(Yu-Gi-Oh!) How to Differentiate Reprints from OG prints

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In Yu-Gi-Oh!, the old sets were reprinted in the exact same look a few times to the point where people do not bother about unlimited old school cards anymore. However, other than the subtle ways to determine whether an old school card is a reprint version or not, there is actually another easier, more obvious way to determine if a card is OG or not.

It is always believed that the ways to know whether an old school card is reprinted is based on the color, corners of the card and eye of anubis of the card. The color and corners are subjective but the eye of anubis trick works. Reprinted cards have stars in the eye of anubis stamp as they started introducing the new star pattern in new cards. However, how many sellers do you know show up-close, angled photos of the EOA stamp. In this thread, I will introduce a way to differentiate reprints from OG just by looking at the card, more specifically, the text box of the card.

I have attached some examples of reprints and OG prints below. Look at the text box of each and see if you can see a difference between them.

BLUE-EYES WHITE DRAGON

OG


Reprint

Noticed the last word on this specific text box have a different location. The tale. is further in the reprint than the OG. The fullstop is under the h in the reprint while it is under a space in the OG. This is noticeable just by looking at the text box of the card even from a distance.

DARK MAGICAN

OG


Reprint

Same for the Dark Magician. The reprint has longer text in the text box. The letter d in the word wizard lies below the space for the OG while it lies under the ] for the reprint.

RED-EYES BLACK DRAGON

OG


Reprint

The letter d in the word dragon lies under the last stroke of the letter N for the OG whilst under the space for the reprint.

EXODIA THE FORBIDDEN ONE

OG


Reprint

Straight up different text. Automatic victory for the OG, win the Duel for the reprint.

CHAOS EMPEROR DRAGON

OG


Reprint

Different text. Easy way to determine is the end of the text box. OG has spacing after the last word effectwhile the reprint doesn’t.

JINZO

OG


Reprint

Longer text for the OG. Four words on the last line of the text for OG while only two words on the reprint.

This thread is not to point out every difference on every Unlimited old school cards but more to letting people know that there are less subtle ways to determine if a card is the reprinted version or not. This is so that collectors won’t pay OG prices for reprinted cards. Unlimited cards are very affordable (Unlimited is 10x or more cheaper than 1st Edition) relative to 1st Edition but collectors are afraid of buying into a reprint. There are a few rules to help determine whether cards are a reprint version.

  1. Unlimited OG print has text lines exactly the same as 1st editions. So when in doubt, refer a 1st ed card.
  2. Reverse Secret Rares are 100% OG print.
  3. Foil Shift foils are 100% OG print.
  4. EN (Worldwide version) is the first Unlimited reprint, making it somewhat like a 4th print base set. Rarer/More valuable than the regular OG Unlimited.

There are some cards with the same texts, spacings and length for the texts in the text box for both OG and Reprint versions. Those are much harder to differentiate. I know of two cards which are Tri-Horned Dragon and Gaia the Dragon Champion.

I hope this helps current and future collectors. It makes me believe that Unlimited versions of certain cards might have a future after all. Good luck collecting.

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Good work! For completion, could you also post a close-up of the eye of anubis, one without stars (og) and one with stars (reprint)?

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Very nice @chok , thanks for sharing. I did knew about the Eye of Anubis before, but these text differences are new to me. I’m not much of an OG Yu-Gi-Oh collector, since I only focus on the different rarities, but it’s definitely interesting and nice to know how to differentiate them based on the text like that. Always nice to learn new things. :blush:

Another difference between OG and reprints for the US Secret Rares in particular is that most of the reprints have some kind of blocked grid pattern from a certain angle. You won’t see this on most eBay pictures, since it’s only visible from a very specific angle (I got one of these myself after someone pointed out these blocks). Here for example a Jinzo with the blocks (picture not mine btw):

Apparently all Secret Rares from the packs of Legendary Collection releases of 2010 (i.e. Jinzo, Thousand Dragon, Imperial Order, etc.) have blocks like that, which aren’t there on the OG Secret Rares.
I haven’t had the time yet to look at other modern Secret Rares of either Legendary Collection packs of later years or modern sets in general to see if they have the blocks as well, since I’ve only recently discovered it. But figured I’d post it here as well in case anyone else wasn’t aware of it either.

Greetz,
Quuador

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I don’t have reprint versions on me right now but I’ve seen a comparative photo of one with the star pattern and one without. Maybe if someone else can provide a photo of the star pattern on the EOA?

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Very informative. The lack of any discernible difference from someone not in the hobby between an og card and a reprint was one of the many reasons I was turned off from ever getting back into yugioh

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Thank you for sharing that information it was very helpful! I have a couple of questions about the stars, Ive seen them on certain LOB unlimited cards and knew that they indicated a reprint but would you happen to confirm that the stars 100% indicate it was a reprint after 2002?

On a Tri Hornded Dragon Unlimited LOB, if it has the stars in the anubis does that automatically confirm its a reprint without even having to look at the rest of the card (such as text, holo contraqst, spacing etc…)

Is there a source as to where these stars first began appearing on yugioh cards?

Any info is much appreciated thank you! You seem to know a lot on the topic

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yes if it has stars its a reprint. You can check out GhezziTCG on youtube, he is current releasing videos of all 11 classic yugioh sets. He’s only released up to Pharaohs Servant.

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@spikespiegal Stars in the eye mean it is a reprint 100% however no stars in the eye does not mean the card is an original print.

The stars were only introduced in 2014 or 2017, I can’t remember which. If you pick up a modern card today, there are stars in the eye. The first wave of reprints was released in 2010. This was before the stars were introduced in the eye. So 2010 reprints do not have stars in their eye of anubis even though they are a reprint.

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Thank you both very much for that info! It was very helpful!! Ill read up more about it :blush:

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Ditto, I’ve wanted to get back in multiple times but always ended up not for the same reason.

Thanks for the guide Chok!

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To add a bit more information to what @chok said, the stars were introduce in 2013 with the release of the Legendary Collection Gameboard edition.
The 2010 version of the Legendary Collection (that came in a binder) had no stars.

I recommend as well checking GhezziTCG channel on YouTube, by far the best resource online on the topic.

Also, please don’t trust PSA labels to identify reprints, always check the card before buying anything.

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Are you sure these methods are entirely accurate? Because I’ve seen 2002 PSA graded bewd cards which have the have the “e” in “tale” below the “h” in have rather than below a space.

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100%. PSA has only begun labeling 2010-17 for reprints just a month ago and even so, they have graded an original with the reprint labels. They still make mistakes but it’s good to note that every reprint before last month was graded as 2002 so basically don’t trust the label.