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'''Foil cards''', officially called '''premium''' cards, are ''[[Magic]]'' [[card]]s which have a foil or "glossy" finish to them. ''[[Urza's Legacy]]'' was the first set to feature foil cards in booster packs. <ref name="Foiled again">[[Mark Rosewater]]. (February 1999). ''Foiled Again'', Mark my Words, ''[[The Duelist]]'' # 34</ref> <ref>{{DailyRef|mtg/daily/mm/259|Twenty Things That Were Going To Kill Magic|[[Mark Rosewater]]|August 05, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{TumblrRef|author=[[Mark Rosewater]]|URL=http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/36724628514/why-does-wizards-insist-on-marketing-foil-cards-as|title=Why does Wizards insist on marketing foil cards as 'premium cards' when everybody calls them 'foil cards'?|tumblr-title=Blogatog|date=November 28, 2012}}</ref> However, <c>Lightning Dragon</c> was the first widely-available foil premium card, as it was the card given away at the ''[[Urza's Saga]]'' [[prerelease]]. <ref>{{DailyRef|mtgcom/arcana/614|The first foil prerelease card|[[Magic Arcana]]|July 26, 2004}}</ref>
+
'''Foil cards''', officially styled as '''premium''' cards,<ref>{{EzTumblr|http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/172903571008/in-the-wizards-page-for-the-dominaria-prerelease|title=Are foil and premium different things?|April 13, 2018}}</ref> are ''[[Magic]]'' [[card]]s which have a foil or "glossy" finish to them. ''[[Urza's Legacy]]'' was the first set to feature foil cards in booster packs.<ref name="Foiled again">[[Mark Rosewater]]. (February 1999). ''Foiled Again'', Mark my Words, ''[[The Duelist]]'' # 34</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/twenty-things-were-going-kill-magic-2013-08-01|Twenty Things That Were Going To Kill Magic|[[Mark Rosewater]]|August 05, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{EzTumblr|http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/36724628514/why-does-wizards-insist-on-marketing-foil-cards-as|title=Why does Wizards insist on marketing foil cards as 'premium cards' when everybody calls them 'foil cards'?|November 28, 2012}}</ref> However, <c>Lightning Dragon</c> was the first widely-available foil premium card, as it was the card given away at the ''[[Urza's Saga]]'' [[prerelease]].<ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/first-foil-prerelease-card-2004-07-26|The first foil prerelease card|[[Magic Arcana]]|July 26, 2004}}</ref>
   
 
==Properties==
 
==Properties==
 
[[File:Foil layer.png|right|thumb|Foil layer on a card back]]
 
[[File:Foil layer.png|right|thumb|Foil layer on a card back]]
 
[[File:Underprinting.png|right|thumb|Underprinting on the foil layer]]
The process involves a special foil layer on the card that highlights certain parts of the artwork over others (the lighter areas are more reflective). All foil cards are black-bordered, even those from the last white-bordered [[Core Set|core sets]], except those from ''[[Unhinged]]'' which are silver-bordered.
 
  +
[[File:Building a card.jpg|right|thumb|Physical elements of a ''Magic'' card]]
 
 
[[File:Top layer.png|right|thumb|Final printing]]
Foils are notoriously harder to keep in [[Near Mint]] condition than non-foil cards. They tend to collect dirt easier, creating a "cloudy" look on the front of the card, tend to warp a lot easier (especially in warmer climates), and don't shuffle as well. Because foil cards have metal on the front, they crease when bent.
 
 
The process involves a special metal foil layer on the card that highlights certain parts of the artwork over others (the lighter areas are more reflective). All foil cards are black-bordered, even those from the last white-bordered [[Core Set|core sets]], the exception being that of the [[Un-set|Un-sets]], which are silver-bordered.
   
