Echoing what Buckna has said unfortunately with Japanese unl cards despite often being more rare most people just see 1st ed and think value. I actually find it quite ironic as 1st is supposed to be more rare which is where the perceived value comes from. The same can be said for a large amount of Japanese sets bar Expedition where the unl print is very mysterious in how it was distributed and what cards were printed in that edition.
@woolsluk, I think there are multiple appeals for 1st ed. Rarity might be one of them, another might be the fact that it was the first printrun of the card (which the name “1st ed” indicates). I think that plays a bigger role than the rarity aspect, which a “limited edition” emphasizes better. Vice versa, personally I don’t see the supposed increased value of a low unlimited printrun. The rarity wasn’t intended, it just means that demand for the set declined.
I will always go for the higher rarity (=unlimited) if prices are the same, and I’m more than happy that most others prefer the more common 1st Ed’s.
You could argue that unintended, thus organic rarity is inherently more valuable than artificial rarity imposed by some marketing strategist at Media Factory.
@muk, I can certainly see that side of the argument as well. What matter to me personally is the origin of the rarity though. For example, I definitely see a difference between the rarity of a trophy card or play promo exp point card (rarity created by a high bar that only few crossed) and rarity that was born out of lowered demand for a set.
You’re kinda comparing UED JPN e-series to trophy/fan club cards now, though. What’s the inherent challenge of acquiring the 1st Ed cards when there are 4-6 times the amount out there?
I think most people just want the stamp for the sake of it.
@muk, that’s certainly possible. Or they want a copy from the first printrun.
It’s hard to put into words, but I’m not sure if it’s right to use the term rarity for an unlimited printrun in the first place. To me, unlimited is just another word for “2nd, 3rd, 4th etc” printrun. So the focus isn’t really on the number of copies printed, but on the order of print. If for example base set unlimited had less copies of psa10 Charizard than 1st ed, I’d still bet that the first ed would be considered the grail. The number “1” has always had a special meaning to most people.