Charizard

Why collectors notice it

Collectors look closely at which print they hold. Early runs such as 1st Edition and Shadowless are discussed far more than the common Unlimited printing, and condition matters a lot to how a card is described.

It is the reference point for the whole hobby. Nearly every later set is compared with it. Read more about Base Set.

A closer look

Reading this card

Start at the top left, where the stage label says Stage 2. An evolved card also names the Pokémon it grows from, which here is Charmeleon. A Stage 2 cannot be a starting Pokémon.

Next, find the rarity marker near the bottom. This card is a Holo Rare, so it is a Rare with a shiny, holographic area. The bottom strip lists Water as the Weakness and Fighting as the Resistance. Water attackers hit it harder, and Fighting attackers hit it softer. The Pokémon Power is printed apart from the attacks, so you can tell it is not an attack.

Base Set cards carry no set symbol, so use the "out of 102" number.

How it compares

Set it beside Blastoise. Both are Stage 2 finales of a starter line, both are Holo Rares, and both carry a Pokémon Power. Blastoise is Water with a Lightning Weakness.

Then compare it with Charizard ex from 2023. It is the same Pokémon and also a Stage 2 that evolves from Charmeleon, but it belongs to the modern Pokémon ex group, carries an Ability instead of a Pokémon Power, and is marked Double Rare. A Pokémon ex gives up extra Prize cards when knocked out. The 1999 card does not have that rule.

Questions readers ask

Does 1st Edition mean a better card?

It means an earlier print run. A 1st Edition card has a small stamp on the left, just below the artwork. Our rarity and finishes guide explains how print details differ from rarity.

What does a Pokémon Power do differently from an attack?

It is a special effect that is not an attack. Later eras renamed this idea Abilities. This site does not give prices.

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