Are there 4th-print error Machamps with shadowless borders?
Short answer: It’s not well documented that a distinct “4th print” Machamp error specifically exists with genuine *shadowless* borders as a recognized, separate error variety; known Machamp print errors include ink blobs, holo/border anomalies, and shadowless/first-edition misprints among various print runs, but authoritative sources describe these errors across unlimited, 1st-edition, and shadowless runs rather than identifying a discrete “4th-print shadowless Machamp” category[1][2].
Context, definitions, and why this question is tricky
– “4th print” often refers to a particular reprint run or corrected later print of a base-set card (for example, later printings made to fix earlier production issues). Collectors sometimes call specific production runs “1st print, 2nd print,” etc., but official printing-run labels are rarely published by Pokémon or the printer; most printing-run distinctions are reconstructed by collectors using hallmarks such as set symbols, copyright lines, borders, and known corrections[1]. Bulbapedia and other collector resources record many specific errors and note which printings they appear on, but they do not present a clean canonical list of “4th print” errors separate from the general categories of unlimited, shadowless, and 1st-edition prints[1].
– “Shadowless borders” refers to the printing variant between the original “shadowless” Base Set (no drop-shadow between artwork and card frame) and the later “unlimited” reprint (with a thin shadow). Shadowless cards are generally associated with early Base Set printings; they are different from 1st-edition (which also are shadowless but have an edition stamp) and from unlimited prints (which typically have shadows)[1]. Because printers produced many simultaneous and corrected runs, an error like an ink blob or border anomaly can appear on multiple runs (unlimited, shadowless, 1st edition), complicating any attempt to label a single run as uniquely responsible for an error[1].
– “Error cards” is the standard collecting term for cards with printing problems—ink smears, holo misalignments, inverted backs, incorrect set symbols, missing or off-center stamps, color shifts, border issues, and so on. Machamp specifically has several documented error varieties (see below)[1].
Documented Machamp error varieties and which printings they’ve appeared on
– “Green Dot Machamp” / blue-green ink blob: A well-known ink spot over the “H” in “HP” on some Machamp prints; Bulbapedia lists this as an error occurring on unlimited prints and notes similar ink anomalies on Machamp across printings[1]. Bulbapedia explicitly mentions a blue-green ink blob over the H in HP as a Machamp error and lists it among unlimited prints[1].
– Border/holobleed and shadowless occurrences: Bulbapedia notes that unlimited Machamp holos have been found with the border/holobleed-type errors and that shadowless holos have also been observed with a vertical yellow-line and other foil/border anomalies[1]. That same Bulbapedia error summary points out that certain border/ink errors are known to occur “rarely” on unlimited Machamp cards and on shadowless holos, indicating overlap across printings rather than an exclusive “4th print” occurrence[1].
– Low-ink or gray print/gray 1st-edition stamp: Some Machamp and other Base Set cards have low-ink 1st-edition stamps or gray stamp errors, and Bulbapedia lists such stamp variances across 1st-edition and unlimited prints[1].
– Holo shifts and extreme foil shifts: Holo-shift errors (where the holographic foil layer is misaligned) are recorded for many Base Set holos; Bulbapedia notes that unlimited holos can show extreme foil shifts in varying degrees and remarks that Machamp is among the cards known for certain holo/border anomalies in some printings[1].
– Inverted/upsidedown backs and off-center printing: The Bulbapedia error list includes inverted backs and major off-centering for many Base Set unlimited holos, uncommons, and commons; Machamp is mentioned in context of rare border and holo issues across printings[1].
What authoritative sources say (and limits of available evidence)
– Bulbapedia’s Error Cards page is an extensive, community-curated catalog of known errors and where they have been observed; its entry for Base Set Machamp documents several of the specific anomalies noted above and states that some errors are known to occur on shadowless holos and unlimited prints[1]. Bulbapedia is widely used and detailed but is community-maintained rather than an official print-run log from The Pokémon Company or the commercial printers.
– Collector blogs, market listings, and price guides (e.g., PriceCharting, collector forums, dedicated blogs) document sale examples and population reports that help map which errors appear on which printings, but these sources reflect reported finds and graded populations rather than a complete factory record[3]. Price data shows ongoing trade in many Machamp printings and indicates that collectors and graders have encountered many variants[3].
– No publicly available official printer documentation or Pokémon Company press release (to the best of collector literature and community research) lists a formal “4th print Machamp shadowless” as an official, uniquely named variant; instead, errors appear across runs and are cataloged by anomaly type and observed printings[1][2]. Collector reconstructions sometimes label specific reprints numerically, but such numbering is not standardized across all collecting communities.
How collectors and graders treat ambiguous or rare variants
– Grading and authentication services (PSA, BGS/CGC) record and catalog cards and can reveal which error or variant populations exist in the graded census; Bulbapedia cites PSA population notes for some error classes (for example, populations for certain rare error types)[1]. PSA/BGS census data are a primary empirical resource for collectors trying to establish how many graded examples of an error exist and which printings they represent.
– In practice collectors identify variants by visible hallmarks: presence/absence of 1st-edition stamp, shadow vs. shadowless border, copyright line and year formatting, holo pattern and placement, ink anomalies, set/holo symbols, and other small printed details[1][2]. Because many errors are accidental anomalies in the press, the same error can show up on more than one print run if the same faulty plate or process was used across those runs.
– Where a vendor or seller claims a “4th print error” Machamp, collectors will typically request high-quality photos, examine the border (shadowless vs shadowed), stamp, copyright line, and any hallmark of that claimed printing run, and often seek PSA/BGS grading or confirmation in collector forums before accepting such a classification as meaningful[1][3].
Practical guidance for identifying whether a Machamp you have (or see) could be a shadowless error or a later-print error
– Determine shadow status: Compare the thin black drop-shadow between the artwork and
