Definitive guide to identifying Champion Edition disc runs...

[apdrvya]

This thread is dedicated to the identification of the various runs of CE (stamped) discs. We will discuss Leopards, Valkyries, Eagles, Firebirds and Teebirds ONLY. No other CE discs will be discussed here. For Rocs, Aviars, Sharks, Gazelles, Cheetahs and all of the other CE discs without the classic CE stamp there MAY be a different thread at some point in time. So, to reiterate, discs with this type of stamp:

Only, will be discussed here

There are several factors one can use to help identify the run of a Champion Edition disc. Color, [b]opacity, the way the weight is written , and mold. Lets hit up color first.

Color
First Run—Per Rick Black-First Runs of Teebirds, Firebirds, Eagles, and Leopards were Blood Red.
Valkyries had both red and blue, Reds are Blood Red and the Blues are translucent blueberry There were a couple variations of the blue first run, Zone Driven, 2001 Ice Bowl and Proto Star Stamped.
Second Run—Commonly 2nd run discs are Yellow but less commonly there are red, black, blueberry, gold, and a couple green and brown discs (don’t see these much).
Third thru Fifth Run—All colors are included here including factory dyed tyedye.

Opacity
As the available amount of the ce blend became less and less the discs became more and more translucent. I will also include a simple trick to determine 1st vs 2nd run if no weight is present.
First Runs—by far the most opaque run, will only pass light if held up to a light. Another trick here is the “white streak” test. If held up to a light, even the darkest red disc will have lighter streaks in the plastic.
Sample
White Streak test
Second Runs—slightly less opaque but not truly visibly different unless held up to light
Sample
Third Run—the Taffy run, again, slightly less opaque but more grippy than first.
Sample
Fourth Run—Where the change becomes more apparent. Much less opaque, almost a wax paper transparency
Sample
Fifth Run—Similar to today’s champion plastic, nearly translucent
Sample

Written Weight
First Run—weight is written big across the entire nipple and the mold letter is written on the flight plate
Teebird (TL)
Firebird (FL)
Valkyrie (VK combined)
Leopard (L)
Eagle (E)
Second Run—Some very early second runs will have the weight and mold written similar to above, but for the most part, the weight is written large across the nipple and the mold is squeezed inside the nipple.
Sample
Third thru Fifth run—Written like modern discs with the weight and molds both written on the nipple and about the same size.
And finally,

Mold
First and Second Runs—All L-Molded. So, what this means is that you will have Eagle-L’s, Firebird-L’s, Teebird-L’s, Valkyries and Leopards ONLY. From what I was told, Innova did this to combat the increased initial cost of CE discs by making the discs more user friendly and less overstable.
Third Runs—Introduced X-molds except teebirds. So TL’s, EL/EX, FL/FX, Leopards and Valkyries
Fourth Run—Same as third run but added T-molded Teebirds (THIS IS THE ONLY RUN OF THESE).
Fifth Run—Same as third and fourth, except the T-molds went away in favor of the swoosh stamped “ce teebird”.

This is more of a general reference. I have heard discussion of a 2nd1/2 run and a sixth run, we won’t discuss those here.

[ThrowdiscsMA]

Did they make first run ce leopards in black and purple?

[ZAMson]

Effort acknowledged and much appreciated!

[AndyJB]

This is actually really handy. I don't have any CE, but I do browse the ol' Feebay on occasion and see a fair amount of CE stuff going for way more than I feel it's worth, as well as the occasional people who don't realize exactly what they've got. This is a great refrence...good work on this thread!

[jcrab66]

thanks for putting this together, gonna have to take a look at what i have when i get home but I am fairly certain that neither my eagle or teebird throwers can be seen through, even when held up to the light

[MrFixIt]

Thanks apdrvya for sharing your expertise.

[moose-mdg]

i tried to talk you into this for a few years now...glad you finally got it going...tough task...now we need to get it a sticky so it stays at the top...

[chambers]

Originally Posted by moose-mdg

i tried to talk you into this for a few years now...glad you finally got it going...tough task...now we need to get it a sticky so it stays at the top...

Sticky 2nded! Nice work apdrvya!


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[Prototype]

If you are including late run TLs into the mix, then dont you want to put up the stamp types of them to or are you only really concerned with earlier run stuff? I have Lance Armstrong and mini swoosh stamps if you want to add pics of them. If you don't thats fine too. Just thought I'd contribute.

[bdodson]

can you post pictures of the sample run discs with the white streak test as well?