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Poliwhirl

Poliwhirl — Base Set #38/102

Water Uncommon · Stage 1

The Poliwhirl is card #38/102 in the 1999 Pokemon Game Base Set (Wizards of the Coast) — the set that launched the Pokemon Trading Card Game. It is a uncommon Water-type Stage 1 card, issued across four printings: 1st Edition, Shadowless, Unlimited and the 1999-2000 (4th) print. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 5,150 copies have been graded, with only 908 earning a PSA 10 (Gem Mint) — a sense of how scarce top-grade examples are.

Print variants & how to tell them apart

Poliwhirl 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.

Poliwhirl 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.

Poliwhirl 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).

Poliwhirl 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	2,649	427	1,138	577	240	258	7	2
SGC	22	3	3	5	3	8	0	0
Shadowless
PSA	843	153	285	176	98	127	3	1
SGC	6	0	1	3	1	0	0	1
Unlimited
PSA	1,493	283	584	315	150	158	3	0
SGC	21	2	6	8	2	3	0	0
1999–2000 (4th Print)
PSA	116	40	49	17	6	4	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

Stage 1

Evolves from

Poliwag

Weakness

Grass ×2

Retreat

Artist

Ken Sugimori

Pokedex #

Attacks

Amnesia [Water Water]

Choose 1 of the Defending Pokémon's attacks. That Pokémon can't use that attack during your opponent's next turn.

30×Doubleslap [Water Water Colorless]

Flip 2 coins. This attack does 30 damage times the number of heads.

Capable of living in or out of water. When out of water, it sweats to keep its body slimy.

Prices & where to buy

Unlimited market $1.67 via TCGplayer

Variant	Market	TCGplayer	eBay
1st Edition	$35.82	TCGplayer	eBay
Shadowless	$8.42	TCGplayer	eBay
Unlimited	$1.67	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 Poliwhirl card?

The Poliwhirl is card #38/102 in the 1999 Pokemon Game Base Set by Wizards of the Coast, the first English Pokemon Trading Card Game set. It is a uncommon 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 Poliwhirl 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 Poliwhirl?

Across PSA and SGC, roughly 5,150 copies of the Poliwhirl have been graded, of which only 908 earned a PSA 10 (Gem Mint). Mid-grade copies are obtainable, but gem-mint examples are genuinely scarce.

Which printing of the Poliwhirl is most valuable?

The 1st Edition is the most valuable printing - around $35.82 on TCGplayer versus about $1.67 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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