 
==Rarity==
 
==Rarity==
Foil cards are randomly inserted in [[booster pack]]s. There is approximately one foil in every six packs or six or seven per Booster Pack Box. [[Mythic]]s, [[rare]]s and [[uncommon]]s are harder to locate than [[common]]s, just like their unfoiled counterparts. Even common premium cards are rarer than a normal rare, so collectors will find collecting them all to be a challenge. It is very hard to complete a set by purchasing packs, so trading or buying singles is the best way to go.<ref>[[Jennifer Clarke Wilkes]] (March 1999). ''The Premium Package'', ''[[The Duelist]]'' # 35, p. 45</ref>
+
Foil cards are randomly inserted in [[booster pack]]s. There is approximately one foil in every six packs or six or seven per Booster Pack Box. [[Mythic]]s, [[rare]]s and [[uncommon]]s are harder to locate than [[common]]s, just like their unfoiled counterparts. Even common premium cards are rarer than a normal rare, so collectors will find collecting them all to be a challenge. It is very hard to complete a set by purchasing packs, so trading or buying singles is the most economically effective choice.<ref>[[Jennifer Clarke Wilkes]] (March 1999). ''The Premium Package'', ''[[The Duelist]]'' # 35, p. 45</ref>
   
  +
From ''[[Core Set 2020]]'' forwards, 1:45 cards is foil, instead of the previous 1:67.<ref name="15 changes">{{WebRef|url=https://wpn.wizards.com/en/article/m20-15-changes-every-retailer-should-know|title=M20: 15 Changes Every Retailer Should Know|date=June 13, 2019|publisher=[[Wizards Play Network]]}}</ref><ref name="Booster Fun">{{DailyRef|making-magic/project-booster-fun-2019-07-20|Project Booster Fun|[[Mark Rosewater]]|July 21, 2019}}</ref>
==Not chase cards==
 
Although [[Wizards of the Coast]] consistently emphasized trading over collecting (referring to ''Magic: The Gathering'' and its successors as [[List of Magic slang#TCG|TCG]]'s), the company recognized that collecting is an important facet of the game's appeal. However, the ever larger print runs of new sets posed fewer challenges to collectors, since stores rarely ran out of an expansion before someone could buy his way to a complete set.
 
   
 
=="Not chase cards"==
Some other companies offered collectors ultra-rare "chase cards". A chase card is an unique (usually more powerful) card that collectors "chase down" by purchasing lots and lots of cards. For example, in the first edition of the '''Star Wars CCG''', key characters like Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader were ultra-rare cards that both players and collectors were desperate to find. WotC have promised never to print chase cards for ''Magic''. <ref name="Foiled again"/> But it may be argued that they have effectively done so anyway, by having a variety of foil mythic rares in a set where one or two are particularly sought after (such as <c>Ugin, the Spirit Dragon</c>). However, the premium ''Magic'' cards don't change the game environment at all, since they are duplicates of cards already in the set, and all foil mythics are equally rare.
 
 
Although [[Wizards of the Coast]] consistently emphasized trading rather than collecting (referring to ''Magic: The Gathering'' and its successors as [[List of Magic slang#TCG|TCG]]s), the company recognized that collecting is an important facet of the game's appeal. However, the ever-larger print runs of new sets posed fewer challenges to collectors, since stores rarely ran out of expansions before someone could buy their way to a complete set.
  +
 
Some other companies offered collectors ultra-rare "chase cards". A chase card is a unique (usually more powerful) card that collectors "chase down" by purchasing lots and lots of cards. For example, in the first edition of the '''Star Wars CCG''', key characters like Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader were ultra-rare cards that both players and collectors were desperate to find. WotC has promised never to print chase cards for ''Magic''.<ref name="Foiled again"/> But it may be argued that they have effectively done so anyway, by having a variety of foil mythic rares in a set where one or two are particularly sought after (such as <c>Ugin, the Spirit Dragon</c>). However, the premium ''Magic'' cards don't change the game environment at all, since they are duplicates of cards already in the set. However, foil mythic cards have not been equally rare since the release of foil [[Buy-a-Box]] promo cards, that don't appear in a regular version in the set. This phenomenon started with ''[[Dominaria]]''.
   
 
==Slots==
 
==Slots==
Prior to ''[[Time Spiral]]'', if a booster pack contained a foil card it would replace the card normally found in that rarity. (i.e. the card <c>Shared Triumph</c> is [[rare]], if there was a foil version in a pack it would replace the card found in the rare slot). In every set starting with ''Time Spiral'', a foil card replaces a [[common]] card regardless of the rarity of the foil card. <ref>{{DailyRef|mtgcom/daily/mr247|Purple Reign|[[Mark Rosewater]]|September 25, 2006}}</ref> This means there is a chance of getting two rares (or three in the ''[[Innistrad]]'' or ''[[Dark Ascension]]'' packs due to the double faced card slot) or even [[mythic rare]]s in a single booster pack: one foil, and one regular (as well as one double sided in the aforementioned sets).
+
Prior to ''[[Time Spiral]]'', if a booster pack contained a foil card it would replace the card normally found in that rarity. (i.e. the card <c>Shared Triumph</c> is [[rare]] if there was a foil version in a pack it would replace the card found in the rare slot). Starting with ''Time Spiral'', in every set a foil card replaces a [[common]] card regardless of the rarity of the foil card.<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/purple-reign-2006-09-25-0|Purple Reign|[[Mark Rosewater]]|September 25, 2006}}</ref> This means there is a chance of getting two rares (or three in the ''[[Innistrad]],'' ''[[Dark Ascension]], [[Shadows over Innistrad]] or [[Eldritch Moon]]'' packs due to the double-faced card slot) or even [[mythic rare]]s in a single booster pack: one foil, and one regular (as well as one double-sided in the aforementioned sets).
   
