Collectors, Intermediate
International cards: language, script and territory are not interchangeable
Track card language, script, release territory and UI language separately. A translated species name is not evidence that every card or promotional campaign was released in that market.
For intermediate readers, read 8 Nov 2026.
Split the identity into useful fields
A merchant can be in one country while selling cards printed for another. A website can display English while listing a Japanese card. Simplified and Traditional Chinese are different catalog contexts; European and Latin-American product details can also require distinct handling. Do not infer release identity from currency or shipping location.
Compare releases rather than translating titles
Do not assume a translated set title establishes a whole-release counterpart. Compare actual card identities and distribution records first. Same subject, shared artwork, equivalent gameplay and exact physical printing are different relationships. Record only the specific relationship the available evidence can support; leave the rest unresolved.
Treat coverage as measured, not promised
Our machine-readable set catalog reports what the provider returned for each locale and marks unavailable endpoints honestly. Metadata language coverage does not mean we have reviewed translations or an exhaustive worldwide printing list. Korean and Chinese gaps must be filled with appropriate primary sources and qualified review, not invented by translating an English checklist.
3 checks before you act
- Split the identity into useful fields
- Compare releases rather than translating titles
- Treat coverage as measured, not promised
Sources read for this page
- ReadTCGdex metadata and known limitationsread 7 Nov 2026