This list is in the order that the sets had their designs finalized (sent to be printed). It may not be exactly the same as the order they were released.
start with no copyright date
Alpha
Beta
Collector's Edition
International Collector's Edition
Unlimited
switch to slightly larger art box
Arabian Nights
Antiquities
switch to tilted T tap symbol
Revised
switch to Large 1994 copyright date
Legends
The Dark
Summer
switch to Medium 1994 copyright date
Sewers of Estark / Arena
Nalathni Dragon
Fallen Empires
black cards switch to text box without "chinks"
Italian black border
switch to Small 1994 copyright date
switch to tilted card with arrow tap symbol
French black border
German black border
Armada Comics promo
switch to Small 1995 copyright date
Windseeker Centaur
Ice Age promo cards (including Fylgia & Prismatic Ward)
switch to new white mana symbol here.
Italian white border 3rd
switch to lighter textbox color
French white border 3rd (Has Small 1994/1995 dates, 1994 cards copied directly from French FBB)
German white border 3rd
English 4th
English Ice Age
Italian The Dark
switch to new font here. now has dot instead of slash over lowercase i & j
Italian Legends
Italian Ice Age / French Ice Age / German Ice Age
English Chronicles
French Renaissance / German Renaissance
Italian Ranaissance
Italian 4th / French 4th / German 4th
Spanish black border 4th
Portuguese black border 4th
Spanish Ice Age / Portuguese Ice Age
Homelands (first set simultaneously released in all languages)
Rivals Quick Start (designed late 1995, released July 1996, Shepherd Poorman is slow)
switch to Medium 1996 copyright date
Chinese 4th (designed before Japanese, released after Japanese sold out, Shepherd Poorman is slow)
switch to Small 1996 copyright date
switch to text box with same width as art box
Japanese black border 4th
Korean 4th
I feel this list belongs in this thread. It is a work in progress, but should be pretty close to accurate.
Here is an image to show what the "chinks" are. Revised (on the right) has them circled. 4th Edition (on the left) does not have them.
There is more I'd like to say on the subject, but no time at the moment.
Hopefully soon.
Tav