Ultimate Box - The Ultimate Guide

[Timster]

As many of you know, the Ultimate Box was released in Japan on 27 February 2008. This was released as a limited edition box set, with no more than 5000 copies made. However, by the end of 2008, stocks had dried up, and cheaper copies from China started to appear on eBay. These became more and more popular on eBay, until people started to realise that they are different to the original Japanese release. These fake copies are still available today, and the genuine Ultimate Box is now extremely hard to find below £100.

 

This topic is designed to show fans ALL the differences between the two versions, not just the obvious ones. I am fortunate enough to finally have a genuine copy, and I hope these pictures will help you find one too.

______________________________

 

 

1. The outer box

-The fake version looks more yellow than the genuine copy, and you may well find ridges and dents along the edges of the fake box, where it has been squashed inwards. In fact, many fakes on eBay appear to bend inwards slightly, behind the shrinkwrap.

 

-Also notice that the pattern on the fake copy is reversed. You may ask yourself "how can the text be the correct way round?" - the Chinese actually scanned the booklet and used it as the cover!

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/ShuttleDiscovery/P1000380.jpg

 

2. The front covers

-I just mentioned how the fake version used the original booklet as the front cover, these four pictures should explain this better. As you can see, there are lots of differences between both versions when you compare the pattern.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/ShuttleDiscovery/P1000385.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/ShuttleDiscovery/P1000386.jpg

 

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/ShuttleDiscovery/P1000383.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/ShuttleDiscovery/P1000384.jpg

 

3. The left side

-The text "Celine Dion Ultimate Box" is larger on the fake copy, and if you look very carefully you will find it is a slightly different font to the official Taking Chances design.

 

-Although it's not clear to see in the photo, the edges along each side of this inside box are smooth/rounded in the original, but the face is completely flat on the fake copy.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/ShuttleDiscovery/P1000382.jpg

 

4. The right side

-Not that much difference here, but you can see the pattern from the front cover runs onto the edge on the fake copy.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/ShuttleDiscovery/P1000388.jpg

 

5. The bottom

-You will find here that the text is much clearer on the genuine copy, as it hasn't been scanned.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/ShuttleDiscovery/P1000389.jpg

 

6. The "obi strip" card

-There is a big difference between these items. The genuine copy is printed on light, thin card. The headings for each CD (Disc 1, Disc 2, etc.) are written in cream (not white). The fake copy is printed on thick, glossy card, and ALL text is white. Again, due to the scanning, the text is not as clear on the fake copy.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/ShuttleDiscovery/P1000390.jpg

 

7. Inside the box

Here is the most obvious difference - the disc trays!

 

-When you open the genuine copy, the 2 CDs are stacked on the left, and the 3 DVDs are on the right. The hinges on the trays are on the outer edge, so that they open outwards. If you look closely down the middle, you will find that the pattern is faintly printed inside on the black.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/ShuttleDiscovery/P1000396.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/ShuttleDiscovery/P1000398.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/ShuttleDiscovery/P1000399.jpg

 

-The fake copy is totally different inside. Instead, all 5 discs are stacked together on the right hand side, and there is no pattern visible inside.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/ShuttleDiscovery/P1000393.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/ShuttleDiscovery/P1000395.jpg

 

8. The discs

-If you look closely at these 2 photos, you will see there is yet another different font used in the fake version. You can also see the genuine discs are shinier.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/ShuttleDiscovery/P1000397.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/ShuttleDiscovery/P1000394.jpg

 

9. The discography booklet

-The first inside page of this booklet should show the pattern again. However, the Chinese scanner obviously wasn't that good! Instead, several white marks are visible.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/ShuttleDiscovery/P1000401.jpg

 

-On another page in the fake booklet, the photo of Celine has a green strip along the top, unlike the original:

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/ShuttleDiscovery/P1000403.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/ShuttleDiscovery/P1000402.jpg

 

-In the actual discography section at the back, there are several orange marks on the page, again probably due to scanning:

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/ShuttleDiscovery/P1000404.jpg

 

-My copy also has black ink over the TC album cover:

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/ShuttleDiscovery/P1000406.jpg

 

-And finally, the last page in the booklet is a different colour to the rest!