 
==Producing foils==
 
==Producing foils==
 
The foil process has not always been the same. The first foils (which have a shooting star in the lower-left-hand corner of the card) started with ''Urza's Legacy''. The new foiling process (which eliminated print lines) started with ''[[Eighth Edition]]''.<ref>{{DailyRef|ask-wizards-september-2003-2003-09-01|Ask Wizards - September 2003|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|September, 2003}}</ref> There have been different foiling processes used for [[release card]]s, [[From the Vault: Dragons]] (double-foiled), etc.<ref name="Fun Facts">[http://www.starcitygames.com/magic/misc/17092-Insider-Trading-Fifteen-Fun-Facts-About-Foils.html Ben Bleiweiss (February 3, 2009) ''Insider Trading - Fifteen Fun Facts About Foils!'' Starcitygames.com]</ref>
[[File:Underprinting.png|right|thumb|Underprinting on the foil layer]]
 
The foil process has not always been the same. The first foils (which have a shooting star in the lower-left-hand corner of the card) started with ''Urza's Legacy''. The new foiling process (which eliminated print lines) started with ''[[8th Edition]]''. There have been different foiling processes used for [[release card]]s, [[From the Vault: Dragons]] (double-foiled), etc. <ref>[http://www.starcitygames.com/magic/misc/17092-Insider-Trading-Fifteen-Fun-Facts-About-Foils.html Ben Bleiweiss (February 3, 2009) ''Insider Trading - Fifteen Fun Facts About Foils!'' Starcitygames.com]</ref>
 
   
Producing the premium cards presents unique difficulties. The holographic foil laminate has to be bonded to a regular [[card back]], allowed to "cure" for several weeks, and then overprinted with the matching card art. Foil laminates are tricky on playing cards due to the standards needed for wear resistance and ease of shuffling.
+
Producing premium cards presents unique difficulties. They have an extra layer on the card that highlights certain parts of the artwork over others, the "white under-print plate", or "WUP."<ref name="Building a Card">{{DailyRef|feature/building-card-2018-06-29|Building a Card|[[Tom Wänerstrand]]|June 29, 2018}}</ref> The holographic foil laminate has to be bonded to this WUP and the regular [[card back]], allowed to "cure" for several weeks, and then overprinted with the matching card art. Foil laminates are tricky on playing cards due to the standards needed for wear resistance and ease of shuffling.
   
Even trickier are the challenges of printing on the foil background. <ref>{{DailyRef|mtg/daily/arcana/1177|Where the Foil Goes|[[Monty Ashley]]|February 26, 2013}}</ref> Opaque areas require a base of white ink, and black and white inks have to be double-printed for readability. Instead of the normal four- or five-color process, premium cards require eight separate color plates. Film alignment has to be precise - even a slight misregistration ruins an entire [[print sheet|sheet]].
+
Even trickier are the challenges of printing on the foil background.<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/where-foil-goes-2013-02-26|Where the Foil Goes|[[Monty Ashley]]|February 26, 2013}}</ref> Opaque areas require a base of white ink, and black and white inks have to be double-printed for readability. Instead of the normal four- or five-color process, premium cards require eight separate color plates. Film alignment has to be precise - even slight misregistrations can ruin an entire [[print sheet|sheet]].
  +
[[File:Top layer.png|right|thumb|Final printing]]
 
