Shadowless Pokémon cards were printed in the year 1999, specifically during the early months of the Pokémon Trading Card Game’s release in the United States. These cards belong to the Base Set, which was the very first major collection of Pokémon cards released outside Japan. The Base Set was initially released in Japan in October 1996, but the English version came out in January 1999. The shadowless cards appeared in a very short print run lasting only a few months before Wizards of the Coast switched to printing the Unlimited version of the Base Set cards[1][4].
The term “shadowless” refers to the absence of a drop shadow around the Pokémon’s image box on the card. This subtle design difference distinguishes these early prints from later Unlimited prints, which included the shadow. Shadowless cards also have other unique features such as a thinner font and brighter colors compared to later prints. Because the shadowless print run was so brief, these cards are much rarer and more valuable to collectors than the Unlimited versions that followed[1][2][4].
To clarify, shadowless cards are not necessarily all first edition. The first edition cards have a special “1st Edition” stamp on them, while shadowless cards can include both first edition and unlimited prints without the stamp. The shadowless cards without the first edition stamp are sometimes called “shadowless unlimited” cards[5].
The rarity and age of shadowless cards, especially iconic ones like the Charizard from the Base Set, make them highly sought after by collectors. The 1st Edition Shadowless Charizard is considered one of the most valuable and legendary Pokémon cards in the hobby[2][6].
In summary, shadowless Pokémon cards were printed in early 1999 during the initial English release of the Base Set by Wizards of the Coast. This print run was short-lived, lasting only a few months before the transition to the Unlimited print run, making shadowless cards rare and prized collectibles today.
