Pokémon Base Set: 1st Edition vs Shadowless vs Unlimited

Base Set was the first English Pokémon TCG expansion, released on 9 January 1999 (the Japanese original came out in October 1996). Because it sold in such huge numbers it was printed more than once, and the differences between print runs matter a great deal to collectors and graders. They are easy to spot once you know where to look.

How many English Base Set print runs are there?

Four. In order they are 1st Edition (stamped, no shadow), Shadowless (no stamp, no shadow), Unlimited (drop shadow and bolder text) and a final Unlimited run whose copyright line reads ©1999–2000. All four have the same 102 cards; only these print details tell them apart, as the table shows.

Bulbapedia describes the second run as "identical to the 1st Edition print except for the absence of the 1st Edition stamp", and the fourth as "identical to the Unlimited print except for the updated copyright line".

Is my Base Set card 1st Edition, Shadowless or Unlimited?

Check three things in order. A small Edition 1 stamp on the front means 1st Edition. No stamp and no drop shadow beside the picture frame means Shadowless. A drop shadow means Unlimited, and if the copyright line at the bottom ends 1999–2000, it is the fourth print run.

1. 1.

   1. Look for the stamp

   A 1st Edition card has a small "Edition 1" symbol printed on the front. Bulbapedia says the symbol usually sits on the opposite side from the set symbol; Base Set cards have no set symbol at all, so simply look for the stamp near the picture frame. If it is there, you have a 1st Edition card.

2. 2.

   2. Look at the picture frame

   On Unlimited cards there is a darker drop shadow along the edge of the frame around the illustration. On 1st Edition and Shadowless cards that shadow is missing, so the yellow border meets the picture cleanly. Comparing two cards side by side makes it obvious.

3. 3.

   3. Compare the HP and attack text

   Shadowless and 1st Edition cards use thinner lettering for the HP and attack text. Unlimited cards are bolder.

4. 4.

   4. Read the copyright line

   At the bottom of the card, check the year at the end of the line. If it says 1999–2000, it is the fourth print run. On Trainer and Energy cards, Bulbapedia notes another tell: Shadowless cards read "© 1995, 96, 98, 99 Nintendo", while Unlimited cards omit the 99.

Thin stamp and thick stamp

English 1st Edition holo cards come in two stamp variants, known as thin stamp and thick stamp, which refer to the width of the "1" in the stamp. Serious collectors track them separately.

Is the ©1999–2000 print a "UK print"?

You will often see the fourth run called the "UK 4th print". Collector forum posts claim it was printed in the UK in early 2000, but we have not found an official Wizards of the Coast or grading company source that confirms where it was printed, and Bulbapedia does not call it a UK print. What is certain is the copyright line. Whether a grading label names this print separately is not consistent, so if it matters to you, check the certificate record before you buy.

How do you tell Base Set from Base Set 2?

Look at the set symbol and the card number. Original Base Set cards have no set symbol and are numbered out of 102. Base Set 2, a separate reprint set from February 2000, has a small 2 symbol and numbers out of 130, and it never had a 1st Edition print.

Base Set 2 was released on 24 February 2000. It is a 130-card English-only set made up of reprints from Base Set and Jungle, and it never had a 1st Edition print run. Bulbapedia notes it was also the first English expansion to use the "Cosmos" holofoil pattern. Two quick ways to tell it apart from the original:

• Base Set cards have no set symbol. Base Set 2 cards have a small "2" symbol.
• Base Set card numbers end in /102. Base Set 2 numbers end in /130.

What should you check before buying a graded Base Set card?

A graded slab should say which print it is. Before you buy, look the certificate number up on the grader's own website and check that the card and the print variety on record match the card in the slab, and that the card itself shows the right features (stamp, shadow, copyright line). See our UK grading guide, or browse our graded cards and the raw cards in our singles shop, each photographed as sold so you can check those features yourself.

Are there Shadowless Base Set cards in other languages?

Base Set was also released in Dutch, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean and Chinese, with most languages getting both 1st Edition and Unlimited runs. Shadowless is an English-only feature: Bulbapedia notes that 1st Edition prints in other languages used the same design as their Unlimited prints, with the shadow, and differ only by the stamp.

Before you buy or sell

• Early prints are a target for counterfeiters: ICv2's report on PSA's 2025 fraud figures lists the 1st Edition Shadowless Charizard (#4) among the five Pokémon cards most often submitted as fakes. Check the edge, back and text as described in our guide to fakes.
• A stamp can be faked onto an Unlimited card. If the card has a stamp and a drop shadow (and is not Machamp), something is wrong.
• Condition matters as much as the print. See our condition guide.
• To value a card, compare sold prices for the same card, print and condition. Our guide on valuing old cards explains how. If you would like an offer, see sell your cards.