First off, I have been hoping that Hammer7 would check in and possibly help us with some printing techie info about if plates need changing during the run of a set or if they last a whole set. I have always assumed they last a whole set but that is an Ass U Me only. Heck, I don't even know if they still use plates or if it is all done by computer or some such.l0qii wrote:It's possible, and desirable from a marketing point of view, that cards with advertisements on the back follow a different release pattern than the sets themselves.
This would allow WotC to change ads mid-print cycle to coincide with new product announcements. This would also explain the overlap of some t/t cards into the next set.
Not knowing that, my take on this is that they have been updating marketing info by only changing out a couple card backs to advertise the next set. I can't see them jumping into the middle of a print run to do that.
All the ‘tip’ cards pertain to the present set and may be duplicated in other expansions that contain that game mechanic, though; the design of the 'tip' card may change between expansions (i.e. Shadowmoor and Eventide 'Untap' tip cards). Whereas the backs on these same cards did not change (well, at least the single back common to the examples I gave did not change..LOL).
Well the "past" sets only cover the sets we are presently considering, 10th to present and they are the ones we are scratching our heads over.l0qii wrote:If this is the case, opening a case on release day is not going to be a good strategy for compiling a complete list of tips/tokens for that set.
Can we confirm one way or the other whether this has happened in past sets or not?
I would not consider ruling out your premise but I can not support it. I think taking advantage of the pause in a print run to update marketing would run into to many Dilbert sandbags. I will go with the early product. If someone offers me a free case from the end of the print run I will be more than happy to compare them.
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