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/ShuttleDiscovery/P1000409.jpg

 

10. The lyrics booklet

When you look at both booklets side by side, you will find you can see through the genuine booklet as the paper isn't as thick. Also, throughout the fake booklet you will find black dots on the pages (probably where the scanner has picked up dust). Like with the other scanned items, the text is not as clear as the genuine booklet.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk17/ShuttleDiscovery/P1000411.jpg

 

Edited December 26, 2010 at 02:37 PM by Timster

[Alex_Incognito]

Well done, Tim!!!!

 

I purchased the set right as it was released in Japan.

 

I understand the horror you felt when getting the wrong one. The same thing happened with the Carpenters 40th Anniversary Box Set. There weren't many copies made in Japan, and when China created bootlegs it was a mess to try to find a genuine copy. It took me 2 years! It had an obvious error, the side of the "Made in America" album said "Maade in America."

 

Glad you found the real one!

[Der_Griffon]

I also have a fake one, but the CDs and DVDs are separated like with the genuine one. i though it was genuine because of that for a very long time, but now I know it's not. There's also a playback error with the music videos DVD - it stops playing in the middle of the last video.

[AllCeline]

WHOA!!! Omg, I'm glad you posted this. I was JUST ABOUT to buy one of the cheap coppies from ebay.

 

Omg... what perfect timing!!

[J-Man]

Handy topic Tim. I'm glad I bought a genuine from Japan as soon as they were released and avoided the headache.

People should be aware that, as we are talking about bootlegs here, the errors that you have discovered on your fake copy may not be the same on their copy, but all in all you have shown many good clues to help collectors avoid making a costly mistake.

[Davey84]

thank you for this great guide Tim!! That's really good of you! And I hope it'll help people who are tempted to buy a fake copy!!

 

I got mine from hmv.co.jp back in the day, so thank god I have a genuine copy!

[celine4evauk]

Thanks for all the pictures. Iwas convinced i had a fake copy, so it was great to be able to find out for sure what it was. Genuine, yay!!

[CELINO]

Thank you for this guide! It's very interesting and useful! Great job, friend

[RomualdlovesCeline]

I made a topic about the box and pointed out that there's an ebayer who is still offering the ultimate box for 50$.

 

You can also find out the fake ones if you use Imgburn; when you insert your DVD into it if you have a fake one it will put on the screen that the tool used to burn the DVD is Nero; if it's official, it shouldn't be Nero but some other company that has LTD or something with it.

 

I was really happy that I got it off ebay but when I saw that the person has tons of copies of the box while it has been out-of-stock for nearly 2 years now I understood that I got ricked.

 

Thanks for the guide; mine is fake for sure

[Leanne]

I have a fake one.. It was $30,- But i have to say i'm still happy with it:P as long as I think for me 130,- is to much for the genuine box

 

Thanks for posting!

[CELINE MARIE]

for me is a small difference,even the fake is expensive

[Dionesque]

Thank you for this useful topic!!! I didn't know about the fakes and I panicked now that mine is one as I bought it second-hand but now I'm sure it is genuine! :wub;

Actually I bought it in mid 2008 so I guess on that time there weren't many fakes around yet.

Plus, mind was neatly sealed in a plastic with one small hole in the front and one small hole in the back - the holes allow the air to go out off the plastic so the package won't blow off.

And on that plastic protecting sleeva I have a black advert sticker that lists the names of all 5 discs and the original price.

[Dionesque]

Just for the records, here's the sticker that can be found on genuine box. It's placed on the plastic protecting sleeve.

 

http://i54.tinypic.com/opcp4l.jpg

[Der_Griffon]

I had that same sticker on my fake box, too.

[Timster]

Just for the records, here's the sticker that can be found on genuine box. It's placed on the plastic protecting sleeve.

 

http://i54.tinypic.com/opcp4l.jpg

 

The fakes are sealed with that sticker too!!

[Dionesque]

Hmm, than how you recognize it's fake? When it has the same sticker and when the CDs are organizes the same way as in ther genuine box? Does these "well made" fakes still have some differences? Like the reverse pattern on the front or such??

