With only 1,100 copies printed in Alpha, finding one in near-perfect condition is a challenge, as many early Magic the Gathering cards saw heavy play before collectors realized their long-term value
Swap decks, borrow cards, or find a different pod
An Alpha Shivan Dragon is veritable piece of Magic history
Each set has something specific you can look for to work your way through the revised MTG forensic ID flowchart to correctly identify just what youre looking at: The chart essentially goes through a checklist in order of border color, the date on the card (if any), and the language the card is in
So it can be overwhelming scanning through a list of that size and figuring out which one or two you might want to build, especially if you're not familiar with the Final Fantasy video game series and don't have any particular favorite characters
Migratory Route: a good move when you are behind