If you own a Charizard Pokemon card and want to know if it comes from the fourth print run, you are most likely talking about the famous Charizard number 4 from the original Base Set released back in 1999. This set had multiple print runs over time, and the fourth one is a specific later version that collectors chase because it is less common than the very first prints but still holds good value compared to even later unlimited ones. Print runs in early Pokemon sets like Base Set were not officially numbered by Wizards of the Coast, the company that made them, but savvy collectors figured out ways to tell them apart based on small changes in how the cards look, especially around the artwork and borders. The first print run is the rarest and called First Edition with a special stamp. Then come Shadowless prints as the second main type, followed by what people call the third print with a faint black line, and the fourth print run shows up with a more solid black outline around the artwork that makes it stand out. This guide walks you through every step to check your card at home, what to look for exactly, common mistakes beginners make, tools you might need, and how values differ so you know why it matters. We will cover the Base Set Charizard 4 in detail since that is where the fourth print run idea comes from most often, but I will touch on other sets too just in case yours is different.
Start by confirming your card is from the right set. Flip it over to the back. All Base Set cards say Base Set right in the middle with the number 4/102 under the picture of Charizard flying with flames. If it says something else like Crystal Guardians or Base Set 2, it is not from the original Base Set and does not have a fourth print run in the same way. Crystal Guardians Charizard 4 came out much later in 2006 and has no print run markers like the old ones. Base Set 2 from 2000 is a reprint set with its own versions, but again, no standard fourth print identifiers. Stick to Base Set 102 cards for this check. If yours matches, great, move on.
Next, rule out fakes right away because counterfeiters love copying Charizard. Hold your card up to a bright light and look at the edges. Real Base Set cards from any print run have a thin blue core layer sandwiched between the front and back, like a blue stripe running through the middle when you see it sideways. Fakes often lack this or show a different color like white or yellow. Feel the surface too, the holo foil should have a smooth but slightly textured shine that catches light in rainbow patterns without bubbling or flat spots. Check the text for crisp letters, no blurry dots or wrong spacing, especially on small words like Attack or Weakness. The back should have a deep blue color without purple hints, and under a magnifying glass, the printing shows tiny even dots in a rosette pattern. Borders on real vintage holos are a clean off-white yellow, not too bright or dull. Size matters too, measure it, official cards are exactly 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches with consistent thickness around 0.012 inches. If it feels off or too light, it might be fake. Compare side by side with a known real card if you can, maybe borrow from a friend or check clear photos online from trusted sellers. Avoid bending, wetting, or heating the card during tests, that damages it and drops value fast.
Now, the key part, spotting the print run. Early Base Set Charizard 4 cards went through four main phases as Wizards printed more to meet demand. They did not label them 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th, but differences in the black line around the character artwork tell the story. Get a good light source like a desk lamp or phone flashlight, and maybe a 10x magnifier or jeweler’s loupe, which costs under ten bucks at hobby stores. Lay the card flat on a plain white surface to avoid shadows.
First print run is First Edition. Look at the bottom left corner of the front, near the attack text. If there is a small black circle stamp saying 1st Edition, that is the rarest one, printed only briefly in 1999. These can be worth thousands even ungraded, like recent sales around three thousand seven hundred dollars raw. Yours is not fourth if it has this.
Skip to unlimited prints if no stamp. All later runs including the fourth lack the 1st Edition mark. Focus on the black border outlining Charizard’s body and wings against the fiery background. In the very early unlimited prints, called Shadowless, there is no black line at all, or it is super faint like a ghost shadow. Hold it at an angle under light, the artwork bleeds right into the background with no separation. These Shadowless are the second print run, still valuable, often hundreds for nice copies.
The third print run adds a thin black line around the artwork to fix printing issues, making Charizard pop more against the orange flames. This line is light and even, about the width of a fine pen tip, visible straight on without tilting much. It shows up consistently around wings, tail, and head.
Here is where your fourth print run lives. The fourth print has a thicker, bolder black outline, almost double the width of the third print’s line. Tilt the card slowly under light, and you will see this line is solid black, not shadowy, with sharp edges that do not fade. It looks like someone drew a strong marker border around Charizard to make him stand out clearly. Check multiple spots, like the bottom of the wings near the fire, the tail tip, and the jawline. On fourth prints, the line stays crisp everywhere, no breaks or thinning. The holo pattern inside the foil might look a bit busier too, with more pronounced star bursts, but the black line is the main clue. If the line wavers or looks printed over white space, it is fourth. Compare to photos of known examples, but trust your eyes with the loupe.
Some cards blur the lines between third and fourth because printing presses varied, so check the whole border. If over half the outline is thick and bold, call it fourth. Also peek at the copyright text at the very bottom. Early prints say 1995, 96, 98, 99 POKEMON. Later ones like fourth might drop some years or adjust spacing slightly, but the black line rules.
Grading helps confirm. Services like PSA slab cards and note print run in descriptions sometimes. Population reports show thousands of Base Set Charizard 4 graded, with PSA 10s selling high, but fourth prints grade well because the bolder line hides minor centering flaws. Recent sales for near mint ungraded fourth prints hover around four hundred to six hundred dollars, while PSA 9s hit over five thousand. First Editions dwarf that at tens of thousands for top grades.
What makes fourth special? After Shadowless sold out fast, Wizards ramped up production. Third print fixed shadows, fourth made it even clearer for mass market, so fewer pristine copies survive from heavy play. Values sit between Shadowless premiums and super late unlimited prints, whic
