Collecting guides
How to Scan Magic Cards and Organize Your MTG Collection
Work through Magic cards with Brickify: scan a small batch, confirm each printing, read estimates in context and turn the results into an inventory you can trust.
Start with a small, fully visible group of Magic cards. Scan, compare each proposed printing with the card in hand, review condition and estimated value, then organize the records. Keep a separate check pile for anything you cannot confidently match, and judge any scanner by the finished inventory rather than the camera step alone.
A Magic collection gets easier to manage the moment the cards on your table match the records on your phone. This tutorial follows one small batch from the first scan to a finished inventory, using a routine you can repeat across a binder, a bulk box or a whole shelf.
Brickify includes live Magic scanning, identification of several cards from one photo, market estimates and price history, printing and condition details, binders and set-completion tracking. The steps below pair those features with a physical sorting routine, so double-counted copies and wrong printings get caught before they settle into your inventory.
1. Set up a batch you can actually review
Work on a clear surface with room to keep finished cards away from the ones still waiting. Make every card you want identified fully visible, and don’t stack cards so their names, set symbols or numbers are hidden. If a sleeve or binder pocket catches a reflection, change the angle and check the image before you continue.
Start with a sample you can finish in one sitting. Keep three positions on the table: waiting, reviewed and needs another check. That separation is what keeps a session honest when you are switching attention between the app and the cards.
2. Pick live scanning or a group photo
Open the supported Magic scan mode and choose the approach that fits your space. Live scanning lets you move through visible cards with the camera, which suits a binder page or a fanned row. Photo identification of several cards at once suits a laid-out grid on a table. Either way, plan for review time instead of trying to clear a full box in one pass.
3. Confirm the card and its printing
- Compare the proposed card name with the physical card in front of you.
- Check the set and printing details against the identifiers visible on your copy.
- Review any finish, variant or condition selection attached to the record.
- Move uncertain matches to the check pile and retry with a clearer view.
- Confirm how many copies you are recording before you save.
The physical card is always the reference. If a result does not fit, pause that record and investigate it on its own rather than saving something you will have to unpick later. This matters most in collections holding several versions of the same card, where the name is right and the printing is not.
4. Read the estimate in context
An estimate only makes sense alongside the printing and condition you selected. Keep identification and condition judgment separate: recognizing a card does not establish a professional grade or authenticate it. If you are preparing to sell, compare recent sales for the same kind of copy and subtract fees and postage before you settle on a number.
As a hypothetical: say a batch turns up three copies of one card and one of them is visibly played. Record the quantity and the condition of each copy instead of applying a single displayed estimate to all three. That is an inventory habit, not a market calculation.
Estimates are a reference, not guaranteed sale prices. For more on why the numbers move, see Understanding collectible price changes.
5. Organize the records you trust
Structure binders the way you will search later: by set, by deck or collection project, or by a clearly named group such as trades and sale candidates. Keep your physical storage matching that structure. Collection and set-progress views are most useful when the records underneath them reflect what you actually own.
6. Reconcile before the next batch
- Match your reviewed physical pile against the records you just added.
- Check duplicates and quantities before opening the next batch.
- Keep unresolved cards aside until you have confirmed their details.
- Update the inventory whenever you buy, trade or sell.
Judge scanning speed and accuracy on your own cards
Compare workflows on the same small group of cards under your normal conditions. Time capture, review and saving, and keep the final inventory counted only once if you repeat the exercise. Note what happened rather than treating a single result as a universal benchmark:
- Time the full loop (capture, review, correction and save), not just the camera step.
- Count how many records you had to edit afterwards, especially set and variant fixes.
- Note which cards needed a second look: foils, reprints, older frames, sleeved copies.
- Repeat under the lighting you normally use, not a one-off ideal setup.
Whatever tool you use, the finished inventory is the result worth measuring. Include printing corrections in your timing so a quick first pass does not hide unfinished review work.
If Magic isn’t the only thing you collect
Brickify brings LEGO, Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, Funko, Disney Lorcana and One Piece into one app. Use the relevant catalogue and available tools for each category, confirm the item and record quantities and purchase details. Keep extra condition or completeness notes separately where needed. The app is available for iPhone, iPad and Android.
Free to download. Some features require Pro. Prices shown in USD; local pricing, available trials, renewal and cancellation terms are shown in the app before you subscribe. Brickify Pro reference pricing is $9.99/month or $89.99/year (USD).
Common questions
Can I scan Magic cards live or from a photo?
Brickify includes both live camera scanning for Magic and identification of multiple cards from one photo. Live scanning suits a binder page or fanned row; a group photo suits cards laid out on a table. Review every proposed match before relying on the record.
How should I handle an uncertain card match?
Keep the card in a separate check pile, compare the proposed printing against the identifiers on your copy, and retry with a clearer view. Do not use an uncertain match as the basis for a sale price.
Is the collection estimate my expected sale proceeds?
No. Check the item identity and condition, compare relevant recent sales for the same kind of copy, and subtract the costs of your chosen selling method. A collection estimate and net proceeds answer different questions.
How do I tell whether a scanner is fast and accurate enough for my collection?
Try a small group of your own cards. Time capture, review, correction and saving, and count the entries that needed adjustment. Note the device, app version, sleeves and lighting. If you repeat the test, keep each physical card counted only once in the final inventory.
Does Brickify handle more than Magic?
Yes. Brickify covers LEGO, Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, Funko, Disney Lorcana and One Piece in one account on iPhone, iPad and Android, each with its own catalogue and tools.
Is Brickify free?
Free to download. Some features require Pro. Prices shown in USD; local pricing, available trials, renewal and cancellation terms are shown in the app before you subscribe. Brickify Pro reference pricing is $9.99/month or $89.99/year (USD).
Sources & further reading
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Estimates are a reference, not guaranteed sale prices. Brickify is independent of the owners of the collectible brands mentioned here.