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Old Pokémon cards: first edition, shadowless and unlimited
An old Pokémon card can exist in several prints that look almost the same, and the difference between them decides most of the value. The three that matter most in the first English sets are 1st Edition, shadowless and unlimited. Here is how to recognise them, which sets have which prints, and how to tell an old card from the reprints made in the same style.
Quick facts
| Wizards era | The English sets from Base Set 1999 to Skyridge 2003 |
|---|---|
| 1st Edition | Black stamp on the left below the artwork. The first print |
| Shadowless | Early print of Base Set without a shadow by the artwork frame |
| Unlimited | The later, larger print. No stamp |
| Base Set has no set symbol | Other sets have a symbol, usually on the right below the artwork |
| Most common mix-up | Reprints such as Base Set 2, Evolutions and the anniversary sets |
The Wizards era
The first English Pokémon cards were published by Wizards of the Coast, with Base Set in January 1999 as the first set and Skyridge in May 2003 as the last. After that the cards were published by Pokémon USA, which later became The Pokémon Company International, with EX Ruby & Sapphire as the first set. Cards from the Wizards period can be recognised by the Wizards name in the copyright line at the bottom of the card. It is in those sets that 1st Edition and shadowless exist.
1st Edition
The 1st Edition stamp is the word Edition in an arc over a black circle with a number one. It sits on the left just below the artwork, opposite the set symbol, and appears on cards from the first print of a set, which was smaller than the later ones. A card with the stamp is therefore worth more than the same card without it, and the more sought-after the card, the bigger the difference.
The stamp exists in the English sets from Base Set up to and including Neo Destiny. Base Set 2, Legendary Collection and the e-Card sets have no 1st Edition.
Shadowless
Shadowless applies only to English Base Set. It is an early print where the frame around the artwork lacks the grey shadow along the right edge. Compare with a regular Base Set card: on unlimited the artwork box looks slightly raised, because the shadow is there. Shadowless cards also have thinner text for HP and attacks, and the copyright line differs. Shadowless and 1st Edition read "© 1995, 96, 98, 99 Nintendo, Creatures, GAMEFREAK. © 1999 Wizards.", and on unlimited 99 is missing from the first part. Trainer and energy cards have no shadow to compare, so there the copyright line is the only sign.
Almost all 1st Edition cards from Base Set are shadowless, but there are also shadowless cards without the stamp, and those are usually what the word refers to.
Unlimited and the later prints
Unlimited is the print made after the first ones, without a stamp and, in Base Set, with a shadow by the artwork frame. It was printed in larger numbers and is the most common in old collections. Base Set also exists in a later print usually called fourth print. It looks like unlimited but has the copyright line "© 1999-2000 Wizards." The same year range appears on Base Set 2, so also check that the card has no set symbol and a number out of 102.
The set symbols in the first sets
| Base Set | No symbol |
|---|---|
| Jungle | A flower |
| Fossil | A skeleton hand |
| Base Set 2 | A number two whose curve is a Poké Ball |
| Team Rocket | A black R |
The symbol sits on the right just below the artwork, and in the e-Card sets in the card's lower right corner. If it is missing on a card that looks like Base Set, the card is from Base Set. The full list of sets is in the guide to the Pokémon sets.
Reprints that resemble the old cards
| Base Set 2 | Cards from Base Set and Jungle reprinted in 2000, with their own set symbol and without 1st Edition. |
|---|---|
| Legendary Collection | Reprints from Base Set, Jungle, Fossil and Team Rocket in 2002, where the reverse holo has a pattern resembling fireworks. |
| Evolutions | The Base Set artwork in 2016, largely in the old layout but with modern rules text, numbers out of 108, the Evolutions set symbol and the copyright line ©2016 Pokémon. |
| Celebrations Classic Collection | Reprints of well-known cards for the 25th anniversary in 2021, with the original number, the anniversary logo in the lower right corner of the artwork and without Wizards in the copyright line. |
| 30th Celebration Classic Collection | Reprints of well-known cards for the 30th anniversary in 2026, among them Charizard 4/102, with the original number, a gold frame, the 30th anniversary logo and without Wizards in the copyright line. |
Early Japanese cards
The Pokémon TCG came out in Japan in October 1996, several years before the English sets. The cards in the Japanese base set exist both with and without a rarity symbol, and the version without, called no rarity, is considered the earlier print. A Japanese card is only compared with other Japanese cards.
How to go through an old collection
- Sort out the cards with Wizards of the Coast in the copyright line.
- Look for the 1st Edition stamp on the left below the artwork.
- Check the Base Set cards for the shadow by the artwork frame.
- Identify the set by the symbol and the number.
- Assess the condition in strong light: corners, edges, scratches and centring.
- Put the best cards in a penny sleeve and toploader right away. See the guide to protecting your cards.
Frequently asked questions
- Are all old Pokémon cards valuable? No. Most are unlimited cards printed in large runs.
- Where is the 1st Edition stamp? On the left just below the artwork.
- How can I tell that a card is shadowless? The frame around the artwork has no shadow along the right edge. This applies only to Base Set.
- Are the Evolutions cards old? No, they are reprints from 2016 with the Base Set artwork. They have numbers out of 108 and the copyright line ©2016 Pokémon.
- Is the card worth anything without the stamp? Yes, but usually considerably less. The condition and which Pokémon it is decide.
Read more about valuable Pokémon cards, how to tell that a card is genuine and old sealed boxes.
Shop: Pokémon at Bangerpack.
Written by those of us who run Bangerpack. Range and prices change continuously. What applies when you read this is shown in the category.
