Are 4th print cards cut differently from unlimited ones? Short answer: yes—cards from different print runs (including the “4th print” and “Unlimited” printings) can and often do show measurable differences in cutting and other manufacturing characteristics, but the specifics depend on the set, the printer, the country of printing, and the era; collectors use those physical differences (cut, borders, cardstock, centering, foil texture, and back-print alignment) as part of identification and grading rather than there being a single, universal rule that “4th prints are cut X way and unlimited are cut Y.”
Essential context and supporting details
– Definitions and how collectors use print-run labels
– “Unlimited” generally refers to a later, larger print run of a set produced after the initial (often limited) release; it is identified by the absence of a “1st Edition” stamp in Pokémon and by other set-specific markers in other games[1][2].[1][2]
– “4th print” (or “4th print run”) typically means the fourth distinct run of the same card art/plate produced over time; printers may mark variations informally (by collectors) based on observed physical differences rather than a printed “4th” label on the card itself[4].[4]
– Collectors and researchers identify print runs by comparing multiple physical attributes (trim/cut, border width, centering, ink saturation, holo patterns, back print, copyright lines, and sometimes microscopic printer artifacts) across many examples, not by one single trait[2][4].[2][4]
– Why cut can differ between print runs
– Different print runs are often produced at different times and sometimes at different facilities or on different presses; each press and cutter has its own tolerances, tooling, and settings, so the cut (trim) can shift subtly or noticeably between runs[2].[2]
– Manufacturers may change paper suppliers, cardstock thickness, or the uncut sheet layout, any of which affects where the guillotine or die cut separates individual cards, producing different border widths and corner radii between print runs[2][4].[2][4]
– For older printings, especially from the 1990s and early 2000s, production controls were less standardized across runs and regions; this increases the likelihood that a fourth print or later unlimited print will have a different cut than an earlier unlimited or first-edition run[2][4].[2][4]
– Specific observable cutting differences collectors report
– Border differences: One of the clearest signs is consistent change in border thickness (top, bottom, left, right) across many examples from one run versus another; for example, shadowless base set vs. later revised/Unlimited prints show recognizable border and shadow differences that parallel other printing changes[2][4].[2][4]
– Corner shape and radius: Different trimming equipment or settings change how rounded the corners appear; collectors sometimes use corner shape as a supporting trait when distinguishing runs[4].[4]
– Edge cleanliness and micro-nicks: Some runs show cleaner guillotine cuts while others leave micro-fuzz or uneven edges depending on blade quality and cutting speed[4].[4]
– Centering: Systematic centering shifts (e.g., consistently thinner left border and thicker right border) can indicate a different sheet layout or cutter alignment for that run[2][4].[2][4]
– Examples from well-documented games/sets
– Pokémon Base Set / 1st edition / Shadowless / Unlimited / 4th print notes: Early Pokémon print history is famously complex—first edition cards have a 1st Edition stamp; shadowless and later unlimited prints differ in border/shadow and sometimes in card stock and cut; Bulbapedia and collector guides document many of these differences and specific error/variant cases (e.g., inverted fronts, square-cut holos found in unlimited sheets), showing there is precedent for later prints (including corrective prints) being cut differently[1][4].[1][4]
– Magic: The Gathering Alpha/Beta/Unlimited: Different printings (Alpha vs Beta vs Unlimited) are physically distinct (Alpha had slightly different card dimensions and a different printing process), which directly affected trimming and corner rounding; the community and official histories note those physical differences as diagnostic evidence of print run[2].[2]
– How collectors and graders treat cut differences
– Grading houses (PSA, CGC, Beckett, etc.) look at centering, edges, and corners when assigning condition grades; a card from a different print run that is intentionally cut or centered differently is *not* penalized for being different as long as the observed attributes reflect the card’s original state (i.e., authentic to its print run) rather than post-production trimming or alteration[2].[2]
– For attribution (identifying which print run a card belongs to), graders and expertizers use a panel of physical cues — cut being one of several — plus provenance and comparison to known-reference images or specimen cards to avoid misattribution[4].[4]
– Why “4th print” vs “Unlimited” isn’t a simple binary
– “Unlimited” is itself one kind of print run; there can be multiple unlimited printings over time with subtle internal variations (e.g., early unlimited vs later unlimited corrections), so a “4th print” might be a fourth batch of the unlimited run or a fourth separate printing that follows earlier unlimited releases[4].[4]
– Printers sometimes implement corrections (to wording, misprints, or art) between early and late unlimited printings; these corrections may be accompanied by changes in sheet layout or trimming policies that change the cut[4].[4]
– Practical tips to identify cutting differences (what to inspect)
– Compare border widths on all four sides to several known-reference cards from identified runs[2][4].[2][4]
– Examine corner radius and symmetry under magnification to see systematic differences across a set of cards[4].[4]
– Check edge cleanliness and hairline cuts; clean, consistent guillotine cuts likely indicate factory trimming vs. hobby trimming[4].[4]
– Use known-correct visual references (scans/photos of authenticated specimens) or consult set-specific guides and databases that catalog print-run traits (Bulbapedia, collector wikis, set guides)[1][4].[1][4]
– When cutting differences matter
– Valuation: For high-value cards, collectors place significance on which print run the card came from because scarcity and desirability vary by run; if a cutting trait reliably signals an earlier (rarer) run, it affects price and desirability[3][2].[3][2]
– Authentication: Some counterfeit detection relies on matching a card’s physical traits to known originals from a specific print run; cut inconsistencies that match the known pattern for a run support authenticity, while mismatches can raise red flags[4].[4]
– Grading/Conservation: As noted, graders accept original manufacturing differences; however, any post-production recut or alteration intended to
