Zapdos is card #15/62 in the 1999 Pokemon Fossil set (Rare Holo, holofoil), the third English Pokemon TCG expansion (Wizards of the Coast, October 1999). It was printed in 1st Edition and Unlimited. PSA has graded about 10,519 copies across its printings. It is one of the set's marquee 1st Edition holo chase cards.
Print variants & how to tell them apart
1st Edition
The 'Edition 1' stamp — a black circle containing the number 1 — sits just left of the artwork, below the art box. The artwork and drop shadow are identical to Unlimited; the stamp is the only difference. The first, scarcest and most valuable English printing.
Unlimited
No 'Edition 1' stamp. Identical artwork and drop shadow to the 1st Edition card. By far the most common printing. Fossil never had a Shadowless print, so there is no copyright-line tell — only the missing stamp separates Unlimited from 1st Edition.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
Grader
Total
10
9
8
7
2–6
1
Auth
1st Edition
PSA
5,606
378
1,924
1,645
690
945
23
1
SGC
75
0
12
29
17
16
0
1
Unlimited
PSA
4,913
121
1,259
1,410
843
1,251
29
0
PSA & SGC graded population by printing & grade. PSA Unlimited includes copies graded before PSA flagged the 1st Edition variety; SGC does not separate the 1999-2000 print.
For each of your opponent's Benched Pokémon, flip a coin. If heads, this attack does 20 damage to that Pokémon. (Don't apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokémon.) Then, Zapdos does 10 damage times the number of tails to itself.
A legendary thunderbird Pokémon whose anger is said to cause storms. Some say it has lived above the clouds for thousands of years.
Market values are live TCGplayer prices for each printing. A dash means TCGplayer has no separate or active listing for that variant (e.g. 1999-2000). As an eBay Partner & affiliate we may earn from qualifying purchases.
Documented holofoil variation: the top-left 'Evolution box' area is cut out of the foil (a non-holo gap), on both 1st Edition and Unlimited. Featured on one of the three Fossil booster wrappers. The Tempest/Thunderstorm Gift Box later issued a Cosmos-holo Zapdos with a (c)1999-2000 date -- the only 1999-2000-dated holo in Fossil.
About the print variants
Fossil cards come in two English printings: 1st Edition (with the Edition-1 stamp left of the art) and Unlimited (no stamp). Unlike Base Set there is no Shadowless print -- the art and drop shadow are identical, so the stamp is the only tell. The 47 non-holo cards also exist in a scarce Australian 1999-2000 'Red Logo' print (the copyright reads (c)1999-2000 and the stock is glossier).
Frequently asked questions
How many Zapdos (Fossil #15/62) cards have been graded?
PSA has graded about 10,519 Zapdos from the 1999 Pokemon Fossil set (5,606 1st Edition, 4,913 Unlimited); SGC has graded about 75.
What is the difference between 1st Edition and Unlimited
1st Edition and Unlimited Zapdos are identical except the stamp: 1st Edition carries a black 'Edition 1' stamp to the left of the art box, while Unlimited has none. Fossil has no Shadowless print, so the stamp is the only tell.
How much is a Zapdos worth?
The TCGplayer market price for Zapdos is about $39.88 for Unlimited and about $128.31 for 1st Edition.
Does Zapdos have a known error or variation?
Documented holofoil variation: the top-left 'Evolution box' area is cut out of the foil (a non-holo gap), on both 1st Edition and Unlimited. Featured on one of the three Fossil booster wrappers. The Tempest/Thunderstorm Gift Box later issued a Cosmos-holo Zapdos with a (c)1999-2000 date -- the only 1999-2000-dated holo in Fossil.
Sources: card data from the Pokemon TCG API (pokemontcg.io); graded population from PSA & SGC population reports; market prices from TCGplayer; variant scans from the Pokemon TCG API + PriceCharting; set and variant facts from Bulbapedia. Compiled & maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-08-31.
