Yu-Gi-Oh! 1st Edition vs Unlimited vs Limited Edition: how do I tell them apart and list them?

How to identify each edition on the card

• 1st Edition: the words "1st Edition" in the language of the card (for example "1. Auflage" on German cards), printed in small text on the front, outside the text box. Depending on the age of the card it sits below the artwork or along the bottom edge.
• Unlimited: no edition text in that place. Same name, same set code and same rarity as the 1st Edition copy; only the edition mark is missing.
• Limited Edition: the words "Limited Edition" in that place. You find them on cards from promotional products such as tins, special editions and promo packs. Limited Edition cards usually carry their own set code, so the code already tells them apart from booster prints.

Look at the card itself, not at the sleeve or the box it came from, and check under good light: the edition text is small and easy to miss on worn or glare-covered cards. Not every print exists in every edition, so a missing 1st Edition price on a marketplace does not mean your copy is special.

Why the editions are priced differently

• Collectors want the first print run. For many cards, especially from older sets, 1st Edition copies sell above Unlimited ones.
• The gap is not fixed. For some cards there is barely a difference, for others it is large. It depends on the set, the card and demand, so never apply a flat surcharge.
• Limited Edition is its own print. Price it from its own market data, not from the booster version of the same card.
• Price sources treat editions differently. TCGplayer keeps its market price per edition. The Cardmarket price data NeoSatoshi uses is per product and the same for every edition, while on Cardmarket itself each offer states whether the copy is 1st Edition. On eBay, compare only listings that name the same edition.

How to list each edition correctly

• Cardmarket: put the offer on the product of your print and mark 1st Edition copies as First Edition. A 1st Edition copy listed without the mark competes with Unlimited offers.
• eBay: write "1st Edition" or "Limited Edition" in the title next to the set code and rarity, and fill in the edition item specific. Never call an Unlimited copy 1st Edition; that is a not as described case.
• Shopify: keep each edition as its own variant with its own price and stock.
• Photos: show the edition text on valuable 1st Edition copies, so buyers can check it.

How NeoSatoshi handles editions

• The Edition column (1st Edition, Unlimited or Limited Edition) is read from the card and can be changed per card or for many rows at once with Bulk Edit.
• Cardmarket prices are the same for every edition. TCGplayer prices follow the edition: a 1st Edition TCGplayer price only ever comes from a 1st Edition printing, never from the cheaper Unlimited one. If TCGplayer has no price for your edition, the row has no TCGplayer price and you type your own.
• Changing the edition switches the TCGplayer price but keeps a listing price you typed yourself.
• Load eBay prices only compares listings with the same printed code and rarity, leaves out listings of the other edition and prefers titles that state your edition.
• eBay titles get "1st Edition" or "Limited Edition" after the card name, together with the printed code and rarity (Unlimited is not written into the title), and the edition has its own item specific. Each edition is its own eBay listing; on Shopify each rarity is a product with the editions as variants.
• The TCGPowerTools CSV for Cardmarket marks 1st Edition copies as First Edition. Its prices come from Cardmarket and are therefore the same for every edition, so check the price of valuable 1st Edition copies before you upload.
• The daily price sync (Business plan and up) prices each edition separately. A 1st Edition card without a 1st Edition price is skipped, never repriced to the Unlimited price.

More on the whole flow is on the Yu-Gi-Oh! listing software page; the Cardmarket route is explained in the TCGPowerTools guide.

What NeoSatoshi does not do

• It can misread a hidden, worn or glare-covered edition mark. Check the Edition column, above all on valuable cards.
• It has no separate Cardmarket price per edition. Check 1st Edition offers on Cardmarket yourself when the edition matters for the price.
• It does not judge condition or check authenticity.

Checklist

• Edition text checked on the card itself under good light.
• Edition column correct for every row (Bulk Edit for many rows).
• Price taken from the right edition; no flat surcharge for 1st Edition.
• 1st Edition copies marked as First Edition on Cardmarket.
• eBay title and edition item specific name the edition; Unlimited never called 1st Edition.
• Edition text visible in the photos of valuable copies.

Frequently asked questions

Is a card without edition text always Unlimited?

On TCG cards, yes: a card that says neither "1st Edition" nor "Limited Edition" is Unlimited.

Is a 1st Edition card always worth more?

No. Many 1st Edition cards sell above Unlimited copies, but for some cards the difference is small or none. Compare the prices of both editions before you price.

Why does NeoSatoshi show the same Cardmarket price for both editions?

Because the Cardmarket price data it uses is per product and does not separate editions. TCGplayer does, so the TCGplayer column follows the edition you set.

Can I change the edition after detection?

Yes. Change it in the Edition column per card or with Bulk Edit for many rows. The TCGplayer price follows; a price you typed yourself stays.