Alliances set symbol
Alliances stamps every card in the product with its own expansion icon. Use the silhouette above as the visual key, then confirm set code ALL so remasters cannot pass.
Set code
all
Released
Jun 1996
Cards
199
Type
Expansion
Lookalikes & traps
Borderless and showcase frames of Alliances / Lake still need the ALL line; a fancy frame is not a different set by itself. Also watch foil vs nonfoil: sheen does not change which set Alliances is.
Confirm after the icon
For Alliances, prioritize edition/authenticity cues over rarity-color habits, then compare comps for the exact printing of Alliances / Lake — not a generic name search.
How to identify Alliances cards
- 1
Locate the Alliances set mark (ALL) before you trust the card name — reprints reuse names across products.
- 2
Do not read rarity from symbol color on this pre-Exodus printing; use edition context instead.
- 3
Verify ALL on the bottom line; listings that only show the card name are where Alliances get mixed with siblings.
- 4
If icon and ALL still disagree with a marketplace title, scan with Tappr rather than guessing from art.
Rarity by symbol color
Pre-Exodus printing (1996): expansion symbols were generally monochrome and did not encode rarity by color. Identify Alliances with edition cues and set context — not black/silver/gold folklore borrowed from later sets.
Legend shows the modern post-Exodus palette. Pre-Exodus sets and special rarities (for example Time Spiral purple timeshifted) follow the rarity reading above — not this swatch row alone.
FAQ
What does the Alliances set symbol look like?
Alliances stamps every card in the product with its own expansion icon. Use the silhouette above as the visual key, then confirm set code ALL so remasters cannot pass. Reprints of Alliances / Lake under other codes keep different glyphs — match the icon, then ALL.
What is the Alliances set code?
The set code is ALL. It appears with the collector number on modern cards. If you see a different code, you are not holding the Alliances printing even when the name matches.
How do I read rarity on a Alliances card?
Pre-Exodus printing (1996): expansion symbols were generally monochrome and did not encode rarity by color. Identify Alliances with edition cues and set context — not black/silver/gold folklore borrowed from later sets.
How do I confirm a Alliances card quickly?
Icon match → rarity reading for this era → ALL + collector number. Borderless and showcase frames of Alliances / Lake still need the ALL line; a fancy frame is not a different set by itself.. Tappr can finish the printing match when the listing is ambiguous.
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