1st Edition Shadowless
How to spot it: 1st Edition stamp in the bottom-right corner; no drop shadow under the illustration window.
First print run, very limited window.
01Card Stats
Basic
HP
40
TypeGrass
RarityCommon
IllustratorMitsuhiro Arita
WeaknessFire ×2
Retreat●
SetBase Set
Released1999
02Editions and Print Runs
This card was printed in three distinct editions during the original Base Set run.
Shadowless
How to spot it: Same artwork as 1st Ed but no 1st Edition stamp. Still no drop shadow.
Brief print window between 1st Ed and Unlimited.
Unlimited
How to spot it: Drop shadow added to the right of the illustration window.
Most common Base Set version.
03Known Errors
Length: 15 length
All 1st Edition and Shadowless copies have a Pokédex error: "Length: 15 length" instead of "Length: 15 weight". Corrected in Unlimited.
Value impact: Adds collector interest to early printings.
04Variants and Foiling
- Rarity tiers
- Common
- Foiling
- Non-holo standard. Reverse holo did not exist in this era.
- Alt art / specials
- No documented full-art variants of this printing.
05Language and Regional Versions
- English
- Standard English release.
- Japanese
- Original Japanese version exists and is scarce.
- European
- Localized European prints exist with translated text.
06Current Market Value
| Non Holo Unlimited | $5 – $20 |
|---|---|
| Shadowless | $50 – $300 |
| First Edition Shadowless | $500 – $2,000 (mint, especially graded) |
Values reflect recent market conditions.
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07Why Collectors Want It
- Iconic starter Pokémon from the original 1999 Base Set.
- The "Length" error makes the early printings historically interesting.
- 1st Edition versions are perennially sought after.
- Anchors any complete Bulbasaur or Base Set collection.
08Competitive Playability
Tier: None
Sees no competitive play. As a Common Basic with 40 HP and a single-energy attack dealing 20 damage, it was never tournament-relevant.
09Card Moves and Abilities
Leech Seed
Unless all damage from this attack is prevented, you may remove 1 damage counter from Bulbasaur.
- Weakness
- Fire ×2
- Retreat cost
- 1
10Grading and Population
PSA 10 estimate: Several thousand across all editions; significantly fewer for 1st Ed Shadowless.
Population data varies; PSA dominates for graded liquidity.
Other graders: BGS and CGC also grade; PSA leads secondary-market price discovery.