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Zapdos

Zapdos — Base Set #16/102

Lightning Rare Holo · Holofoil · Basic

The Zapdos is card #16/102 in the 1999 Pokemon Game Base Set (Wizards of the Coast) — the set that launched the Pokemon Trading Card Game. It is a rare holo Lightning-type Basic card, issued across four printings: 1st Edition, Shadowless, Unlimited and the 1999-2000 (4th) print. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 25,540 copies have been graded, with only 898 earning a PSA 10 (Gem Mint) — a sense of how scarce top-grade examples are.

Print variants & how to tell them apart

Zapdos 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.

Zapdos 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.

Zapdos 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).

Zapdos 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	2,880	136	619	542	372	1,162	42	7
SGC	18	0	2	3	5	8	0	0
Shadowless
PSA	3,525	65	545	757	620	1,457	77	4
SGC	40	0	1	7	9	21	2	0
Unlimited
PSA	18,601	685	4,159	4,764	3,132	5,674	183	4
SGC	329	3	38	86	67	130	4	1
1999–2000 (4th Print)
PSA	147	9	29	33	29	45	2	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

Lightning

Stage

Basic

Resistance

Fighting -30

Retreat

Artist

Ken Sugimori

Pokedex #

145

Attacks

60Thunder [Lightning Lightning Lightning Colorless]

Flip a coin. If tails, Zapdos does 30 damage to itself.

100Thunderbolt [Lightning Lightning Lightning Lightning]

Discard all Energy cards attached to Zapdos in order to use this attack.

A legendary bird Pokémon said to appear from clouds while wielding enormous lightning bolts.

Prices & where to buy

Unlimited market $53.03 via TCGplayer (holofoil)

Variant	Market	TCGplayer	eBay
1st Edition	$324.5	TCGplayer	eBay
Shadowless	$185	TCGplayer	eBay
Unlimited	$53.03	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 Zapdos card?

The Zapdos is card #16/102 in the 1999 Pokemon Game Base Set by Wizards of the Coast, the first English Pokemon Trading Card Game set. It is a rare holo 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 Zapdos 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 Zapdos?

Across PSA and SGC, roughly 25,540 copies of the Zapdos have been graded, of which only 898 earned a PSA 10 (Gem Mint). Mid-grade copies are obtainable, but gem-mint examples are genuinely scarce.

Which printing of the Zapdos is most valuable?

The 1st Edition is the most valuable printing - around $324.5 on TCGplayer versus about $53.03 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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