It is important to clarify a common misconception upfront: The item in question is a rare, officially licensed cover art set from Playboy’s “Special Edition” imprint, which celebrated major pop culture figures through stylized, non-nude cover art. What Is the “Playboy Special Edition”? Unlike the flagship magazine, Playboy ’s Special Editions (often sold on newsstands and via subscription) focused on themed collections—e.g., “Playboy’s Nudes,” “Playboy’s College Girls,” or “Playboy’s Celebrities.” These editions sometimes used existing licensed photoshoots (from red carpets, premieres, or stock publicity images) to create commemorative cover sets. The Selena Gomez Cover Set (c. 2014–2016) During the height of Gomez’s career with Stars Dance (2013) and Revival (2015), Playboy ’s Special Edition released a limited “Cover Set” —a small collectible box or folio containing 3–6 different “cover” cards featuring Gomez. These were not actual issues of the magazine but rather art prints mimicking the classic Playboy cover format (logo, issue date, tease lines).
