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Pikachu

Pikachu — Base Set #58/102

Lightning Common · Basic

The Pikachu is card #58/102 in the 1999 Pokemon Game Base Set (Wizards of the Coast) — the set that launched the Pokemon Trading Card Game. It is a common Lightning-type Basic card, issued across four printings: 1st Edition, Shadowless, Unlimited and the 1999-2000 (4th) print. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1,504 copies have been graded, with only 396 earning a PSA 10 (Gem Mint) — a sense of how scarce top-grade examples are.

Print variants & how to tell them apart

Pikachu 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.
Pikachu 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.
Pikachu 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).
Pikachu 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
SGC546161241600
Shadowless
SGC4356167810
Unlimited
PSA2381110300
SGC288189287325711
1999–2000 (4th Print)
PSA1,0963593741687311660
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
Lightning
Stage
Basic
HP
40
Weakness
Fighting ×2
Retreat
1
Artist
Mitsuhiro Arita
Pokedex #
25

Attacks

10Gnaw [Colorless]
30Thunder Jolt [Lightning Colorless]
Flip a coin. If tails, Pikachu does 10 damage to itself.
When several of these Pokémon gather, their electricity can cause lightning storms.

Prices & where to buy

Unlimited market $7.44 via TCGplayer
VariantMarketTCGplayereBay
1st Edition$165.77TCGplayereBay
Shadowless$32.54TCGplayereBay
Unlimited$7.44TCGplayereBay
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

Red Cheeks Pikachu: 1st Edition and Shadowless Pikachu have red cheeks (later prints corrected them to yellow). 'Ghost'/'Phantom' Pikachu: some Shadowless copies (Zap theme deck) show a faint outline where the 1st Edition stamp would be.

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 Pikachu card?

The Pikachu is card #58/102 in the 1999 Pokemon Game Base Set by Wizards of the Coast, the first English Pokemon Trading Card Game set. It is a common Lightning-type card and exists in four printings: 1st Edition, Shadowless, Unlimited and the 1999-2000 print.

How can I tell which printing of the Pikachu 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 Pikachu?

Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1,504 copies of the Pikachu have been graded, of which only 396 earned a PSA 10 (Gem Mint). Mid-grade copies are obtainable, but gem-mint examples are genuinely scarce.

Which printing of the Pikachu is most valuable?

The 1st Edition is the most valuable printing - around $165.77 on TCGplayer versus about $7.44 for Unlimited, with Shadowless in between. Holofoil and condition push values higher still.

More Lightning-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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