Base Set Charizard Value: 1st Edition, Shadowless and Unlimited
A 1999 Base Set Charizard 4/102 is worth about $334 ungraded for the common Unlimited print, about $983 for a Shadowless copy and about $7,700 for a 1st Edition, on PriceCharting's figures for October 20, 2026. A PSA 10 1st Edition is valued at about $334,000, and one sold for $550,000 at Heritage Auctions in December 2025. Reprints from Base Set 2, Legendary Collection and the Celebrations sets sell for less.
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| Version | Year | How to spot it | Raw |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Edition 4/102 | 1999 | Black "Edition 1" stamp at the lower left of the art; no shadow on the art box | $7,691.36 |
| Shadowless 4/102 | 1999 | No stamp, no shadow on the art box, thin HP lettering | $983.44 |
| Unlimited 4/102 | 1999 | Drop shadow along the right edge of the art box, bolder HP lettering | $333.70 |
| 1999-2000 print 4/102 | 2000 | Looks like Unlimited, but the copyright line reads 1999-2000 | $477.97 |
| Base Set 2 4/130 | 2000 | Numbered out of 130, with the Base Set 2 set symbol | $300.00 |
| Legendary Collection 3/110, holo | 2002 | Numbered 3/110, with the Legendary Collection set symbol | $334.86 |
| Legendary Collection 3/110, reverse holo | 2002 | "Fireworks" foil over the card outside the art, plain art | $2,945.59 |
| Celebrations Classic Collection 4/102 | 2021 | 25th anniversary logo by the art | $160.00 |
| 30th Celebration Classic Collection 4/102 | 2026 | Sparkly gold border and a 30th anniversary logo stamp | $174.29 |
PriceCharting ungraded values from completed sales, read October 20, 2026. Ungraded sales include damaged copies, so a clean raw card can sell for more. Prices move and are not guaranteed.
Base Set Charizard is card 4/102 of the first English Pokémon Trading Card Game set, released by Wizards of the Coast on January 9, 1999. It is a Stage 2 Fire-type with 120 HP, the Pokémon Power Energy Burn and the attack Fire Spin for 100 damage, illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita. The same card was printed several times, and the print is what sets the price.
How to tell 1st Edition, Shadowless and Unlimited apart
- Look for the stamp. A 1st Edition card has a small black "Edition 1" stamp at the lower left of the artwork. No stamp means Shadowless or Unlimited.
- Check the right edge of the art box. Unlimited cards have a drop shadow along the right side of the yellow frame around the art. Shadowless and 1st Edition cards do not.
- Compare the HP. On Unlimited cards the HP and attack text are printed in a bolder font; Shadowless copies have the thinner lettering of the first print.
- Read the copyright line. A copy dated 1999-2000 at the bottom is the later fourth print, which otherwise looks like Unlimited.
- Check for a set symbol and the number. Base Set has no set symbol. A Charizard numbered 4/130 is Base Set 2, and 3/110 is Legendary Collection.
A 1st Edition stamp together with a drop shadow is a warning sign: in Base Set, that combination is known only on Machamp, which came stamped in starter decks. A Charizard like that is almost certainly fake or altered.
Base Set Charizard price by grade
| Version | Raw | Grade 7 | Grade 8 | Grade 9 | PSA 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Edition | $7,691.36 | $22,549.75 | $29,000.00 | $31,900.00 | $334,421.05 |
| Shadowless | $983.44 | $4,000.01 | $5,925.50 | $11,197.15 | Few sales |
| Unlimited | $333.70 | $795.00 | $1,237.50 | $3,421.05 | $27,058.00 |
| 1999-2000 print | $477.97 | $1,719.13 | $2,166.52 | $5,585.24 | Few sales |
| Base Set 2 | $300.00 | $456.39 | $715.00 | $2,024.50 | $9,853.36 |
| Legendary Collection holo | $334.86 | $507.17 | $877.50 | $1,659.98 | $7,740.76 |
| Legendary Collection reverse holo | $2,945.59 | $7,230.45 | $13,424.50 | $20,094.49 | $178,585.71 |
| Celebrations (2021) | $160.00 | $140.50 | $147.50 | $174.70 | $473.84 |
PriceCharting values from completed sales, read October 20, 2026. Grades 7 to 9 mix grading companies; "Few sales" means PSA 10 copies change hands too rarely for a reliable figure. The 2026 30th Celebration reprint is too new for steady graded prices.
The steps between grades are steep at the top. A 1st Edition jumps from about $31,900 in grade 9 to about $334,000 in PSA 10, more than ten times, because so few copies earn the 10. Low grades still sell well: PSA 1 and PSA 3 1st Edition copies sold for about $9,000 to $11,000 between July and October 2026.
PSA population: how many exist
| Version | Graded by PSA | PSA 10s |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Edition | 5,383 | 123 (2.3%) |
| Shadowless | 13,006 | 58 (0.4%) |
| Unlimited | 99,246 | 486 (0.5%) |
| Base Set 2 | 21,754 | 70 (0.3%) |
| Legendary Collection reverse holo | 4,033 | 86 (2.1%) |
| Celebrations (2021) | 56,875 | 34,141 (60%) |
Shadowless PSA 10s are rarer than 1st Edition PSA 10s, but 1st Edition carries the bigger name, and the price follows the name. The 2021 Celebrations reprint shows the other end: modern printing grades 10 most of the time, so its PSA 10 is only about three times a raw copy.
Base Set Charizard record sales
- $550,000: PSA 10 1st Edition, Heritage Auctions, December 12–13, 2025, with buyer's premium; Heritage said it beat the previous public-auction record.
