So I know in the eSeries (Expedition, Aquapolis and Skyridge), 1st Edition doesn’t mean all that much (Unlimited is actually probably rarer). But what about in the Japanese EX era? I see both versions available on eBay, and from what I can tell, the prices are similar. Is 1st Edition rarer/more valuable than Unlimited? Or is it pretty much the same?
I think I have heard the unlimited is rarer, but that doesn’t seem to really matter in the market? I’m currently collecting the ex series and I am okay with having a mix of first ed and unlimited. I haven’t seen too much of a price difference between them either, but I still got the sense that first edition fetches a slightly higher price.
1 Like
@mjs61290 , I don’t know the print run numbers of 1st Ed and unlimited for any ex sets, but I don’t think that whichever had the smaller print run is more valuable. The appeal of a 1st Ed stamp is that you get a card of the first print run, not necessarily of the smallest print run. And unlimited just means that they decided to print the card again because there was enough demand, and then stopped printing unlimited cards some time after. I’d say that 1st Ed cards will always be more valuable than unlimited cards no matter which print run was bigger. If base set unlimited had a smaller print run than 1st Ed, I’m very sure that 1st Ed would still be more valuable. Or to see it another way, “unlimited” really means “2nd Ed”, and who would choose 2nd Ed over 1st Ed?
2 Likes
Not quite sure if World Champions Pack counts as it was released after the English EX Power Keepers set, but I still have yet to even see an unlimited World Champions Pack Pichu. It’s the only remaining known-to-exist* main set Japanese card I’m still missing for my Pichu collection. Last year I picked up an unlimited PSA 10 Pikachu from the set in the hope that one day I can trade it for a PSA 10 Pichu if one ever appears.
* There’s debate about whether the SoulSilver set was released in full as unlimited, I’m inclined to believe it was only the starters, however.
1 Like
This thread may be helpful! www.elitefourum.com/t/japanese-ex-era-price-1st-ed-vs-unlimited/26570/1
A quick summary of my post there: the 1ed/unlimited split varies by set. Some sets 1ed is common and unlimited is rare, some sets its about even, and some sets 1ed is rare and unlimited is common.
2 Likes
Thanks so much everyone.
Definitely. I just wasn’t sure if there was a truly noticeable different in price point between Japanese EX Era 1st Ed/Unlimited just because there seems to be a relatively equal amount available.
For the ex era it’s indeed a bit more difficult, but from what I’ve personally seen the distribution seems to be roughly equal (maybe 30-70 or 70-30 for some sets). I never had any trouble finding certain ex era sets in both 1st and unlimited edition personally.
And as mentioned by @pichufan , the World Champions Pack - which contains cards of the English EX Power Keepers set - was released after the EX era.
I’ve also posted this a few months back for 1st vs unlimited edition Japanese releases across all eras for those interested: www.elitefourum.com/t/is-unlimited-more-rare-than-1st-ed-in-japanese/27621/4
Greetz,
Quuador
2 Likes
Japanese prints runs must have been quite the mess if the question is “are 1st eds or unlimiteds more common” and the answer is “varies by set”
I wouldn’t say that’s a mess, this is how it works for books as well. If the first print of something is larger than the cumulative total of any subsequent printing, the first edition copy will ultimately be more common.
I can only assume Pokémon Japan printed to meet demand, and for some sets demand just wasn’t high enough to outweigh the first print.