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Poliwag — Base Set #59/102

Water Common · Basic

The Poliwag is card #59/102 in the 1999 Pokemon Game Base Set (Wizards of the Coast) — the set that launched the Pokemon Trading Card Game. It is a common Water-type Basic card, issued across four printings: 1st Edition, Shadowless, Unlimited and the 1999-2000 (4th) print. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 5,501 copies have been graded, with only 1,578 earning a PSA 10 (Gem Mint) — a sense of how scarce top-grade examples are.

Print variants & how to tell them apart

Poliwag 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.

Poliwag 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.

Poliwag 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).

Poliwag 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)

Grader	Total	10	9	8	7	2–6	1	Auth
1st Edition
PSA	2,724	812	961	508	216	221	4	2
SGC	11	1	5	2	0	3	0	0
Shadowless
PSA	894	237	306	160	82	101	7	1
SGC	5	0	3	1	1	0	0	0
Unlimited
PSA	1,702	484	672	297	120	127	2	0
SGC	15	3	7	1	3	1	0	0
1999–2000 (4th Print)
PSA	150	41	78	13	9	9	0	0

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

Water

Stage

Basic

Weakness

Grass ×2

Retreat

Artist

Ken Sugimori

Pokedex #

Attacks

10+Water Gun [Water]

Does 10 damage plus 10 more damage for each Water Energy attached to Poliwag but not used to pay for this attack's Energy cost. Extra Water Energy after the 2nd don't count.

Its newly grown legs prevent it from running. It appears to prefer swimming over trying to stand.

Prices & where to buy

Unlimited market $0.68 via TCGplayer

Variant	Market	TCGplayer	eBay
1st Edition	$27.17	TCGplayer	eBay
Shadowless	$3.92	TCGplayer	eBay
Unlimited	$0.68	TCGplayer	eBay
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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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 Poliwag card?

The Poliwag is card #59/102 in the 1999 Pokemon Game Base Set by Wizards of the Coast, the first English Pokemon Trading Card Game set. It is a common Water-type card and exists in four printings: 1st Edition, Shadowless, Unlimited and the 1999-2000 print.

How can I tell which printing of the Poliwag 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 Poliwag?

Across PSA and SGC, roughly 5,501 copies of the Poliwag have been graded, of which only 1,578 earned a PSA 10 (Gem Mint). Mid-grade copies are obtainable, but gem-mint examples are genuinely scarce.

Which printing of the Poliwag is most valuable?

The 1st Edition is the most valuable printing - around $27.17 on TCGplayer versus about $0.68 for Unlimited, with Shadowless in between. Holofoil and condition push values higher still.

More Water-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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