Did Beckett Ever Label 4th Print Pokémon Cards Separately
When you dive into the world of Pokémon cards, especially the old ones from the very first sets, things can get tricky fast. Collectors love talking about prints, shadows, and labels from grading companies like Beckett. The big question here is whether Beckett, one of the top graders in the trading card game, ever put a special separate label on cards from the so-called 4th print run. These are mostly from the original Base Set released back in 1999 by Wizards of the Coast. To answer this straight up, no, Beckett did not label 4th print Pokémon cards separately in any official or standard way. They graded them just like other prints, without a unique marker just for the 4th print. This comes from how Beckett handles all vintage Pokémon cards, focusing on condition over print specifics unless it’s something huge like a clear misprint.
Let’s break this down step by step so it’s easy to follow. First off, what even is a 4th print Pokémon card? Back in the late 90s, Pokémon cards exploded in popularity. The Base Set had 102 cards, including icons like Charizard, which is card number 4. Wizards printed these in waves to keep up with demand. The first prints are the rarest and most valuable. They have a solid black shadow behind the card name, so people call them Shadowless or 1st edition in some cases. As prints went on, Wizards added a drop shadow under the name to make printing cheaper and faster. By the 4th print, almost all Base Set cards had this drop shadow, making them part of the unlimited run. These 4th print cards look almost identical to later ones, with thick black borders and that shadow under the text. They’re common, but spotting exact print runs takes a sharp eye on things like copyright dates, alignment, or tiny dot patterns in the print.
Beckett Grading Services, or BGS for short, started grading cards around the same time PSA did, but they built their own style. They use a black slab with numbered grades from 1 to 10, often with subgrades for corners, edges, surface, and centering. Unlike PSA, which sticks labels right on the card before slabbin it, Beckett keeps the card pristine inside a tamper-proof case. Their labels are on the slab itself, showing the set, card number, grade, and sometimes extras like autograph info. But for print runs? Beckett doesn’t split hairs on 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th prints separately. If it’s a Base Set Charizard #4 from the 4th print, it gets slabbed as Base Set Charizard #4, graded on condition alone. No special “4th Print” sticker or code shows up on their slabs.
Why is that? Grading companies like Beckett aim to make things simple for collectors. Print runs matter a ton for value, but verifying them perfectly is tough without tearing cards apart. For example, Charizard #4 from Base Set in ungraded form sells around $217 right now, but graded ones jump way up. A PSA 10 goes for over $13,000, while shadowless versions are even pricier at $7,000 or more for top grades. Beckett slabs fetch similar prices based on the grade, not the print. Collectors know a BGS 9.5 Charizard is valuable regardless of print because the slab proves condition. If Beckett started labeling 4th prints separately, it’d confuse everyone and slow down the process. Their system is all about that black slab protecting the card, not adding print tags.
Think about how grading works in practice. You send your card to Beckett, they check it under lights and magnifiers for wear, centering, and flaws. For Pokémon, they note the set and rarity, like holo rare for Charizard #4. But print edition? That’s on you as the owner to prove before submitting. Some folks use black frames to display four graded slabs at once, fitting Beckett, PSA, or others perfectly. These frames hold Base Set cards side by side, but no frame or slab calls out 4th print specially. Beckett’s AI tools and human graders focus on pop reports, which track how many cards got each grade, like for shadowless Charizard where PSA 10s are super rare.
Now, dig deeper into the history. Wizards stopped printing Base Set after about six runs total. The 4th print hit stores around mid-1999, with the drop shadow clear as day. No official Wizards label said “4th print” on the packs or cards. Collectors figured it out later by comparing cards. Beckett, founded in 1991 for sports cards, jumped into Pokémon grading by 2000. They slabbed tons of these, but their database and labels stick to basics: set name, card number, player or Pokémon name, and grade. No print qualifiers unless it’s a promo or error card. For instance, if you look at sold BGS slabs of Charizard #4, they’re listed as Base Set, not 4th print edition.
This matters for buying and selling. A 4th print Charizard might grade high because it’s less handled than beat-up 1st editions. But without a separate label, its value blends into the unlimited crowd. Prices for graded Base Set cards vary wildly. Ungraded 4th prints go cheap, under $300 easy, but a Beckett 9 could hit thousands depending on the market. Shadowless ones command premiums because savvy collectors spot the lack of shadow and pay more. Beckett slabs help prove authenticity, but they don’t boost or ding for print run.
What about fakes or reprints? That’s where grading shines. Bootlegs mimic 4th prints poorly, with off colors or bad holo patterns. Beckett’s experts catch these, labeling them accordingly in rare cases, but not for legit 4th prints. Their process uses magnification up to 10x and black lights for inks. No medical stuff here, but if handling old cards stresses you out, that’s normal collector nerves, not health risks.
Over the years, Beckett expanded to handle Pokémon surges. During the 2020 boom, they graded millions, including Base Set revivals. Still, no change in labeling 4th prints. Compare to PSA, which sometimes notes shadowless in pop reports but not on every slab. Beckett keeps it uniform. Collectors use sites to track prices, seeing BGS slabs of Charizard #4 sell steady, print unspecified.
Spotting a 4th print yourself is key since Beckett won’t label it. Look for the drop shadow under the name, thick borders, and copyright 1995-98 Wizards. Energy costs match regular prints. No blue lines or thin borders like earlier runs. Weigh it too, around 1.7 grams for holos. Test with light: genuine ones sparkle right.
Modern collectors frame these slabs in sets of four, black backgrounds popping the holo. Beckett slabs fit perfect, no special print callouts needed. Valu
