MECCG print run statistics

[cardcollector]

Hi, I was recently looking into the print run statistics for early MTG https://www.mtginformation.com/print-runs

Would anyone here happen to know if there is any public information in regards to MECCG print run statistics?

If I am correct, the least printed set would be 'The Balrog' and the most printed set would be 'The White Hand'? (specifically in reference to English)

With Magic The Gathering, the lowest print cards seem to be at 1100 total (Alpha rares). I wonder if any MECCG cards have print runs as low as this? I do know that some of the earlier sets were 'over-printed' but with ATS and Balrog for example I would think these had quite limited quantities of cards produced. (Could cards like Longbottom Leaf be limited to something like 1100 or less?)

It would be nice to get some specific statistics.

[tyhjaarpa]

Hi, I was recently looking into the print run statistics for early MTG https://www.mtginformation.com/print-runs

Would anyone here happen to know if there is any public information in regards to MECCG print run statistics?

If I am correct, the least printed set would be 'The Balrog' and the most printed set would be 'The White Hand'? (specifically in reference to English)

With Magic The Gathering, the lowest print cards seem to be at 1100 total (Alpha rares). I wonder if any MECCG cards have print runs as low as this? I do know that some of the earlier sets were 'over-printed' but with ATS and Balrog for example I would think these had quite limited quantities of cards produced. (Could cards like Longbottom Leaf be limited to something like 1100 or less?)

It would be nice to get some specific statistics.

I think that The Dragons print run was the biggest of the expansions and I would think that The Wizards would be biggest, especially if you count limited and unlimited together. The Balrog was most likely smallest followed by Against The Shadows.

[thorondor]

Hi, I was recently looking into the print run statistics for early MTG https://www.mtginformation.com/print-runs

Would anyone here happen to know if there is any public information in regards to MECCG print run statistics?

If I am correct, the least printed set would be 'The Balrog' and the most printed set would be 'The White Hand'? (specifically in reference to English)

With Magic The Gathering, the lowest print cards seem to be at 1100 total (Alpha rares). I wonder if any MECCG cards have print runs as low as this? I do know that some of the earlier sets were 'over-printed' but with ATS and Balrog for example I would think these had quite limited quantities of cards produced. (Could cards like Longbottom Leaf be limited to something like 1100 or less?)

It would be nice to get some specific statistics.

I think that The Dragons print run was the biggest of the expansions and I would think that The Wizards would be biggest, especially if you count limited and unlimited together. The Balrog was most likely smallest followed by Against The Shadows.

One thing to note about The Balrog print run: when ICE went down, they had to destroy masses of not yet distributed displays.

[cardcollector]

Hi, I was recently looking into the print run statistics for early MTG https://www.mtginformation.com/print-runs

Would anyone here happen to know if there is any public information in regards to MECCG print run statistics?

If I am correct, the least printed set would be 'The Balrog' and the most printed set would be 'The White Hand'? (specifically in reference to English)

With Magic The Gathering, the lowest print cards seem to be at 1100 total (Alpha rares). I wonder if any MECCG cards have print runs as low as this? I do know that some of the earlier sets were 'over-printed' but with ATS and Balrog for example I would think these had quite limited quantities of cards produced. (Could cards like Longbottom Leaf be limited to something like 1100 or less?)

It would be nice to get some specific statistics.

I think that The Dragons print run was the biggest of the expansions and I would think that The Wizards would be biggest, especially if you count limited and unlimited together. The Balrog was most likely smallest followed by Against The Shadows.

Thank you for the correction, sounds right.

[cardcollector]

Hi, I was recently looking into the print run statistics for early MTG https://www.mtginformation.com/print-runs

Would anyone here happen to know if there is any public information in regards to MECCG print run statistics?

If I am correct, the least printed set would be 'The Balrog' and the most printed set would be 'The White Hand'? (specifically in reference to English)

With Magic The Gathering, the lowest print cards seem to be at 1100 total (Alpha rares). I wonder if any MECCG cards have print runs as low as this? I do know that some of the earlier sets were 'over-printed' but with ATS and Balrog for example I would think these had quite limited quantities of cards produced. (Could cards like Longbottom Leaf be limited to something like 1100 or less?)

It would be nice to get some specific statistics.

I think that The Dragons print run was the biggest of the expansions and I would think that The Wizards would be biggest, especially if you count limited and unlimited together. The Balrog was most likely smallest followed by Against The Shadows.

One thing to note about The Balrog print run: when ICE went down, they had to destroy masses of not yet distributed displays.

That is a good slice of history to know. I wonder how many Balrog displays were sold before being destroyed. 200? 500? 1000? I would be surprised if it was much more than that. (Each display holding 3 of each deck box, 6 total boxes). This would give a reliable number of Balrog card quantities as it is a fixed set. Has anyone at ICE been candid about this sort of information or do they prefer to keep it private?

[CDavis7M]

Hi, I was recently looking into the print run statistics for early MTG https://www.mtginformation.com/print-runs

Would anyone here happen to know if there is any public information in regards to MECCG print run statistics?

If I am correct, the least printed set would be 'The Balrog' and the most printed set would be 'The White Hand'? (specifically in reference to English)

With Magic The Gathering, the lowest print cards seem to be at 1100 total (Alpha rares). I wonder if any MECCG cards have print runs as low as this? I do know that some of the earlier sets were 'over-printed' but with ATS and Balrog for example I would think these had quite limited quantities of cards produced. (Could cards like Longbottom Leaf be limited to something like 1100 or less?)

It would be nice to get some specific statistics.

Most of the print run information was not released as far as I know.

The only print run information that we do know is that the print run for The Wizards - Limited was 44 million. But maybe actually 43 million. Or maybe 45 million. Or "44-46" million? I thought I remember seeing it on the old ICE webpage but I can't seem to find that anymore. Someone else said that no one knew, not even ICE. MECCG Netrep Scott Frazer mentioned both 44 million and 43 million. Go figure.

Frazer also said that each of the print runs for The Wizards - Unlimited was roughly 7-10 million cards, more reprinted on demand warrant.There are those light-blue bordered Unlimited cards which I believe were only from the first run (which might have been the largest).

As for the Balrog print run, ICE Events Director Bob Mohney said in October 1998 that over 90% of the print run was pre-sold with a few weeks before its release and he expected that the entire print run (less ICE tournament prize support) would be sold before release.

I have heard that ICE was no longer able to sell MECCG product as a result of the lawsuit that resulted in them losing the ME license. This was about a year later in September 1999. The ban, I assume, was on the product sitting at the distributors (potentially some of the "pre-sold" Balrog products, but maybe not). I believe that ICE changed their distribution scheme around March 1998 to make Chessex was the sole distributor. Apparently some people really disliked this but it was supposed to save costs. I also heard that Chessex as a distributor was dumped by Nov. 1998 and retailers needed to directly purchase from ICE. So I'm not sure how that would have worked? Was all the product pre-sold to retailers? Or was it at Chessex distributors? If you follow some of the communications from ICE around this time you can tell that something had slipped in hindsight. In fairness to ICE, if you remember, there was a glut of trading card products at the time, even special mall shops (Wizards of the Coast?) selling cards. It was wild and too much.

I did not hear that the product was "destroyed" but that is likely if it were at the distributors but unlikely if it were in the hands of local retailers. I can't remember exact dates, but I'm fairly certain that locals stores were still selling product after ICE lost the license. I remember getting a box of The Dragons for $20 or something like that. Could have been cheaper because it would have to have been cheap enough for my Dad to buy it