[Timster]

Hmm, than how you recognize it's fake? When it has the same sticker and when the CDs are organizes the same way as in ther genuine box? Does these "well made" fakes still have some differences? Like the reverse pattern on the front or such??

 

I think DerGriffon said they have a slightly different fake copy, but most of the differences from the genuine are the same, so just check carefully with the pictures in the first post

[Dionesque]

Well, I checked mine and I'd say it's genuine (that's what I voted for in the poll).

 

1) My copy has the correct pattern on the front outter box (no reversed pattern), it's the opposite to the pattern on the booklet's front cover.

2) The CDs/DVDs are organized same way as in the genuine one (2 CDs on the left, 3 DVDs on the right) and the "wings" with the discs open to the outwards.

3) The printing on obi is not all white, the "disc 1", "disc 2" etc. titles are printed in cream colour.

 

Still, some of you say you've got these things too on your copies and stipp tell they are fakes?...

That's what makes me very confused...

 

Besides, when you (who have fakes) purchased them?? Maybe that will give me a hint? I bought my copy in September 2008 so not that long after the box has been originally released.

Did you purchased fakes in 2008 already or only later on?

[Der_Griffon]

I definitely bought it mid-2009 from a seller from the US. Except for the sticker, the only other thing that is the same as the genuine box is the order of the cds and dvds. That is way, for a very long time, I thought I had the original.

[Timster]

Besides, when you (who have fakes) purchased them?? Maybe that will give me a hint? I bought my copy in September 2008 so not that long after the box has been originally released.

Did you purchased fakes in 2008 already or only later on?

 

The fakes started apppearing in the summer of 2008. I ended up with one in November 2008.

[Dionesque]

Does all fakes you own or have seen got the reverse pattern on the outter box?

May this be a proof whether it's genuine or not? Or are there some fakes with correct (not reverted) pattern on the front side of the outter box? (I'm talking all the time about the outside covering box, not about the insode-box that holds the discs.)

Edited January 14, 2011 at 10:30 PM by Dionesque

[Der_Griffon]

Well, sorry I made a point about something you weren't talking about then.

Anyway, we don't know of a fake with the regular pattern yet.

[Dionesque]

Thank you for your reply, Der Griffon - that quite calmes me down.

Besides, my box has really neat, I'd say Japanese feel to it, it doesn't look sloppy or cheap, it has no bents or dents...

Back than when I bought my box I used only to see those cheap fakes with less CDs in them. Guess the "well-made" fakes weren't that common back than. I bought mine from a reseller in Poland, not off eBay, it wasn't a Chinese seller. So I really like to think that my box is indeed a genuine one.

[Javito]

Thank you for your reply, Der Griffon - that quite calmes me down.

Besides, my box has really neat, I'd say Japanese feel to it, it doesn't look sloppy or cheap, it has no bents or dents...

Back than when I bought my box I used only to see those cheap fakes with less CDs in them. Guess the "well-made" fakes weren't that common back than. I bought mine from a reseller in Poland, not off eBay, it wasn't a Chinese seller. So I really like to think that my box is indeed a genuine one.

 

I bought mine from a seller in the US

[Dionesque]

Yes, I noticed most of you bought them from US sellers but there are way more Chinese sellers in the US than in Poland, for that matter, especially such who speak fluent Polish.

[Matej]

Absolutely the ultimate guide, great topic! I'm glad I bought a genuine copy from eil.com sometimes in 2008.

[pichon]

A HUGE thank you for the explanation: I bought one copy as soon as the "Ultimate box" came out, and now I understand that I got the original version, as everything on your genuine copy looks like mine.

 

How happy I am: I've to admit that when I found this post I was truly scared, because I remembered the outer colour of the boxset more "yellowish" as the one on the right in the first photo (fake) and non so grey as the left one.

And it definitely is so: it's the only strange thing that makes me confused.... but, as said before, I checked ALL your points and ALL match with the genuine one

[zoe marie]

I've just found this and think it's a fake but a little guidence would be gratefully received???

Possible fake Ultimate Box for sale Possible fake Ultimate Box's pics

Edited January 11, 2012 at 11:43 AM by zoe marie

[Der_Griffon]

It's fake.

[zoe marie]

It's fake.

 

Thought so! Thanks