Base Set 1st Edition, Shadowless and Unlimited: how to tell them apart
The three printings of the original 1999 Pokémon Base Set (plus Base Set 2 and the 1999-2000 print) side by side: the stamp, the missing shadow, the copyright line and the HP font, and what each printing of Charizard, Blastoise and Venusaur means for value.
The 1999 English Base Set was printed in several runs, and the same card from different runs can be worth a hundred times more or less. Sellers mislabel them constantly, sometimes by mistake and sometimes not. Here is how to read the printing off any Base Set card in a few seconds.
The three main printings
- 1st Edition. The first run. Every card carries a black "Edition 1" stamp (a "1" inside a circle with "EDITION" beside it) on the left side, just under the artwork box. 1st Edition cards are also Shadowless: the stamp and the missing shadow go together on Base Set. The scarcest and most valuable printing.
- Shadowless. The second run, the same print plates as 1st Edition with the stamp removed. No stamp, and no drop shadow along the right and bottom edge of the artwork box, so the box looks flat against the card. Thinner, lighter red HP text. Much scarcer than Unlimited and priced well above it.
- Unlimited. The big run that most people own. A drop shadow to the right of the artwork box, bolder HP text, slightly more saturated colours. No stamp. This is the "normal" Base Set card and the baseline price.
The copyright line is the tiebreaker
Along the bottom of the card, 1st Edition and Shadowless cards read "©1995, 96, 98 Nintendo, Creatures, GAMEFREAK. ©1999 Wizards." Unlimited cards add "99" after "98": "©1995, 96, 98, 99 Nintendo...". If the shadow is hard to judge from a photo, the copyright line settles it.
Two more printings people confuse with these
- Base Set 2 (2000). A reprint of Base Set and Jungle cards with a new set symbol (a "2" over a Poké Ball) next to the card number, and a different set size (130 cards). It looks like Unlimited but is its own set with its own, lower prices. Its Charizard is numbered 4/130, not 4/102.
- The "1999-2000" or 4th print. An Unlimited reprint whose copyright line reads "©1999-2000 Wizards" instead of "©1999 Wizards". Scarcer than regular Unlimited in some regions, and tracked separately by collectors.
How much the printing matters
The same Charizard in the same grade is priced in a different league for each printing. Compare the pages: Charizard Unlimited, Charizard Shadowless and Charizard 1st Edition, each with values by grade from recorded sales. The same ladder holds for Blastoise (Shadowless) and Venusaur Shadowless (1st Edition), and in smaller money for every holo and most of the rares in the set.
The mistakes sellers make
- Calling an Unlimited card "Shadowless" because the shadow is faint in the photo. Ask for the copyright line.
- Calling any old card "1st Edition" because it is from 1999. No stamp, no 1st Edition.
- Listing a Base Set 2 Charizard as Base Set. Check the set symbol and the "/130".
- Mixing up the stamp. Jungle, Fossil and later sets also have 1st Edition cards, but those sets are not Shadowless, and Jungle 1st Edition holos include a "no symbol" error print that is its own thing.
Grading and the printing
Grading companies print the printing on the label: "1st Edition", "Shadowless", or nothing for Unlimited. When buying a graded Base Set card, match the label text to the card in the photo (stamp present, shadow absent) and verify the cert; a Shadowless card in an Unlimited-labelled slab has been seen, and so has the reverse with a swapped label. How to verify a PSA cert covers the check.
Buying any of them
These are the most-watched cards in the hobby, so true bargains are rare and usually come from mislabelled listings: a Shadowless card listed as Unlimited at the Unlimited price, or an auction ending at a bad hour. The Pokémon deal feed reads the grader's label rather than the seller's title, so a Shadowless slab is priced against Shadowless comps even when the title gets it wrong.
See it live: every graded card auction and Buy It Now in the deal finder is priced against its recent sold comps.
Open the Deal Finder →Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Base Set Charizard is Shadowless?
Look at the right edge of the artwork box. No drop shadow means Shadowless; a shadow means Unlimited. Confirm with the copyright line: Shadowless reads ©1999 Wizards with no 99 in the date list; Unlimited reads 1995, 96, 98, 99.
Are all 1st Edition Base Set cards Shadowless?
Yes. The 1st Edition run used the Shadowless print plates, so every 1st Edition Base Set card is also Shadowless. The reverse is not true: Shadowless cards without the stamp are the second run.
Is Base Set 2 worth the same as Base Set?
No. Base Set 2 is a 2000 reprint with its own set symbol and a 130-card checklist. Its cards are priced well below the original Base Set Unlimited cards.
What does 4/102 mean on a Charizard?
Card 4 of a 102-card set. The original Base Set has 102 cards; Base Set 2 has 130, so a Charizard numbered 4/130 is from Base Set 2.