Shadows Over Innistrad Collation

Shadows Over Innistrad is a large set with 101 commons, 80 uncommons, 53 rares, 15 mythic rares, three variations of each standard basic land, and 33 double-faced cards. Not counting the double-faced cards, this is the normal size for a large set of this era. Foil cards are included in booster packs with advertised odds of 1 : 67 cards. The set was printed in English in the USA and Belgium.

Shadows Over Innistrad was sold in 15 card booster packs (which contain an additional ad card). Booster boxes have 36 packs.

US Pack Anatomy

The US printing uses sequential collation with C1/C2 common collation (slightly modified to account for fewer commons in each pack).

Packs are back-facing and have only 9 commons followed by 3 uncommons, a rare, and a common or uncommon double-faced card (DFC). The last two cards with be a basic land or checklist followed by an ad card. If there is a foil or rare or mythic rare double-faced card, it will appear after the common or uncommon double-faced card, displacing a common. It is not possible to get a rare or mythic rare double-faced card and a foil in the same pack. If there is a non-foil rare or mythic rare double-faced card, there will always be a rare checklist in the same pack.

Packs are evenly split between C1 commons and C2 commons. There are always 3 A commons. C1 packs have 1-2 B commons and 4-5 C1 commons. C2 packs have 2-3 B commons and 3-4 C2 commons.

When a foil appears in a pack, it will displace a common card. Common foils displace B commons and only appear in C2 packs. Uncommon foils displace C2 commons. Rare foils displace A commons and probably only occur in C1 packs. Double-faced foils displace C1 commons.

Rare and mythic rare double-faced cards also displace A commons and probably only occur in C2 packs.

As normal, uncommons are split into equal A and B runs with one or two A cards and one or two B cards appearing in each pack.

Double-faced commons and uncommons appear in a long 120 card run (probably a sheet with one filler) with each common appearing ten times and each uncommon appearing four times. The rare and mythic rare double-faced cards are collated separately. A rare or mythic rare double-faced card will appear 1/8 of the time.

Common Runs

The A common run consists of 33 different cards each appearing twice. The cards are alternating white and blue. The choice of first card is mostly arbitrary.

The B common run consists of 22 different cards each appearing three times. There are cards of all colors and colorless cards. The choice of first card is mostly arbitrary.

The C1 common run consists of 27 different cards each appearing twice plus Throttle, the short-printed common. It includes red, green, and black cards appearing mostly in that order. The choice of first card is mostly arbitrary.

The C2 common run consists of 18 different cards each appearing three times plus Throttle, the short-printed common. It includes red, green, and black cards appearing mostly in that order. The choice of first card is mostly arbitrary.

Uncommon Runs

The A uncommon run consists of 40 different cards each appearing three times. The choice of first card is mostly arbitrary.

The B uncommon run also consists of 40 different cards each appearing three times. The choice of first card is mostly arbitrary.

Double-faced Card Runs

The common and uncommon double-faced card run contains each common card ten times and each uncommon card four times.

Token Run

All of the marketing cards in Shadows Over Innistrad have a token or emblem on the front face. They are printed on an 11 × 11 sheet with different items appearing different numbers of times. The choice of first card is mostly arbitrary.

Token Rarity
Arlinn Kord Emblem × 1	Jace, Unraveler of Secrets Emblem × 1	Angel × 2
Human Cleric × 2	Ooze × 2	Devil × 4
Insect × 4	Vampire Knight × 4	Wolf × 4
Human Soldier × 7	Clue × 9	Clue × 9
Clue × 9	Clue × 9	Clue × 9
Clue × 9	Zombie × 16	Spirit × 20