We run small (8-12) person Vintage tournaments every other weekend. I'd like to start giving away some prizes other than cash or store credit. I'd also like to start giving some door prizes to encourage those who aren't winning to continue to come. Due to our small turnout, budget isn't huge. This wouldn't totally replace the cash/credit prize. Rather, this is to have something a bit more interesting to play for.

Any recommendations?

Thing I've been considering:

• Good cards to use as the basis for your proxies EG blanked foils and world championship cards
• Proxies made by community members (EG, someone paints their version of a mox on a blank card)
• Pimp basic lands
• Playmats
• Beer! (When we hold tournaments at breweries)
• Shirts, either MTG related or from the place we're playing at
• Old booster packs

These all sound pretty awesome to me. Most small tournaments I've been to have been store credit only, and that's fine, but this is better.

The player-made proxies could be very cool, but obviously depends on the skill of the person making them. A tournament where I got a free beer for coming in just after the prize cutoff sounds amazing to me.

I prefer the more community-centric ideas. Winning an old pack is nice, but sharing something with the community like the proxies/beer is a great way to show them what vintage is all about, and get them back to the event next week

. Cash .

Definitely the proxies made by a community member. Beer comes in second place though.

Didn't Feinstein get trouble for making proxies? or am I getting confused. But beer is great!!

Take my opinion with a grain of salt since I usually don't pay much attention to the prizes, but generally old packs are very cool as well as proxies made by community members! Can't say no to Beer either.

I wouldn't mind any of those, although, not really a playmat, I have too many of those already, haha.

I really need to try to make it out to one of these sometime soon, might need a tune-up for the NYSE this year.

I like all of these options

Proxies and Beer! - If you want to include a playmat it would be cool to get something that rotates with the reigning champ. Have it signed and then pass it along to whoever takes first at the next event (if it's someone from out of town just get their signature and/or doodle).

Beer is the clear front runner, IMO, but nice proxies are a great way to build the community.

@H. Yeah, I'm not personally a big fan of playmats as prizes. I know a lot of people like them, but you can really only use one, and it has to be pretty dramatic to make your random tournament playmat be the one a player chooses to use over all of their other options. I have a custom Brass Man playmat, and any playmat prizes I get just go into a closet, never to be looked at again.

For gear-as-swag, I feel like I prefer stuff you want a lot of ... Dice, Sleeves, Tokens ...

One option that I think people really get a kick out of is the "prize table" ... get a few prize options and let the winners pick one ... let them draft them in winning order, etc. That's a great way to say, make a few relevant vintage tokens and proxies, and make sure the people get something they can actually use in their decks. Make sure "I'll buy you a beer" is one of the options

Agree with @Brass-Man that tokens are seriously underrated prizes. Wurmcoil halves and Orchard tokens are a bit rare and worth a few dollars, off the top of my head.

Custome made Trophy/ token card for the winner or top placing player, would be nice (in case of a split), in addition to other prize(s).
I forget whom, in Europe, used to give out the Demonic Hordes Trophy card at their tournaments ...
It could be as simple as an altered Beta Island with "... <insert tournament name and year here>Vintage Champ.." hand painted somewhere on it. Even better if it's an artist alter and signed.
Beer would be better enjoyed with everyone, rather than as a prize, i believe. During or after is fine.
I agree with the prize table idea, also. Since it's an eternal format, i would always be ok with eternal format cards as prizes. ( yes, Legacy and Modern counts, lol)

Then again, i would be happy just participating in a vintage tourney soon, so, hopefully I make the 1.5 hr drive out there one of these days.

I don't drink beer, but if you have some crack I'll smoke it.

Nice proxies are my preference.