Author Topic: the Phantom vs. Translucent meeple (Read 2887 times)

TGD · « **on:** November 20, 2020, 03:00:39 AM »

So I have the 10 year special edition which comes with translucent meeples and today I came across the Phantoms pack. From the pictures the Phantoms look just like the translucent meeples, or extremely similar. Is there any visual difference between Phantom and translucent meeple? Or are they the same?

Linkback: https://www.carcassonnecentral.com/community/index.php?topic=4886.0

corinthiens13 · « **Reply #1 on:** November 20, 2020, 04:31:39 AM »

Hi,

I think translucent meeples look more like teachers than phantoms.

Teachers: Slightly thicker and clear from front to back, only coloured at the sides

Phantoms: Slightly thiner and coloured both on front, back and sides

You'll find pictures here:
http://www.carcassonnecentral.com/community/index.php?topic=2172.0

Regards

Meepledrone · « **Reply #2 on:** November 20, 2020, 05:32:02 AM »

Another visual comparison just in case:

1) Wooden regular meeple
2) Teacher / Transparent meeple available on Cundco.de
3) Transparent meeple from the 10th Anniversary Edition
4) Phantom

TGD · « **Reply #3 on:** November 20, 2020, 07:42:24 AM »

I still don't see much difference between 3 & 4, other than Phantom looking a little darker… But thanks, that's a nice comparison.

MeepleFriend · « **Reply #4 on:** November 20, 2020, 09:16:18 AM »

Yes, this is a helpful comparison. At a certain point, collectors and enthusiasts begin splitting hairs!

Drodo · « **Reply #5 on:** November 20, 2020, 10:54:47 AM »

I have the 10 years edition and its meeples look exactly like the phantoms.

The teacher/transparent meeple is different.

DIN0 · « **Reply #6 on:** November 20, 2020, 11:50:29 AM »

The pictures above posted by Meepledrone are correct.
As to the difference between 10th anniversary and phantom, I have inspected both closely under white light and found varying results. In some colors, 10th anniversary was actually darker, or slightly different shade. In others it was the other way around, and yet in one, there was no difference. I compared multiple phantom sets to multiple 10th ann. meeples and there were just as variable.

In conclusion, I think that any miniscule differences are just a stochastic variance in saturation, not a reliable distinguishing mark. So nothing useful collector-wise. They are the same.
Anyway, I think teacher vs phantom is what really matters, and that is clearly visible.

Let me add these factoids, just to confuse newcomers to the game: when we compare phantom build vs teacher build and their usage throughout history - phantoms are phantoms used as phantoms, 10th anniversary meeples are phantoms used as meeples, teachers are teachers used as teachers and clear cundco sets are teachers used as meeples

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Meepledrone · « **Reply #7 on:** November 20, 2020, 03:53:52 PM »

Ha ha ha!

All in all, I use teachers as phantoms, since they are the same size as regular meeples and can be better acrobats...

I got non-official translucent meeples for the pastel-colored meeple sets from Meeplesource.com.

I keep my real phantoms in my Carcassonne stash.

DIN0 · « **Reply #8 on:** November 21, 2020, 05:48:55 AM »

Quote

All in all, I use teachers as phantoms, since they are the same size as regular meeples and can be better acrobats...

Not to mention they exist in all colors this time!

So the translucent sampler set (1 translucent meeple per color) is the craziest one of them all.
They are teachers meant to be used as meeples, actually used as phantoms

)

Meepledrone · « **Reply #9 on:** November 21, 2020, 07:10:48 AM »

Yep. Best "official" pimping ever...

Decar · « **Reply #10 on:** November 24, 2020, 05:15:12 AM »

This is why those original black and purple teacher meeples are so hard to come by

DIN0 · « **Reply #11 on:** November 24, 2020, 10:51:53 AM »

Well they officially lost all their value when the clear sets came out. Unless there is some way to differentiate them?

Decar · « **Reply #12 on:** November 24, 2020, 11:24:52 AM »

A few millimetres and the purple dye is slightly different.

I think the paint may be applied differently too, a manufacturing difference, I'd need to open my cupboards again to compare.