So, I only just noticed that world number ones get a special form of gold badge with the edge being gold as well as the centre.
Eg:
https://www.nationstates.net/page=deck/ ... 6/season=1
This card is first in the world for information technology (the nation still is, you can check). And it's not even an epic or legendary.
This leads me to wonder what the other cards with firsts are as the rankings may have changed since cards froze.
Anyway, go check your cards and post here if you find one