and opened a Mox Diamond. Afterwards I traded it to him and many many years later traded it back. I still have it.
I have a Sliver EDH deck led by a Heavily Played, borderline Damaged Sliver Queen that I got for $10 in 2005. Needless to say, those pack fresh ones are beautiful.
Stronghold, Tempest had some of the best centering I've seen back in the day
Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Started playing around this time. Sickest stronghold box ever!
I started back in Tempest so I very well remember Stronghold. Thanks for the memories!
Watching this video in 2020.. Outstanding! No words! 18:30 BEAUTIFUL
RUclips from the future here. They did bring back slivers in your new favorite set "modern horizons"
This was the first year I started playing. I bought so many packs of Stronghold as a kid! Wish I could smell these.
I remember the text before release:
Step into the Darkness in March 1997 🤗
The nostalgia! I will never forget cracking that Sliver Queen and ignoring the Volrath's stronghold in the other pack I bought. Also double mindwarper was not uncommon, ran into that numerous times back in the day... I have like 6 of those dudes.
"Tell me that's not the most ridiculous Stronghold box you're ever seen in your life."
Me: erm, that's the first one ever...but I love watching you open stuff :)
I remember when Stronghold first came out. I got 3 Mox Diamonds out of 3 consecutive packs. Tempest block was always my favorite block, even though Urza block is a close second. Great cards
Man I miss hand painted artwork. All the computer drawn stuff today is just horrible to look at.
Yeah. I never felt the shift. I always loved the Amy Weber style artwork. The weird stuff. That feels "Magic". The newer, pristine artwork feels more like videogame screenshots, which seem so profane in comparison.
This^^^
marcmarc1967 Amen!!!
I dunno - some of the mystical archives and JP versions are blowing my mind = they both have their place in MTG art history :)
A lot of comments to the effect of "but the card value is still less than the box price" are fundamentally misunderstanding two things:
1. No one who can afford to buy a box of stronghold is cracking it "for value", it's nostalgia gambling
2. Gem Mint graded RL cards (even from more recent sets like Stronghold) fetch a pretty damn good multiplier on most cards, given that two moxes make up most of the value of this box, if they both come back Gem Mint (unlikely, admittedly) that turns a slight loss into a huge profit. Did you hear the palpable excitement when Rudy said pack fresh? Also, re-grading cards is a thing that happens A LOT with pack fresh cards, the difference between the multiplier on a 9 with bad subs and 9.5 with good subs is significant and in the case of moxes, makes a difference of ~500 bucks give or take. Let's say your grading costs you 20 bucks a pop and you get back a 9 with shitty subs: would you spend the extra 20 to try at another 500 when you know how subjective high end grading is?
Y'all think you're the fireman but you're the burning house. #gethosed
Takes me back. I may recall seeing people play with unlimited and al lthe legends, arabian nights, antiquities, and revised. I may have had osme of those, but I really got into mtg with fallen empires, 4th edition, and ice age. Chronicles helped to fill in the gaps , and I got into homelands, mirages, visions, portal, and 5th. But nothing prepared me for the storylines that erupted with weatherlight>tempest, stronghold, and exodus. I got a few character cards from those sets ( gerrard and volrath, greven il vec) as well as Volraths stronghold, his dungeon, but this vid made me happy srolling down memory lane of those good ol days, when the cards smelled so good. That new car, new comic, new girlfriend smell. Cant beat it. Great pulls in the vid RUDY! ^,;,^
Question to all you Experts:
I really like the artwork of some of those cards. I do not intend to play the game, but rather consider to collect some of those foil design cards. Now, I am very new but realised there are so many cards. I want to follow some kind of strategy. How or where may I get an overview of what kind of foil design cards are out there? Do not really want to start cracking packs but focus maybe on a certain branch of design. Not sure yet, but they look so nice. Any suggestions?
18:23 Just before the 2nd Mox: Elves, shock, overgrowth, rats. Or to put it more "Rudy-ish": Elves shocked overgrown rats!
this brought me way back. thanks Rudy and congrats Daniel!
Just wanted to reaffirm that I can definitely smell the cards. That is some serious psychological imprinting!
Wow, watching this brought back memories of borrowing Mercadian Masques/Nemesis books from the library back in the day
This video was so nice to watch. Hearing you so awestruck
Takes me back...you lucked out even by standards back then. I watched a homie crack a Stronghold box in like 1999 and open 1 Sliver Queen, and the rest was garbage. No Mox. So the fact you got 2 of both is awesome.
I started playing when Weatherlight came out(and stopped around Apocalypse, at least on paper), this is my nostalgia era.
Omg this is around when I started the first time. I don’t remember many, but I do remember the stronghold icon and I just recognized the card with the blindfold on it. I feel like I must have had no idea what I was doing.
Loved playing during this era. Ensnaring bridge was my fav card for a long time, especially paired with the rack
How can you not remember one of the most broken cards ever printed that is Hermit Druid?
It lets you mill your whole deck to your graveyard so it enables ton of really degenerate combos.
Minastir1 I bet many magic players have asked that question
One of the stores I go to a fair bit still had some stronghold boosters they were charging a fair bit for them and surprisingly not many sold, I bought 3 and got two sliver queens still have them today was so happy
stronghold was back when there was A boxes and B boxes and so you'd get double of a lot of your rares. I opened two sliver queens and two dream halls in the box i bought years ago.
It's so awesome to hear Rudy excited out of his mind. :D
I was around during stronghold :) started collecting during Unlimited and playing during Ice Age, I was 9!
Do you remember the time when you opened a box and got a playset of value cards? Rudy remembers.
Tortured existance = Rudy's basement
The excitement at 18:36.
Loved the booster openings of such nostalgic set, but man did Rudy clean his throat each 10 seconds..lol
this is The BEST of the Old days!! ....I bought a lot of these BOXs
Very Cool, I started in Portal, this block was right around then. Stronghold is great. The art was insane back then. I remember years later people were freaking about pokemon and the devil or something, I was sitting there with dark rit's and other crazy cards like these in my backpack. Mindwarper was always an old favorite of mine, 90's playable.