a questin that i will probably need a very detailed explaination to

[TheDarkDuelist]

how do you tell what set a card is from if it doesn't have the symbol that tells you what set it is from?

[ElectricalSoulEater]

I had a BIG problem with this too.
If it's dated 1995, it's 4th edition
If it's dated 1997, it's 5th edition
If it has no date, and no mentioning about WotC at the bottom, you'll gotta check if the boarders are white or black. If they're white, go to www.starcitygames.com and serach for it. It's either Revised or Unlimited. Check which one looks like yours.

They might be from Anthologies too.

[AKA:Battousai]

revised/unlimited are the same thing sorry thought I should tell you.

alpha(1st) Beta(2nd) un/rev(3rd) (4th) (5th) (classic 6th) (7th) (core 8th)

[ElectricalSoulEater]

But on www.magicthegathering.com under products, they're stated as two different things... :confused: Here comes the headache...:D

[AKA:Battousai]

guess they are.

stop trying to confuse him. LoL.

[AKA:Battousai]

and offer him a quarter or something for an old edition in the price guides they explain the differences under all the sets though the prices will be all screwed up. I'd say its worth it. then you can have some reading material for a couple of days.

[TheDarkDuelist]

thanks alot me and my friend just started magic and we aren't sure what is going on.

[MillMaster]

Its not that hard, you dont need a guide to figure it out...

dated 1997 at the bottom = 5th edition

dated 1995 at the bottom = 4th edition

no date, white border, a single thin black line sperating the white border from the inner colored frame, "washed out color" = Revised

no date, white border, a double border (fake "3D" bezel) seperating the white border from the inner colored frame, "rich color" = Unlimited

no date, black border, corners cut like other magic cards = Beta

no date, black border, round cut (2 mm arc) corners = Alpha

[TheDarkDuelist]

thanks alot

[Scott Gerhardt]

This is easily one of the biggest pains in the butt you can imagine. I'm a store owner, so I have to deal with this all the time. I'll try to help out with distinguishing.

Alpha - Black Bordered, VERY rounded corners - shapewise unlike any other MTG card.

Beta - Black bordered, normal corners. No copyright date.

Unlimited - Looks exactly like Beta, except white border. Uses terms like "Mono Artifact", "Poly Artifact", and uses the word "Tap" where other cards have a tap symbol. Wording is a bit larger.

Revised - Generally sharper pictures. Text is smaller and more condensed. Does not use the terms "Poly" or "Mono". Also uses the sideways T for the tap symbol. Still no copyright date.

4th Edition - Copyright 1995

5th Edition - Copyright 1997. For simplified Chinese, this set has a "V" as an exapsion symbol (silly trivia).

Others:

On the bottom of some cards you may see a date range for Copyright. Example:

Copyright 1993-98.

These cards are from box sets. There are a number of them, but be assured they did not come from a booster pack.

Also, don't be confused by Reconstruction. It is BB with no symbol, but is not Beta - it's a Antiquites misprint. :)

Furthermore, please learn that cards with the Arabian Nights, Antiquites, Legends, or The Dark expansion symbol on a white border card is from Chronicles. I get people who mail those into me all the time thinking they are from the original set. =/

Lemme know if you require futher clarification.

Scott

[TheDarkDuelist]

This is easily one of the biggest pains in the butt you can imagine. I'm a store owner, so I have to deal with this all the time. I'll try to help out with distinguishing.

Alpha - Black Bordered, VERY rounded corners - shapewise unlike any other MTG card.

Beta - Black bordered, normal corners. No copyright date.

Unlimited - Looks exactly like Beta, except white border. Uses terms like "Mono Artifact", "Poly Artifact", and uses the word "Tap" where other cards have a tap symbol. Wording is a bit larger.

Revised - Generally sharper pictures. Text is smaller and more condensed. Does not use the terms "Poly" or "Mono". Also uses the sideways T for the tap symbol. Still no copyright date.

4th Edition - Copyright 1995

5th Edition - Copyright 1997. For simplified Chinese, this set has a "V" as an exapsion symbol (silly trivia).

Others:

On the bottom of some cards you may see a date range for Copyright. Example:

Copyright 1993-98.

These cards are from box sets. There are a number of them, but be assured they did not come from a booster pack.

Also, don't be confused by Reconstruction. It is BB with no symbol, but is not Beta - it's a Antiquites misprint. :)

Furthermore, please learn that cards with the Arabian Nights, Antiquites, Legends, or The Dark expansion symbol on a white border card is from Chronicles. I get people who mail those into me all the time thinking they are from the original set. =/

Lemme know if you require futher clarification.

Scott



Thanks Alot Scott, I'm starting to understand this stuff!

[MillMaster]

The difference between Unlimited and Revised is much simpler than scotts description. Just look at the inside border between the white border and the card picture. Unlimited cards have a fake 3D bezzel, revised cards do not.