Had that issue too with the prerelease kits and "prize" packs given out. Price packs had a darker colour versus those in the prerelease pack. Also the serial numbers of the packs were different per printing.
Also, the card placement in certain printings differs too where the token/land/rare is at the front versus the back.
'buster
I love the dark, saturated cards that have a thick, glossy like finish. I actively try to swap or trade for them.
The Theros pre-release kits, fat packs and theme boosters had these gorgeous saturated cards. So I had the agonizing goal of getting all cards from those sources before booster boxes were opened, and the market became flooded with pale, sun-bleached and flimsy looking cards. The cards from Theros boxes looked horrible.
Have you seen Kaladesh cards that were printed in the US? I've been playing/collecting MTG cards since 1994 and have never seen cards that look and feel so bad. The cardstock was awful, the colors were so off that white cards appeared as yellow... baa... Card made in Japan are of top quality.
In my opinion they look stunning, and they do remain flat. It is correct that in a certain angle they are hard to read but it's not so different than regular foils.
This new process opens up many possibilities for new premium cards. I'm glad they're tapping into new territories with printing processes as foil-etched foiling and the new spot UV in the Zendikar Rising's expeditions (the special glossy varnish on certain parts of the card).
I hope to see more of these in the future.
I recall some other TCG had one. Force of Will maybe? The card was a legal size but wen you did something or another, you took the card and opened it like a book for the bigger creature inside. Sucks for those of us that actually, you know, sleeve their cards.
Interesting idea. WOTC actually started to print foldable cards in the 2nd wave of the Transformers TCG that they also produce
This is my take on these upcoming drops - 5 Drops = one for each color. "Look to the Stars" slogan - *Original* Theros's Gods in Constellation Frames + Signature spells
This is my take on these upcoming drops - 5 Drops = one for each color. "Look to the Stars" slogan - *Original* Theros's Gods in Constellation Frames + Signature spells
Pretty neat choices imo. I wonder what #392 is now, as Fabled Passage is the final rare, numerically, that's available as an extended art card (#391) and this glass casket is #393. So maybe there's another promo somewhere, but I don't know for what.
There should be another alt-art promo in the Bundle packs, so I assume it's card #392. They started to put "Bundle Promos" in M20 (it was Chandra's Regulator)
This new process opens up many possibilities for new premium cards. I'm glad they're tapping into new territories with printing processes as foil-etched foiling and the new spot UV in the Zendikar Rising's expeditions (the special glossy varnish on certain parts of the card).
I hope to see more of these in the future.
Glass Casket, Improbable Alliance, Inspiring Veteran, Kenrith's Transformation and Slaying Fire are this season's promos
Credit: WOTC Twitter account