The TCG was popular then, but they hadn't hit cultural saturation and perceived value to the point that a single card would sell for $16.5 million, like Logan Paul's Illustrator just did earlier this year
4 Persistent Petitioners #595 Borderless Foil, Casimir Lee Artwork - $342.00 Another card that bends the rules of Magic to the point of breaking, Persistent Petitioners lets you play as many copies as youd like in your deck, though has a different end result than Shadowborn Apostle
Playing your whole deck was not impossible, and building only a decent mana base was necessary
Dont be afraid to discard
Maybe that's a big, powerful creature or spell that will be exciting to resolve
The Cardboard Sandwich: Secure the loaded sleeve flat between two thick pieces of rigid cardboard packaging using tape before slipping it inside an envelope or bubble mailer