@Minty Magic, thanks, that's awesome. The tags are the same, so I guess it was just that they weren't quite ready to issue them with the hoof patches - or wanted to keep that more firmly into the year release or something? I don't know, but I do remember how some of the earlier retro ponies - namely the unipeg first set - had box releases both with and without 35th anniversary on the front. I saw both several times here. I forget which box release mine had though.
THe ones without may be collector limited release *lol* but I suspect in the long run most folk will want them with patches. But I honestly like the white unicorns better without.