I think you are underestimating the value of the airdrop card, or possibly discounting it to a future price.
It's a card that starts very strong and gets progressively better at each level, as you say, not many will have a lot of copies. I think ppl will want to buy cards to get to the next level. Hence my thought that you are undervaluing the cash that be realised for a while after release. If it proves meta...well, there is your unknowable upside potential
That is true, it might be worth twice as much if it proves to be meta...