  +
Foils do not pass the [[bend test]]; because foil cards have metal on the front, they crease when bent.
  +
  +
===From the Vault===
  +
[[From the Vault]] sets were printed using a special [[foil]]ing process that was unique to the series. They were printed on a foil stock that is twice as reflective, and treated with a varnish.<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/sneak-peek-vault-dragons-2008-08-08|Sneak Peek: ''From the Vault: Dragons''|[[Mark Purvis]]|August 08, 2008}}</ref> This resulted in a shinier and stiffer card that had an almost 'holographic' look to them. They feel much slicker to the touch and weigh a notable amount more than a regular foil. From the Vault cards are also exceedingly hard to write on (e.g. an autograph). However, these cards were also notable for having many production issues, like one-pixel vertical lines going down the card-face. They were also more prone to curl, regardless of moisture (but moisture makes it worse).
  +
 
===Foil-etched===
  +
''[[Commander Legends]]'' introduced the "foil-etched" treatment. These cards use a brand-new foiling process that looks different from previous foils.<ref name="Sneak Peek">{{DailyRef|feature/sneak-peek-commander-legends-2020-08-22|A Sneak Peek at ''Commander Legends''|[[Gavin Verhey]]|August 22, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{TwitterRef|GavinVerhey|1297296601283665920|author=[[Gavin Verhey]]|title=Commander Legends has a brand new kind of foiling: foil etched! (Not etched foil.)|date=August 22, 2020}}</ref>
  +
  +
===Quality issues===
 
Foils are notoriously harder to keep in [[Near Mint]] condition than non-foil cards.<ref name="Fun Facts"/> They tend to collect dirt easier, creating a "cloudy" look on the front of the card. They can also have more noticeable print lines (especially on foils made pre-''[[Eighth Edition]]'' when they changed the foiling process), tend to curl/bend/warp a lot easier (especially in warmer climates), and don't shuffle as well.
  +
  +
====Warping====
  +
Foil magic cards are made of two things, cardboard and metal foil.<ref>{{WebRef|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/magicTCG/comments/f4foq1/possible_solution_for_curled_foils/|title=Possible Solution for Curled Foils|author=
  +
CGA001|date=February 16, 2020|publisher=Reddit.com}}</ref> Like all paper materials, magic cards have a tiny amount of moisture within the cellulose pulp. This water is partially what gives paper flexibility without snapping it. If you remove the water, the paper becomes more brittle. If you add more water, it becomes more flexible. One way this occurs naturally is through humidity, which can cause the water content inside a card to fluctuate. It's this fluctuation that causes cards to grow or shrink, on a virtually imperceptible scale.
  +
  +
With non-foil cards, this doesn't cause a problem because the entire card expands evenly. But on foils, this can cause the cards to curl because while one side of the card is made of cardboard that changes size when water is added or removed, the other side is covered in a metal foil layer that does not expand through moisture. If you store your cards in a very humid environment, the cards will curl with the backside of the card bulging out because the backside of the card has room to expand while the front half is fixed in place by the foil layer. But if the humidity is lowered, this causes the water to go down, causing the cardboard to shrink, and the front side to bulge out.
  +
  +
But humidity is not the only factor that causes cards to curl. Much like how humidity causes the cardboard to grow and shrink, the same happens to the foiling when exposed to heat, because heat causes the metal to expand, and lower temperatures cause it to contract. These two factors control how much a card warps. If the temperature and humidity are at the temperature the cards were printed at, they won't curl. If you keep your cards in a super dry environment and under a lot of heat, you are going to get extreme curling. Keep them super cold and damp, and you'll get extreme curling in the other direction.
  +
  +
==Foil vs. Premium==
  +
In ''Magic'', “foil” and “premium” used to be (almost) synonymous. Wizards of the Coast say “premium” because they want to use a consistent word for all their products and not all their premiums in every product are foil.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/128014700753/one-thing-ive-had-to-explain-to-some-people-about|title=One thing I've had to explain to some people about the Expedition Lands is that they are not a new rarity. |August 31, 2015}}</ref> For example, ''Duel Masters'' had some promo cards printed on metal.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/119152021603/what-does-premium-but-non-foil-mean-i-dont|title=What does premium but non-foil mean?|May 16, 2015}}</ref> In actuality, foil is a subset of premium.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/172903571008/in-the-wizards-page-for-the-dominaria-prerelease|title=Are foil and premium different things?|April 13, 2018}}</ref> Back before Wizards of the Coast started making foil cards, the [[prerelease card]]s were still premium thanks to the gold-stamped date.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/119121996953/what-non-foil-premium-cards-are-there|title=What non-foil premium cards are there?|May 16, 2015}}</ref> In fact, any special treatment, including unique [[card frame|layouts]] or stamps, is considered premium.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/186259763503/un-rules-question-do-non-foil-promo-cards-such|title=Do non-foil promo cards (such as Game Day Abrade) count as "premium" for Super Secret Tech?|July 13, 2019}}</ref> For example, a [[Game Day]] [[promo]] of {{card|Abrade||PHOU}} is also premium. As such, it can be used with the [[Silver-bordered|Un-card]] <c>Super Secret Tech</c>, that care about premium cards.
  +
  +
With the introduction of [[Booster Fun]] in ''[[Throne of Eldraine]]'' the Premium range was expanded upon with [[showcase]] cards, [[extended-art]] and [[borderless]] planeswalkers.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/187858035363/do-non-foil-showcase-cards-and-borderless|title= Do non-foil showcase cards and borderless planeswalkers count as premium cards for the purpose of super secret tech?|September 21, 2019}}</ref> All the Booster Fun frames are premium cards and they exist in foil and non-foil.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/190447405383/ive-been-on-a-semi-hiatus-from-magic-so-im-not|title=Are there non-foil premium cards now?|January 24, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/622874619471413248|title=Does a non-foil showcase/extended art frame count as "premium" for the purpose of super secret tech?|July 6, 2020}}</ref>
  +
  +
==Foil-only==
  +
===Booster===
 
The ''Alara'' Premium Foil Booster pack contained fifteen foil, black-bordered cards from ''[[Shards of Alara]]'', ''[[Conflux]]'', and ''[[Alara Reborn]]''. It was released on January 8, 2010 (MSRP: $11.99).<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/premium-foil-booster-2010-05-17|Premium Foil Booster|[[Magic Arcana]]|May 17, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{Prodpage|premium-foil-booster|PREMIUM FOIL BOOSTER}}</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/opening-foil-booster-2010-01-14|Opening the Foil Booster|[[Magic Arcana]]|January 14, 2010}}</ref>
   
  +
===Sets===
==Foil-only booster==
 
  +
The [[Premium Deck Series]] were [[Box set]]s that consisted of all foils.
The ''Alara'' Premium Foil Booster pack contained fifteen foil, black-bordered cards from ''[[Shards of Alara]]'', ''[[Conflux]]'', and ''[[Alara Reborn]]''. It was released on January 8th, 2010 (MSRP: $11.99). <ref>{{DailyRef|mtg/tcg/premiumfoilbooster/productinfo|Premium Foil Booster|Product info|January 8, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|mtg/daily/arcana/364|Opening the Foil Booster|[[Magic Arcana]]|January 14, 2010}}</ref>
 
   
 
==References==
 
==References==

Revision as of 05:10, 23 August 2020

Foil cards, officially styled as premium cards,[1] are Magic cards which have a foil or "glossy" finish to them. Urza's Legacy was the first set to feature foil cards in booster packs.[2][3][4] However, Lightning Dragon was the first widely-available foil premium card, as it was the card given away at the Urza's Saga prerelease.[5]

Properties

Foil layer

Foil layer on a card back

Underprinting

Underprinting on the foil layer

Building a card

Physical elements of a Magic card

Top layer

Final printing

The process involves a special metal foil layer on the card that highlights certain parts of the artwork over others (the lighter areas are more reflective). All foil cards are black-bordered, even those from the last white-bordered core sets, the exception being that of the Un-sets, which are silver-bordered.

Rarity

Foil cards are randomly inserted in booster packs. There is approximately one foil in every six packs or six or seven per Booster Pack Box. Mythics, rares and uncommons are harder to locate than commons, just like their unfoiled counterparts. Even common premium cards are rarer than a normal rare, so collectors will find collecting them all to be a challenge. It is very hard to complete a set by purchasing packs, so trading or buying singles is the most economically effective choice.[6]

From Core Set 2020 forwards, 1:45 cards is foil, instead of the previous 1:67.[7][8]

"Not chase cards"

Although Wizards of the Coast consistently emphasized trading rather than collecting (referring to Magic: The Gathering and its successors as TCGs), the company recognized that collecting is an important facet of the game's appeal. However, the ever-larger print runs of new sets posed fewer challenges to collectors, since stores rarely ran out of expansions before someone could buy their way to a complete set.

Some other companies offered collectors ultra-rare "chase cards". A chase card is a unique (usually more powerful) card that collectors "chase down" by purchasing lots and lots of cards. For example, in the first edition of the Star Wars CCG, key characters like Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader were ultra-rare cards that both players and collectors were desperate to find. WotC has promised never to print chase cards for Magic.[2] But it may be argued that they have effectively done so anyway, by having a variety of foil mythic rares in a set where one or two are particularly sought after (such as Ugin, the Spirit Dragon). However, the premium Magic cards don't change the game environment at all, since they are duplicates of cards already in the set. However, foil mythic cards have not been equally rare since the release of foil Buy-a-Box promo cards, that don't appear in a regular version in the set. This phenomenon started with Dominaria.

Slots

Prior to Time Spiral, if a booster pack contained a foil card it would replace the card normally found in that rarity. (i.e. the card Shared Triumph is rare if there was a foil version in a pack it would replace the card found in the rare slot). Starting with Time Spiral, in every set a foil card replaces a common card regardless of the rarity of the foil card.[9] This means there is a chance of getting two rares (or three in the Innistrad, Dark Ascension, Shadows over Innistrad or Eldritch Moon packs due to the double-faced card slot) or even mythic rares in a single booster pack: one foil, and one regular (as well as one double-sided in the aforementioned sets).

Producing foils

The foil process has not always been the same. The first foils (which have a shooting star in the lower-left-hand corner of the card) started with Urza's Legacy. The new foiling process (which eliminated print lines) started with Eighth Edition.[10] There have been different foiling processes used for release cards, From the Vault: Dragons (double-foiled), etc.[11]

Producing premium cards presents unique difficulties. They have an extra layer on the card that highlights certain parts of the artwork over others, the "white under-print plate", or "WUP."[12] The holographic foil laminate has to be bonded to this WUP and the regular card back, allowed to "cure" for several weeks, and then overprinted with the matching card art. Foil laminates are tricky on playing cards due to the standards needed for wear resistance and ease of shuffling.

Even trickier are the challenges of printing on the foil background.[13] Opaque areas require a base of white ink, and black and white inks have to be double-printed for readability. Instead of the normal four- or five-color process, premium cards require eight separate color plates. Film alignment has to be precise - even slight misregistrations can ruin an entire sheet.

Foils do not pass the bend test; because foil cards have metal on the front, they crease when bent.

From the Vault

From the Vault sets were printed using a special foiling process that was unique to the series. They were printed on a foil stock that is twice as reflective, and treated with a varnish.[14] This resulted in a shinier and stiffer card that had an almost 'holographic' look to them. They feel much slicker to the touch and weigh a notable amount more than a regular foil. From the Vault cards are also exceedingly hard to write on (e.g. an autograph). However, these cards were also notable for having many production issues, like one-pixel vertical lines going down the card-face. They were also more prone to curl, regardless of moisture (but moisture makes it worse).

Foil-etched

Commander Legends introduced the "foil-etched" treatment. These cards use a brand-new foiling process that looks different from previous foils.[15][16]

Quality issues

Foils are notoriously harder to keep in Near Mint condition than non-foil cards.[11] They tend to collect dirt easier, creating a "cloudy" look on the front of the card. They can also have more noticeable print lines (especially on foils made pre-Eighth Edition when they changed the foiling process), tend to curl/bend/warp a lot easier (especially in warmer climates), and don't shuffle as well.

Warping

Foil magic cards are made of two things, cardboard and metal foil.[17] Like all paper materials, magic cards have a tiny amount of moisture within the cellulose pulp. This water is partially what gives paper flexibility without snapping it. If you remove the water, the paper becomes more brittle. If you add more water, it becomes more flexible. One way this occurs naturally is through humidity, which can cause the water content inside a card to fluctuate. It's this fluctuation that causes cards to grow or shrink, on a virtually imperceptible scale.

With non-foil cards, this doesn't cause a problem because the entire card expands evenly. But on foils, this can cause the cards to curl because while one side of the card is made of cardboard that changes size when water is added or removed, the other side is covered in a metal foil layer that does not expand through moisture. If you store your cards in a very humid environment, the cards will curl with the backside of the card bulging out because the backside of the card has room to expand while the front half is fixed in place by the foil layer. But if the humidity is lowered, this causes the water to go down, causing the cardboard to shrink, and the front side to bulge out.

