Did the 4th Print Starter Decks for the Pokémon Trading Card Game include a Machamp card with dual dates? No, they did not. Those starter decks, part of the early English Base Set releases, contained standard Machamp cards from the first or subsequent prints without any dual date markings, as dual dates are a rare printing anomaly tied specifically to certain Japanese promo cards, not mass-produced starter deck contents.
To understand this fully, let’s step back to the basics of Pokémon TCG history. The Pokémon Trading Card Game launched in Japan in October 1996 with the Base Set, quickly followed by English releases in January 1999. Starter decks were pre-constructed products designed for new players, containing a mix of common, uncommon, and a few rare cards to get beginners battling right away. The “4th Print” refers to one of the later print runs of these Base Set starter decks, identifiable by subtle packaging changes like revised copyright dates or color shifts on the boxes, but the cards inside remained consistent with the core Base Set lineup.
Machamp, the powerhouse Fighting-type Pokémon that evolves from Machoke via trade in the games, was a staple rare card in the Base Set. Its card number is 8/102, featuring artwork of the four-armed grappler flexing menacingly. In starter decks—whether 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th print—the Machamp included was always the standard version. These decks typically packed 60 cards, including multiples of basics like Hitmonchan or Primeape leading up to that evolved Machamp, but nothing out of the ordinary in terms of printing errors or special variants. Collectors today verify this through decklists preserved on sites like Bulbapedia and Pokémon TCG databases, where 4th print starter decks list the exact same card composition as earlier prints, with no mentions of anomalies.
Now, where does the idea of a “dual date” Machamp come from? That’s the intriguing part, and it leads us straight to Japanese rarities. Dual dates—meaning a card with two different copyright years printed on it, like “©1995,1996” or similar overlaps—aren’t a feature of English starter decks. Instead, they pop up in ultra-rare promo cards from Japan’s earliest promotions. Specifically, the Machamp you’re thinking of is the Masaki Trade Promo, a mail-in reward from the 1998 Masaki Campaign run by CoroCoro Comic, The Pokémon Company, and Nintendo.
Picture this: Back in 1998, young Japanese fans were obsessed with Pokémon Red and Green on Game Boy. To mimic the in-game trade evolutions, CoroCoro launched the Masaki Campaign, named after Bill (Masaki in Japanese), the PC storage guy. Kids mailed in basic Pokémon cards—like Machop for Machamp—along with a form, and in return, they got back a shiny promo evolved version. The Machamp Masaki Promo used the original Base Set layout with yellow borders and a tiny “Masaki” mark, but here’s the kicker: some of these promos, due to printing quirks during that rushed early era, ended up with dual copyright dates. This happened because print sheets mixed elements from test runs or slight production shifts between 1996 and 1997 dates, creating accidental variants that savvy collectors now chase.
These Masaki cards—Machamp, Alakazam, Gengar, Golem, and Omastar—were never booster pack pulls or starter deck inclusions. They were one-for-one mail-ins, meaning you sent your card away and hoped it survived the postal journey. That’s why mint Masaki Machamps with dual dates are holy grails today, fetching thousands at auctions, far rarer than any 4th print starter deck card, which were printed in huge numbers for Wizards of the Coast’s English market.
Why no dual dates in starter decks? English production by Wizards of the Coast started later, in 1998-1999, using standardized printing presses in the US. Their Base Set cards, including those in 4th print starters, all bear a clean “©1995,1999 Wizards” or similar single-date footer. No overlaps because they weren’t experimenting with Japanese promo tech. Japanese dual date Machamps stayed exclusive to that Masaki run, and even there, not every copy has the error—it’s a print sheet lottery.
If you’re hunting 4th print starter decks, look for the box art with the red “Pokémon” word instead of yellow, a telltale sign from later runs. Inside, your Machamp will be pristine standard, maybe with the shadowless holo if it’s early enough, but no dual dates. Open one up, and you’ll find the usual suspects: 4 Machamps in some deck variants, paired with Machoke and Machop lines, plus energy and trainers like Switch or Gust of Wind.
Diving deeper into print run lore, Pokémon TCG prints evolved quickly. 1st prints had unlimited holo potential and no shadows under artwork. By 4th print, shadows were standard to cut costs, and starter decks mirrored that. No room for promo experiments like Masaki’s dual date flubs. Japanese promos were a different beast—wild, promotional, and tied to magazines like CoroCoro, which fueled the hype.
Collectors debate dual date authenticity endlessly. True Masaki Machamps show the error on the bottom copyright line, often “©1996 Nintendo · Creatures · GAME FREAK” blended oddly. English cards? Clean as a whistle. Starter deck pulls confirm this: thousands of unopened 4th print decks sold on eBay or at conventions yield standard Machamps every time.
Want to verify your own cards? Check the fine print. Starter deck Machamp: English text, Wizards copyright, single date. Masaki dual date: Japanese text, Masaki stamp, date overlap. Night and day.
This mix-up happens because early Pokémon collecting blurred lines between regions. English players heard whispers of Japanese promos via import shops, sparking myths like “secret starter deck variants.” But records from Bulbapedia’s booster and deck archives, cross-checked with Kanto Shark’s promo deep dives, shut it down. No 4th print starter Machamp has dual dates—it’s promo territory only.
Exploring further, the Masaki Campaign’s genius was its interactivity. Send a Kadabra, get Alakazam back. Risky, as cards got lost or damaged, but it built community. Machamp was popular because Fighting-types dominated early metas. Dual dates added mystique—perhaps a printer’s haste during the 1997-1998 boom, when demand exploded.
In English starter decks, Machamp served as the star rare, teaching evolution chains. 4th print versions might have slight stock thickness differences, but artwork and dates stay uniform. No promos sneaked in; Wizards kept products simple.
If rumors persist online, they’re likely from misidentified Masaki imports repackaged as “starter deck finds.” True collectors use TCGPlayer scans or PokeBeach forums to debunk. Bottom line: 4th print starters gave reliable Machamps, dual dates stayed in Japan’s promo vault.
The allure endures. Owning a dual date Ma
