1st Edition
How to spot it: 1st Edition stamp below-left of the artwork window; no drop shadow.
Smallest print run and the most valuable edition by a wide margin.
01Card Stats
Basic (evolves into Charmeleon)
HP
50
TypeFire
RarityCommon
IllustratorMitsuhiro Arita
WeaknessWater ×2
Retreat●
SetBase Set
Released1999
02Editions and Print Runs
Part of the original 1999 Base Set, printed across three collectible editions.
Shadowless
How to spot it: No 1st Edition stamp and no drop shadow to the right of the art window; brighter, flatter coloring.
Scarce transitional printing between 1st Edition and Unlimited.
Unlimited
How to spot it: Drop shadow added beside the art window. Standard print.
By far the most common version.
04Variants and Foiling
- Rarity tiers
- Common
- Foiling
- Non-holo. Base Set predates reverse holo, so no reverse-holo variant exists.
- Alt art / specials
- No alternate-art version; this is the original 1999 Charmander print.
05Language and Regional Versions
- English
- English Base Set Charmander — the most collected version.
- Japanese
- Japanese Base Set Charmander predates the English release.
- European
- Localized European prints exist with translated text.
- Other
- International Base Set prints surface in several languages.
06Current Market Value
| Non Holo Unlimited | ~$2.50 market (raw) |
|---|---|
| Shadowless | Notable premium over Unlimited |
| First Edition | 1st Edition copies are the most sought-after of the three editions |
| Psa 10 | Graded gem-mint copies trade well above raw thanks to Charmander-line demand |
Even as a Common, Charmander pulls outsized demand because it starts the Charizard line.
Looking to buy this card?
These links may earn HoloHaul a small commission at no extra cost to you.
07Why Collectors Want It
- The first step of the most iconic line in the hobby: Charmander → Charmeleon → Charizard.
- Mitsuhiro Arita artwork from the original 1999 Base Set.
- Charmander commands demand far beyond a typical Common because of the Charizard connection.
- 1st Edition and Shadowless copies are chased for vintage set-building.
- A nostalgic gateway card and a must-have for any Base Set or Charmander collection.
08Competitive Playability
Tier: None
A 50-HP Basic with Scratch and Ember, Base Set Charmander was never a competitive card — it exists to evolve into Charmeleon and then Charizard. Its value is entirely collectible and nostalgic.
09Card Moves and Abilities
Scratch
Ember
Discard 1 Fire Energy card attached to Charmander in order to use this attack.
- Weakness
- Water ×2
- Retreat cost
- 1
10Grading and Population
PSA 10 estimate: As a heavily printed Common, raw copies are plentiful, but high-eye-appeal gem-mint 1st Edition and Shadowless copies are genuinely scarce.
Centering and edge wear are the usual downgrades; Charmander-line demand keeps even Common grading active.
Other graders: PSA leads; BGS and CGC also grade Base Set commons.