Buying the latest expansion question.

If I buy the latest expansion it says it includes the previous expansions and content does this mean that say I buy the collector or premium versions or even the standard. Do I also get the same items that were included from the past expansion in those versions of its time or is it like a tough luck you missed out?

You get access to the previous and current (VoV) content in game (zones, quests, level cap increase, etc.), but you don't get the previous expansion's items, mounts, familiars, etc. that come with the collector/premium editions. So you do miss out on the "goodies"; however, those goodies are largely obsolete with the new expansion.