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Metapod

Metapod — Base Set #54/102

Grass Common · Stage 1

The Metapod is card #54/102 in the 1999 Pokemon Game Base Set (Wizards of the Coast) — the set that launched the Pokemon Trading Card Game. It is a common Grass-type Stage 1 card, issued across four printings: 1st Edition, Shadowless, Unlimited and the 1999-2000 (4th) print. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 4,746 copies have been graded, with only 1,226 earning a PSA 10 (Gem Mint) — a sense of how scarce top-grade examples are.

Print variants & how to tell them apart

Metapod 1st Edition
1st Edition
The 'Edition 1' stamp — a black circle containing the number 1 — sits just left of the artwork, below the art box. Shadowless template (no drop shadow). Rarest / most valuable.
Metapod Shadowless
Shadowless
Same first-print template as 1st Edition but WITHOUT the stamp. No drop shadow behind the art box; brighter, more zoomed-in art. Key tell vs Unlimited: the extra '99' in the copyright line.
Metapod Unlimited
Unlimited
No stamp; a drop shadow appears behind the right edge of the art box (Pokémon only — Trainers never got the shadow). Bolder HP text, slightly zoomed-out art. Copyright omits the '99'. By far the most common (print runs 2–7).
Metapod 1999–2000 (4th Print)
1999–2000 (4th Print)
Visually identical to Unlimited EXCEPT the copyright reads ©1999-2000. The eighth and final (smallest) English print run — collector shorthand calls it the '4th print'. Distributed mainly in the UK, also Australia and the USA.
Shown: the Unlimited scan -- the 1999-2000 print is identical except the (c)1999-2000 date. A true scan is coming.

Graded population (PSA & SGC)

GraderTotal109872–61Auth
1st Edition
PSA2,60367499353922017052
SGC90332100
Shadowless
PSA9052173431527711411
SGC70122200
Unlimited
PSA1,072283471180667110
SGC163830200
1999–2000 (4th Print)
PSA1344964135300
PSA & SGC graded population by printing & grade. PSA Unlimited includes copies graded before PSA flagged the 1st Edition / Shadowless varieties; SGC does not separate the 1999-2000 print.

Card details

Type
Grass
Stage
Stage 1
HP
70
Evolves from
Caterpie
Weakness
Fire ×2
Retreat
2
Artist
Ken Sugimori
Pokedex #
11

Attacks

Stiffen [Colorless Colorless]
Flip a coin. If heads, prevent all damage done to Metapod during your opponent's next turn. (Any other effects of attacks still happen.)
20Stun Spore [Grass Grass]
Flip a coin. If heads, the Defending Pokémon is now Paralyzed.
It is vulnerable to attack because its shell is soft, exposing its weak and tender body.

Prices & where to buy

Unlimited market $0.94 via TCGplayer
VariantMarketTCGplayereBay
1st Edition$27.88TCGplayereBay
Shadowless$5.18TCGplayereBay
Unlimited$0.94TCGplayereBay
1999–2000 (4th Print)——eBay
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.

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Notable variant / error

All 1st Edition and Shadowless Metapod read 'HP 70' instead of '70 HP'.

About the print variants

Base Set cards come in four printings: 1st Edition (Edition-1 stamp), Shadowless (no stamp, no drop shadow, the extra '99' in the copyright), Unlimited (drop shadow, most common), and the 1999-2000 (4th print) (like Unlimited but the copyright reads (c)1999-2000). Machamp is the exception -- it is always 1st-Edition-stamped.

Frequently asked questions

What is the 1999 Pokemon Base Set Metapod card?

The Metapod is card #54/102 in the 1999 Pokemon Game Base Set by Wizards of the Coast, the first English Pokemon Trading Card Game set. It is a common Grass-type card and exists in four printings: 1st Edition, Shadowless, Unlimited and the 1999-2000 print.

How can I tell which printing of the Metapod I have?

Check three tells: a 1st Edition has the black 'Edition 1' stamp at the lower-left of the artwork; a Shadowless has no stamp AND no drop shadow on the right of the art box (plus an extra '99' in the copyright line); Unlimited has the drop shadow and is by far the most common; the 1999-2000 print looks like Unlimited but its copyright reads (c)1999-2000.

How rare is a graded Metapod?

Across PSA and SGC, roughly 4,746 copies of the Metapod have been graded, of which only 1,226 earned a PSA 10 (Gem Mint). Mid-grade copies are obtainable, but gem-mint examples are genuinely scarce.

Which printing of the Metapod is most valuable?

The 1st Edition is the most valuable printing - around $27.88 on TCGplayer versus about $0.94 for Unlimited, with Shadowless in between. Holofoil and condition push values higher still.

More Grass-type Base Set cards

Sources: pokemontcg.io, PSA & SGC population reports, and live TCGplayer market data. Card data, variants & population compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-06-30.

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