1st Edition
How to spot it: 1st Edition stamp in the bottom-left of the artwork frame.
First print window; smaller run than Unlimited.
01Card Stats
Basic
HP
50
TypeLightning
RarityPromo
IllustratorKagemaru Himeno
WeaknessFighting ×2
Retreat●
SetWizards Black Star Promos
Released1999
02Editions and Print Runs
Printed in the WotC era when 1st Edition and Unlimited distinctions still applied.
Unlimited
How to spot it: No 1st Edition stamp; standard print frame.
Most common version of this card.
04Variants and Foiling
- Rarity tiers
- Promo
- Foiling
- Holo version with the holo pattern applied to the artwork.
- Alt art / specials
- No full-art, secret rare, or alternate-art version documented for this print.
05Language and Regional Versions
- English
- Standard English release.
- Japanese
- Released in the equivalent Japanese set.
- European
- Localized European prints exist with translated text.
- Other
- No documented language-exclusive errors or major regional variants.
06Current Market Value
| Holo | ~$275 raw/ungraded — verified against PriceCharting eBay-sold prices (May 2026). PSA 10 gem-mint copies ~$9,900. |
|---|
Verified May 2026 from PriceCharting realized (eBay-sold) data; raw/ungraded headline, graded copies higher. Birthday Pikachu — the iconic WotC-era promo.
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07Why Collectors Want It
- Original WotC-era printing from the Wizards Black Star Promos set — foundational vintage Pikachu.
- The franchise mascot and most iconic Pokemon of all — its cards span every era and include some of the most valuable promos ever printed.
- Promo-only distribution makes supply meaningfully tighter than mass-retail cards.
- Required for any complete Pikachu master set across eras.
- Collectors of the Wizards Black Star Promos set need this card to finish it.
08Competitive Playability
Tier: None
Basic Pikachu with 50 HP; top attack around 30 damage. Functions as an evolution-chain piece rather than a tournament attacker.
09Card Moves and Abilities
Birthday Surprise
If it's not your birthday, this attack does 30 damage. If it is your birthday, flip a coin. If heads, this attack does 30 damage plus 50 more damage; if tails, this attack does 30 damage.
- Weakness
- Fighting ×2
- Retreat cost
- 1
10Grading and Population
PSA 10 estimate: WotC-era Pikachu PSA 10 populations vary; small numbers across most sets.
Graded copies command notable premiums over raw, especially for 1st Edition prints.
Other graders: BGS and CGC also grade vintage Pokemon; PSA dominates secondary-market liquidity.