- $420,000: PSA 10 1st Edition, March 2022, as reported by TCGplayer.
- $325,700 to $362,900: PSA 10 1st Edition copies sold on eBay in May and June 2026 (PriceCharting's sales log).
- $46,360: PSA 8.5 1st Edition, Goldin, August 31, 2026.
Higher 2026 prices for PSA 10 1st Edition copies have been reported online, but we could not confirm them with an auction house, so they are not listed. For other cards, see the most expensive Pokémon cards.
How to spot a fake Base Set Charizard
- Check the text. A real one has 120 HP, the Pokémon Power Energy Burn, Fire Spin for 100 damage with four Fire Energy, Water weakness, Fighting resistance −30, a retreat cost of three, "Illus. Mitsuhiro Arita" and the number 4/102.
- Check the print markers. A 1st Edition stamp with a drop shadow, or a set symbol on a 4/102 card, means it is not an original Base Set copy.
- Compare it with a graded copy. Put it next to clear photos of a PSA or CGC example: font weight, border width, colors and the holo pattern should all match.
- Buy expensive copies graded. Look up the certification number on the grader's website and check that the photo and grade match the slab you are buying.
- Distrust the bargain. A "1st Edition" at a fraction of the prices above is almost always fake, damaged or a reprint.
Base Set cards in Godpack's packs
Each Godpack pack holds one real Pokémon card, a Near Mint raw card or a PSA or CGC slab, and shows its full odds before you open. On October 20, 2026, Godpack's packs held 72 Base Set cards (29 in Starter, 25 in Trainer, 13 in Arena and 5 in Master), 67 of them raw. None of them was a Base Set Charizard, so you cannot pull one right now. The nearest card was a PSA 10 Celebrations Classic Collection Charizard 4/102, the 2021 reprint, valued at $510 in the $100 Master pack.
| Card | Grade, pack and value |
|---|---|
| Hitmonchan 7/102 | PSA 9, Master pack, $500 |
| Machoke 34/102 | PSA 10, Master pack, $265.89 |
| Professor Oak 88/102 | PSA 10, Master pack, $200 |
| Chansey 3/102 | PSA 7, Master pack, $75 |
| Ninetales 12/102 | PSA 5, Master pack, $37 |
| Poliwrath 13/102 | Raw, Arena pack, $35.79 |
Godpack's live pack contents and listed values on October 20, 2026. Each card is a single copy and can be pulled at any time.
- Prices: Starter $1, Trainer $10, Arena $25, Ultra $50, Master $100; the demo is free.
- Shipping: $5 per card in the US, $10 to Canada. Ship any time within 7 days while the card is in your vault; after that it sells automatically.
- Selling back: card value minus a 5% fee, lower for VIP members.
Odds you can read are still odds
If you want a Base Set Charizard, buy the single, graded if it is expensive. Godpack packs suit people who enjoy opening: every pack is set to a 100% expected return, so the average card across the pool is worth the pack price, but any single pack can be worth more or less than you paid, and most pulls land in the lower tiers of the odds table.
Real packs are for people 18 or older, or the age of majority where you live if higher. Open them for collecting and fun, not to make money.
FAQ
How much is a Base Set Charizard worth?
On PriceCharting on October 20, 2026, an ungraded Base Set Charizard 4/102 was about $334 for Unlimited, $983 for Shadowless and $7,691 for 1st Edition. Graded copies are worth much more: a PSA 9 Unlimited was about $3,421.
How much is a 1st Edition Base Set Charizard PSA 10 worth?
PriceCharting valued it at $334,421.05 on October 20, 2026. One sold for $550,000 with buyer's premium at Heritage Auctions in December 2025.
How do I know if my Charizard is 1st Edition?
Look for a small black "Edition 1" stamp at the lower left of the artwork. A 1st Edition Base Set Charizard also has no drop shadow on the right edge of the art box.
How can I tell if my Base Set Charizard is Shadowless?
A Shadowless card has no 1st Edition stamp and no drop shadow along the right edge of the yellow art box, and its HP is printed in thinner lettering than on Unlimited copies.
Is a Base Set 2 Charizard worth anything?
Yes. The Base Set 2 Charizard 4/130 was about $300 ungraded and about $2,025 in grade 9 on PriceCharting in October 2026, less than an original Unlimited copy.
How many PSA 10 1st Edition Charizards are there?
About 123, out of roughly 5,400 1st Edition Charizards PSA has graded, according to the PSA census figures shown on PriceCharting in October 2026.
How do I spot a fake Base Set Charizard?
Check the text (120 HP, Energy Burn, Fire Spin for 100, number 4/102, no set symbol), make sure a 1st Edition stamp is not paired with a drop shadow, and buy expensive copies graded with a certification number you can look up.
Can I pull a Base Set Charizard on Godpack?
Not right now. On October 20, 2026, Godpack's packs held 72 Base Set cards but no Base Set Charizard. They did hold a PSA 10 Celebrations Classic Collection Charizard 4/102 reprint at $510 in the $100 Master pack.
Related pages
- Charizard card valuesEvery valuable Charizard, 1999 to today.
- Most expensive Pokémon cardsThe record sales across every Pokémon.
- PSA grading costFees and when grading pays off.
- What is my Pokémon card worth?How to price any card.
- Mega Charizard X exThe newest chase Charizard.
- Pokémon slabsGraded cards in Godpack's packs.
Open a pack with the odds up front
Every Godpack pack lists its full odds before you open. Start with the free demo or a $1 pack.