We’ve opened two Mega Boxes of Cardsmiths Space trading cards; one of the most creative non-sport releases in recent years. It blends astronomy, history, and even cryptocurrency into a set that feels both educational and collectible. The set comprises 80 base cards covering everything from planets to scientists, plus multiple parallel variants and insert lines.
Here are our results!
The Big Hits
Both boxes delivered something memorable:
- Mega Box 1: Crypto Redemption + Beryl Gemstone Refractor (Mars #7)
- Mega Box 2: Amethyst Gemstone Refractor (String Theory #20) + Deep Space Insert (DS4 Can This Be Real?)
A redemption is always a thrill to pull (haven’t scratched it yet!), and the gemstone parallels are some of the most attractive refractors Cardsmiths has printed to date.
Parallels Pulled
Between the two boxes, the parallels lined up nicely with expectations:
- 6x Rainbow Holofoil: #12 Neutron Star, #23 Stars, #32 Galileo Galilei, #40 Algorithm, #45 Pluto, #76 Comet
- 6x Matrix Holofoil: #15 Percival Lowell, #30 Constellations, #40 Algorithm, #46 Niels Bohr, #68 Ganymede, #71 Rocket
- 6x Iced Foil: #16 Coronal Mass Ejection, #35 Helium, #38 Quantum Mechanics, #43 Robert Goddard, #56 Eclipse, #78 Atom
The Iced Foil treatment deserves special praise — the carton is smooths and it has a frosted effect that pairs perfectly with cosmic subjects like Eclipse and Comet.
Base Cards & Duplicates
Here’s where the break got frustrating. Out of two boxes, we pulled:
- 41 unique base cards (out of 80)
- 31 duplicates across 12 different designs
Some of these duplicates were extreme—String Theory appeared four times, while Arecibo, Venus, and Eclipse each showed up three times.
Whether this was just bad luck or a collation issue with Mega Boxes, it does make completing the full 80-card base set difficult without trading or buying singles.
Completion Math
Across both boxes, here’s the breakdown:
- Unique designs pulled (including hits): 54
- Unique variants (counting foils/serials): 63
- Base set completion: 41/80 (~51%)
When you consider the insert sets:
- 9x Solar System
- 12x Constellations
- 21x Deep Space
- 10x Currency Series 5 Preview
- 6x Cold Foils
- Redemptions
it becomes clear that chasing a master set is a serious project. If you want to calculate your completion stats, use HoloHoard – the app for TCG collectors.
Comparing Pulls to Official Odds
Cardsmiths lists the following pull rates:
- Rainbow Holofoil – 1:3
- Matrix Holofoil – 1:3
- Iced Foil – 1:3
- Gemstone Refractor – 1:8
- Deep Space Insert – 1:96
- Constellation Refractor – 1:192
- Solar System Refractor – 1:192
- Cryptocurrency Redemption – 1:192
From my two boxes:
- Rainbow Holofoil: 6 pulls → odds matched
- Matrix Holofoil: 6 pulls → odds matched
- Iced Foil: 6 pulls → odds matched
- Gemstone Refractors: 2 pulls → as expected 1 gem/mega box
- Deep Space Insert: 1 pull → above odds (1:96)
- Crypto Redemption: 1 pull → way above odds (1:192)
Statistically, these two boxes ran hot. The duplicate base cards dragged the experience down, but the hits more than made up for it.
Card Quality & Artwork
The foiling is bright, the serials look sharp, and the artwork is pleasant. Cards like Trigonometry and Coronal Mass Ejection are amongst our favorites. However, the numbered refractors and inserts showed serious bending/curvature – this is something that Cardsmiths QA should pay more attention to.
Final Thoughts
Overall, we can’t be but happy with the break. A redemption, two gemstones, and a Deep Space insert across just two Mega Boxes is a great run. The downside was the heavy duplication in the base, which makes completion trickier than it should be.
Outside of the big hits, our personal favorites are the Iced Foil parallels — they’re some of the best subtle-looking foils around.
You can explore the full list of the pulls here: View My Shared Collection on HoloHoard.
Now, shall we scratch that Crypto Redemption card?
