Image courtesy of Scryfall.com
Collector's Edition vs Regular Value for Deathgaze Cockatrice
If you’re chasing nostalgia, value, and a little edge in a black creature deck, Deathgaze Cockatrice from Magic 2014 is a perfect microcosm of how the market treats collector-focused variants vs regular prints. This 4-mana 2/2 flier with deathtouch sits in black’s wheelhouse: a resilient flyer that punishes unsuspecting attackers and trades up with nearly anything thanks to deathtouch. It’s also a reminder that even common cards can become discussion fodder when you add foil touches, print variations, and aging card pools into the equation. 🧙♂️🔥
In the regular printing, this Cockatrice is a straightforward asset: a common with a strong floor and a teeny, but real, upside in limited play. The foil version carries the premium on top of that baseline. According to market data, non-foil copies hover around a few cents, while foils drift higher—roughly ten times the non-foil price in some cases, but still modest by modern standards (USD about 0.40 for a foil copy vs around 0.04 for non-foil, with euro equivalents in the same range). The difference isn’t just cosmetic; foil treatment often brings a fan’s delight and occasional higher resale demand in certain themes or edh-heavy environments. The collector’s mindset, however, tends to value rarity and uniqueness: a true “Collector’s Edition” variant, historically, is a rarer animal in MTG’s history and isn’t a normal part of today’s core-set rotation. Still, the thought experiment matters—how do different printings, finishes, and condition combine to shape price? It’s a puzzle that keeps us talking at the kitchen table, in the shop, and on draft night. 💎⚔️
Card snapshot: Deathgaze Cockatrice at a glance
- Name: Deathgaze Cockatrice
- Set: Magic 2014 (M14) – Core Set
- Mana cost: 2BB
- CMC: 4
- Type: Creature — Cockatrice
- Rarity: Common
- Colors: Black (B)
- Abilities: Flying; Deathtouch
- Power/Toughness: 2/2
- Flavor text: "Sometimes I come across a stone finger or foot and I know I'm in cockatrice territory." —Rulak, bog guide
- Artist: Kev Walker
- Legalities: Modern, Legacy, Commander legal; standard-era not legal
“Sometimes I come across a stone finger or foot and I know I'm in cockatrice territory.”
When you weigh collector value, you also weigh the card’s role in play. Deathgaze Cockatrice is a stubborn blocker or a quick early pressure piece in a black deck, especially in formats where evasive fliers with deathtouch can swing the odds in single combats. Its foil treatment adds a dash of personality to a board state, and a well-preserved foil can be a conversation starter at the table. Yet the design remains modest in power—it’s a common card that rewards savvy deck-building and patient collection rather than bought power alone. 🎲
Value drivers: why collectors care about variants
Collector-focused variants often fetch price premiums due to limited print runs, special finishes, or nostalgic demand. For Deathgaze Cockatrice, the regular non-foil is a budget-friendly pick that still holds sentimental value for fans of black creatures and early 2010s design. The foil version, while more affordable than many modern rares, earns a premium for its rarity tier within the M14 print line. The market also factors condition, grading, and the card’s place in a player’s EDH or cube collection. Even in a world of MTG finance, a common card with a small but stable demand can outshine pricier staples when a collector’s itch aligns with a great story or a favorite art piece. And yes, we all know the art often steals the show—the ivy-green bogs and walking cockatrices feel as thematically on-brand as a moonlit duel. 🧙♂️🎨
Foil, rarity, and the art of perception
Deathgaze Cockatrice’s foil premium isn’t enormous, but it matters to a subset of players who chase the glint of a foil token on the battlefield. The card’s public face—its flying Deathtouch body—fits the dark, moody vibe of black mana, and Kev Walker’s artwork contributes to the card’s enduring charm. Collectors often weigh aesthetic value against play value; for a grid of core-set cards, a visually striking foil can become a centerpiece in a display, even if the underlying win rate isn’t explosive. The key takeaway: collector value is a blend of rarity, condition, and the emotional resonance a card carries for players and collectors alike. 💎⚔️
Where the card shines in play
In a constructed sense, Deathgaze Cockatrice is not a meta-shift card, but it shines in limited and EDH contexts where evasive, deathtouch creatures can swing combat math. It can trade unfavorably with many blockers, yet its resilience on the air becomes a recurring problem for opponents who overextend into a lethal deathtouch bite. The 4-mana cost makes it a tempo consideration, especially when you can protect or multi-task with removal or aristocrat themes. In EDH, a 2/2 flyer with deathtouch remains a reliable component in self-mufflers and surprise blocks—an example of how even a common card can find a durable seat at the big table. 🧙♂️🔥
For collectors who want to pair their deck-building journey with a touch of analog charm, the product world around MTG is a friendly reminder that a good card isn’t just about power—it’s about story, art, and the memory of opening a pack with friends. And speaking of memory, keep your desk tidy with tools that keep your hands comfortable while you draft or stream—like the ergonomic memory foam wrist rest mouse pad (foot shaped), a modern counterpoint to the old-school reverie of a cockatrice on the battlefield. Small comforts can elevate long sessions. 🧙♂️🎲
For those who want to explore more from the broader MTG-verse while you mulligan for that next pull, here are five diverse reads from our network that mix crypto, design, and strategy with a dash of pop culture flavor: