What is the difference between "Special Edition" and "Limited Edition" in the description of a model?

[Tallpaul69]

Hi All,

I am trying to understand why some of my Rail Express "special editions" produced in 2008/10 have no certificate number but their "Limited Editions" do?

 

Cheers

Paul

[Hroth]

Buying something because it is a special/limited edition generally has no draw for me.  I did get the Hornby Sir Tom 66* because of the cause, but although it startd out as a limited edition of 500 and topped out at something over 3000 despite the numbered certificates, I look at is more as a Very Special edition.

 

But I'd look at it like this:

 

• A Special edition is a model with an unusual livery and extra detailing, which may be eventually repeated.
• A Limited edition is declared as having no more than x examples and a certificate of authenticity identifying its place in the production sequence. The livery, detailing and certification should not be repeated at a later date.

As far as certification goes, I would say that most if not all of the old Lima Limited editions were so common that they should be viewed as Special at best!

 

* That reminds me, I need to dig it out and install the TTS decoder I bought for it...

 

 

Edited March 17, 2022 by Hroth
Extra! Extra!!!

[Graham_Muz]

The use of the term "Limited Edition" would usually imply a stated production batch size; but does mean or guarantee that any certificate, numbered or otherwise is included and buyers would need to check the item description before making any purchase. 

[cypherman]

Hi all,

I bought a Limited edition Lima Crab. Supposed to be only 850 produce. But from the number IMHO  have seen for sale it feels more like 8500.

Edited March 17, 2022 by cypherman

[Wheatley]

They're marketing terms so I suspect the difference is whatever the marketing team want it to be, they're generic terms. I agree that 'limited' sounds as though it should be a bit less open ended than 'special' but I fear that may be assuming a level of logic and consistency which doesn't actually exist. 

 

Edited March 17, 2022 by Wheatley
Fat fingers

[Steamport Southport]

1 hour ago, cypherman said:

Hi all,

I bought a Limited edition Lima Crab. Supposed to be only 850 produce. But from the number IMHO  have seen for sale it feels more like 8500.

 

Possibly because many people who had one has replaced it with a Bachmann version, are downsizing their collections or no longer with us. The last reason is why the market is flooded with all those Wrenn models at the moment. The buyers were mostly middle aged men and that was forty odd years ago.

 

However it wasn't a popular model in the first place. It had quite a few errors. The main one being the tender being stretched to fit the cab width!

 

 

Another Limited Edition is "Time Limited", which mostly involves things like pottery and coins where they churn them out, but only for a specific time period. Listen to the adverts on TV or in the Sunday supplements where it says "available for a limited time".

 

It might seem like a marketing ploy, but they are genuine legal terms and misuse them at your peril as you'll fall under the Consumer Rights Act (2015).

 

 

Jason

[AY Mod]

Limited edition = a specified quantity run with or without certificate.

Exclusive edition = only available from a specified source, certificate irrelevant.

Special edition = not restricted in any way but may be outside a catalogue or main range.

[DCB]

In my world

Limited edition = an attempt to charge a premium price or a desperate attempt to shift an unpopular model by changing the livery name number or packaging

Exclusive edition =  an attempt to charge a premium price or a desperate attempt to shift an unpopular model by changing the livery name number or packaging

Special edition =  an attempt to charge a premium price or a desperate attempt to shift an unpopular model by changing the livery name number or packaging.

 

In the motoring world Limited editions and specials are quite often the best sellers.    1991 Mini Cooper for instance, best selling Mini model, likewise Golf GTI.

[Graham_Muz]

17 minutes ago, DCB said:

In my world

Limited edition = an attempt to charge a premium price or a desperate attempt to shift an unpopular model by changing the livery name number or packaging

Exclusive edition =  an attempt to charge a premium price or a desperate attempt to shift an unpopular model by changing the livery name number or packaging

Special edition =  an attempt to charge a premium price or a desperate attempt to shift an unpopular model by changing the livery name number or packaging.

 

In the motoring world Limited editions and specials are quite often the best sellers.    1991 Mini Cooper for instance, best selling Mini model, likewise Golf GTI.

or in my world... your world is nonsense... 

[DCB]

6 minutes ago, Graham_Muz said:

or in my world... your world is nonsense... 

Yes my world is a bit niche.

 

But the big advantage of limited editions / special editions / Exclusive editions is you can readily identify how old the item is, especially allegedly new stock.   Its a bit difficult trying to get the manufacturer to rectify a fault in a "new" model made ten years ago.  My father in law bought my son a "New" limited edition set.  The wheels literally fell off the Bachmann split chassis locos, it had to be 15 years old.  

Like all collectors items they are time limited as the collectors pass on so in my world they have no more value than a non special edition, less if they have brass or gold wheels or something equally wierd, so I get them cheap throw the certificates and packaging away repaint, weather and and run them.

 

[AyJay]

Cannot speak for this business, but generally the lifecycle of a product is big upfront costs that are recouped over the selling life of that product. It reaches a point where there is little more profit to be had from it, fashion changes, more up to date alternatives etc. The only option is for the company to try and tart it up a bit and call it ‘special edition’ to scrape the last few sales before withdrawing it. I have seen this with motor cars, jazzed up upholstery, an eye catching name on the boot, dashboard toys and it’s ‘Special edition’.

[DCMarvel]

4 hours ago, DCB said:

In my world

Limited edition = an attempt to charge a premium price or a desperate attempt to shift an unpopular model by changing the livery name number or packaging

Exclusive edition =  an attempt to charge a premium price or a desperate attempt to shift an unpopular model by changing the livery name number or packaging

Special edition =  an attempt to charge a premium price or a desperate attempt to shift an unpopular model by changing the livery name number or packaging.

 

In the motoring world Limited editions and specials are quite often the best sellers.    1991 Mini Cooper for instance, best selling Mini model, likewise Golf GTI.

I see you are in the Cotswolds, but are you actually from Yorkshire by any chance?

By the way I totally sgree with your sentiments!

[Esmedune]

I think they are all a bit meaningless in the modern world, as most models are now made on limited runs and once they are gone, they are gone. Only the very big names tend to do ongoing production.  The interesting one for me is the Special edition, as Hornby tend to do the opposite, they release a new tooling and then rebrand the old tooling as a budget option, yet then never really bang on about "special edition!!!" which is refreshing.