A just question I feel, especially coming into 2020 ~
I know that @smpratte spoke rather eloquently about this very topic a few years ago, and even bringing up themes of exclusivity and market-saturation; though something has changed since, although - rather recently, for that matter - within 1st edition prints of Japanese booster boxes one could possibly get a secret rare or even higher.
But I was curious whether Nintendo ever alluded to or spoken of the topic at all? But I can strangely imagine that if there were ever 1st edition boxes on the market by Nintendo that they’d be hoarded, or that the prices would be something similar to the Basketball card-boxes that Panini produces - which is quite eye-watering at times from what I’ve observed.
No, I don’t think it should come back. At this point there’s almost zero upside since it would split the market. Most collectors would hoard the 1st edition print and players would go for the cheapest option.
Even with the later Japanese sets that had 1st edition I don’t think there’s a huge price difference or demand.
I’d love to see 1st. Ed coming back with low pull rates; something like 1 1st. Ed card every pack (wich could be any card) making them chase cards.
example:
Pack 1: 10 cards, your common was 1st Ed.
Pack 2: 10 cards, your uncommon was 1st Ed.
Pack 3: 10 cards: PROFIT! Your Ex - Gx - V; VMax; or whatever theycome up with, was 1st. Ed.
I would love 1st edition cards to come back. It would give at least some level of rarity to the modern hobby, which lacks the rarity element completely.
You can’t really create a set where some of the cards in a pack are labeled 1st edition and the rest are not. The 1st edition stamp inherently labels a card to indicate which print run from the set they are from and all of those cards in each pack would be from the same print run, so this would not be able to be implemented. But low pull rates with a very limited printing would still be much better than what we have now!
I really hope they don’t, from a master set collecting perspective. Say if a standard set has 100 cards, 95 reverse holos if you add 1st edition into the mix that’s 390 cards even without promos - and a few of the newest sets are 200+ cards in a standard set!
How limited would a 1st Edition print run have to be in order to be exciting right now? It seems that the trend is to mass produce every set, and then if it sells well, mass produce it again. Do they only make prereleases 1st Edition? Is it produced for a moment, then changed and sent in combination with shipments of unlimited product? Is it allocated heavily due to the limited release so that only some distributors get it and then it’s marked above MSRP to the end consumer?
I’m not sure that we can gauge the logistics of how a modern 1st Edition print run could be successful in today’s climate.
In the past there is not a huge difference between 1st and unl edition of japanese sets. It’s day and night compared to english. So I doubt they will bring it back.
In my opinion it’s all very pointless really, especially when people are willing to pay more for 1st Edition cards from sets which had a much smaller unlimited print run. The stamp doesn’t denote any real sense of rarity, yet the market believes such a stamp commands a premium.
Stamp is ugly and takes away from the aesthetic of the actual art IMO.
Stamp AFAIK is added in a second step after printing which I don’t like.
Reverting back to it would be contrived at this point.
Too easily reproduced/faked.
Logistical difficulties and too many questions in general.
e.g. How would they handle it? 1st edition has a higher price point or same? What quantity or percent are printed 1st edition? With multiple print locations do they actually ensure that all 1st product printed is stamped 1st edition, or are they actually making some 1st edition after unlimited in some instances/across locations? Unpopular sets may not even have an unlimited variant? (see Japanese) Only in certain product or evenly spread across ETB’s, collection boxes etc? How will it be distributed when it is fully allocated for super hyped massively preordered sets?
It’s easier and smarter to just not touch it and not have to answer these questions. I’d be more open to having a 1st edition variant that has a more substantial difference to it than an ugly stamp. What exactly? I don’t know but shadowless vs. shadowed was a nice way that ensures it can’t be faked and feels like a substantial enough difference to make it. These are just some of my thoughts, but yeah in the end I don’t think they’d do it in the “right way” (for me) and I don’t think they’d answer a lot of those questions above the way I’d like them to be answered.
Well, this isn’t necessarily true. It is much easier to find Unlimited WOTC cards than 1st Edition because 1st Edition had much smaller print runs.
Now, of course, it would take maintaining that distinction in modern product in order to make 1st Edition stamps worth it, but typically, 1st Editions stamp do denote some sort of rarity (which is obviously a relative term).
See now I notice this aspect is now seen in regular, full art, and hyper rare variants of cards which is a good idea on paper (no pun intended ), but in doing so this is how Nintendo I feel is capitalizing without 1st edition and exactly why I feel the stamp wont be seen again (sadly). Its soooo hard to just buy packs and collect all those different artworks, so most will end up stopping on them after one or two, and then going straight to purchasing singles. However in doing so, larger card stores or online retailers have to preorder and open hundreds and hundreds of boxes in order to pull all the selected cards to sell, so its like ensuring sales through knowing the difficulty in obtaining cards through pack opening by including all these different arts. I use regular art cards in my decks myself, but attempting to get a full playset of a specific card would cost me a fortune, so I turn to the larger gaming retail websites for them since they have the monetary means of obtaining them.
I do though wish it would come back, because it would just make pack opening so much more worthwhile. Sets would be smaller again, it would be more fun to get the rare cards and show them off, and our collector base here would thrive so much with it. Maybe one day, as I always say anything is possible, but I feel it leans more towards the no than yes side of it ever resurfacing.
), but in doing so this is how Nintendo I feel is capitalizing without 1st edition and exactly why I feel the stamp wont be seen again (sadly). Its soooo hard to just buy packs and collect all those different artworks, so most will end up stopping on them after one or two, and then going straight to purchasing singles. However in doing so, larger card stores or online retailers have to preorder and open hundreds and hundreds of boxes in order to pull all the selected cards to sell, so its like ensuring sales through knowing the difficulty in obtaining cards through pack opening by including all these different arts. I use regular art cards in my decks myself, but attempting to get a full playset of a specific card would cost me a fortune, so I turn to the larger gaming retail websites for them since they have the monetary means of obtaining them.