But humidity is not the only factor that causes cards to curl. Much like how humidity causes the cardboard to grow and shrink, the same happens to the foiling when exposed to heat, because heat causes the metal to expand, and lower temperatures cause it to contract. These two factors control how much a card warps. If the temperature and humidity are at the temperature the cards were printed at, they won't curl. If you keep your cards in a super dry environment and under a lot of heat, you are going to get extreme curling. Keep them super cold and damp, and you'll get extreme curling in the other direction.

Foil vs. Premium

In Magic, “foil” and “premium” used to be (almost) synonymous. Wizards of the Coast say “premium” because they want to use a consistent word for all their products and not all their premiums in every product are foil.[18] For example, Duel Masters had some promo cards printed on metal.[19] In actuality, foil is a subset of premium.[20] Back before Wizards of the Coast started making foil cards, the prerelease cards were still premium thanks to the gold-stamped date.[21] In fact, any special treatment, including unique layouts or stamps, is considered premium.[22] For example, a Game Day promo of Abrade is also premium. As such, it can be used with the Un-card Super Secret Tech, that care about premium cards.

With the introduction of Booster Fun in Throne of Eldraine the Premium range was expanded upon with showcase cards, extended-art and borderless planeswalkers.[23] All the Booster Fun frames are premium cards and they exist in foil and non-foil.[24][25]

Foil-only

Booster

The Alara Premium Foil Booster pack contained fifteen foil, black-bordered cards from Shards of Alara, Conflux, and Alara Reborn. It was released on January 8, 2010 (MSRP: $11.99).[26][27][28]

Sets

The Premium Deck Series were Box sets that consisted of all foils.

References

  1. Mark Rosewater (April 13, 2018). "Are foil and premium different things?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  2. a b Mark Rosewater. (February 1999). Foiled Again, Mark my Words, The Duelist # 34
  3. Mark Rosewater (August 05, 2013). "Twenty Things That Were Going To Kill Magic". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  4. Mark Rosewater (November 28, 2012). "Why does Wizards insist on marketing foil cards as 'premium cards' when everybody calls them 'foil cards'?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  5. Magic Arcana (July 26, 2004). "The first foil prerelease card". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  6. Jennifer Clarke Wilkes (March 1999). The Premium Package, The Duelist # 35, p. 45
  7. M20: 15 Changes Every Retailer Should Know. Wizards Play Network (June 13, 2019).
  8. Mark Rosewater (July 21, 2019). "Project Booster Fun". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  9. Mark Rosewater (September 25, 2006). "Purple Reign". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  10. Wizards of the Coast (September, 2003). "Ask Wizards - September 2003". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  11. a b Ben Bleiweiss (February 3, 2009) Insider Trading - Fifteen Fun Facts About Foils! Starcitygames.com
  12. Tom Wänerstrand (June 29, 2018). "Building a Card". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  13. Monty Ashley (February 26, 2013). "Where the Foil Goes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  14. Mark Purvis (August 08, 2008). "Sneak Peek: From the Vault: Dragons". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  15. Gavin Verhey (August 22, 2020). "A Sneak Peek at Commander Legends". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  16. Gavin Verhey (August 22, 2020). "Commander Legends has a brand new kind of foiling: foil etched! (Not etched foil.)". Twitter.
  17. CGA001 (February 16, 2020). "Possible Solution for Curled Foils". Reddit.com.
  18. Mark Rosewater (August 31, 2015). "One thing I've had to explain to some people about the Expedition Lands is that they are not a new rarity.". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  19. Mark Rosewater (May 16, 2015). "What does premium but non-foil mean?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  20. Mark Rosewater (April 13, 2018). "Are foil and premium different things?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  21. Mark Rosewater (May 16, 2015). "What non-foil premium cards are there?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  22. Mark Rosewater (July 13, 2019). "Do non-foil promo cards (such as Game Day Abrade) count as "premium" for Super Secret Tech?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  23. Mark Rosewater (September 21, 2019). "Do non-foil showcase cards and borderless planeswalkers count as premium cards for the purpose of super secret tech?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  24. Mark Rosewater (January 24, 2020). "Are there non-foil premium cards now?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  25. Mark Rosewater (July 6, 2020). "Does a non-foil showcase/extended art frame count as "premium" for the purpose of super secret tech?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  26. Magic Arcana (May 17, 2010). "Premium Foil Booster". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  27. PREMIUM FOIL BOOSTER product information pageWizards of the Coast
  28. Magic Arcana (January 14, 2010). "Opening the Foil Booster". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.