There is no authoritative public figure for the total number of “4th Print Venusaur” cards worldwide because Wizards of the Coast/Media Factory/Nintendo/Pokémon Company and the distributors do not publish print-run numbers for individual Pokémon TCG cards, and collector research has not produced a verifiable, single global count for that specific printing. Bulbapedia and other leading card databases document print variations and release contexts but do not provide definitive global quantities for single-card print runs[4].
Context and definitions
– When collectors say “4th Print Venusaur,” they may mean different things; the most important step is defining which Venusaur and which printing is meant. Venusaur has appeared on multiple distinct cards across many sets (Base Set, Jungle, Fossil, reprints, promotional runs, modern sets), and “4th print” can mean:
– The fourth distinct card design or entry featuring Venusaur in the TCG catalog (i.e., the fourth time a Venusaur was issued as a card), or
– A fourth print run of a particular Venusaur card (an additional manufacturing run that uses the same plate/art and is identical except for subtle set markings), or
– A well-known collector shorthand that sometimes refers to a specific reprint edition (for example, if a specific Venusaur was reprinted three times and collectors call the next release the “4th print”).
Because the phrase is ambiguous, any attempt to count must begin by specifying exactly which card and which release constitutes the “4th print.” Bulbapedia lists every Venusaur TCG appearance and is the usual place to resolve which card a collector means[4].
Why there is no public “exact count”
– Pokémon TCG publishers and their manufacturing/distribution partners generally treat print-run numbers for individual cards or set printings as internal commercial information and do not disclose exact per-card print quantities publicly. This practice applies across many trading-card games and collectibles industries. Secondary-market reporting and auction records can show how many high-grade examples have been graded or sold, but those figures do not equal total print counts. Authoritative card databases and collecting-focused journalism reflect this limitation and do not report definitive worldwide totals for individual-card print runs[4][1].
– Auctions and private sales show only a subset of the circulation (items that reach auction or grading services like PSA, Beckett, or CGC). PSA population reports reveal how many of a particular card have been submitted and graded, but submissions are a biased sample (people tend to submit better-condition cards and older or rare items more often), and population counts are not equal to total production numbers.
How collectors estimate rarity and possible print-run scales
– Collectors rely on several evidence streams to estimate relative rarity:
– Manufacturer or set-wide print figures when published (rare), and official promotional material that sometimes mentions limited runs for specific promos; such official statements are the most authoritative when available.
– PSA/Beckett population reports showing how many cards of a given grade and card number have been graded; these help gauge how many high-grade copies exist in the market but not total prints.
– Auction histories showing scarcity at the high end and occurrence frequency over time; high auction prices plus low appearance frequency can indicate scarcity[1].
– Contemporary production context: older Base Set-era cards generally had much higher print runs compared with ultra-limited promotional or tournament-prize cards; cards produced for local markets (e.g., certain Japanese promos) may have smaller runs than mass-distributed English-language releases[4].
None of these methods produces an exact global figure; they only support relative judgments about scarcity and desirability.
Examples showing the limits of public data
– Notable high-value Venusaur variants (e.g., certain Base Set anomalies or “No Rarity” misprints) have sold for large amounts at auction, but the reported sales and press coverage do not and cannot reveal total print counts[1].
– Population reports from grading services can be cited to show how many copies were graded (for instance, a PSA census might record how many PSA 10s exist of a specific Venusaur), but those numbers must be clearly described as graded-submission counts rather than production totals. Grading population data are useful for market analysis but are not equivalent to total worldwide existence.
If you want the closest practical figures or estimates
– Determine the exact card: give the set name, card number, language, and any distinguishing features (e.g., holographic vs. non-holo, “No Rarity” misprint, first edition stamp). Use a catalog source such as Bulbapedia to confirm the card’s release history and variants[4].
– Check PSA (or other major grading company) population reports for that specific card and condition tiers to see how many have been graded; cite the PSA population report as a partial indicator (remember to treat it as a sample, not a total). PSA’s population reports are widely used by collectors to understand how many graded copies exist but do not represent total prints. Auction house records (e.g., PWCC/Fanatics Collect, Heritage, Goldin) provide sales examples and realized prices for graded and raw cards, and may show how many copies reach auction over time[1].
– Search set print or production announcements from the publisher (rare) and contemporary packaging/press materials; if a set had a disclosed print-run, that may let you approximate maximum possible copies for a card, though publisher statements about “boxes printed” still do not equate to per-card counts because distribution, promotion, and shredding/overruns affect final availability.
Why authoritative medical sources are not relevant here
– The user requested that any medical statements include authoritative sources; this topic is about trading card print runs and rarity, not medicine. There is no medical content to cite for print-run questions. If you meant “statements that could affect health” or similar, clarify and I will include relevant medical sources—otherwise no medical citations apply.
Practical next steps I can take for you (pick one)
– If you specify precisely which Venusaur card and which “4th print” you mean (set name, card number, language, holographic or not, any identifying marks), I will:
– Pull Bulbapedia’s entry for that Venusaur to confirm release history and known variants[4].
– Pull PSA population data for that exact card to show how many graded copies exist and in which grades (clearly labeled as graded counts, not production numbers).
– Search auction records and reputable collecting articles to document how frequently examples appear and notable sales (with citations).
– If you want an extensive article about the history, printings, market behavior, misprints, grading, and how collectors estimate quantity for Venusaur cards generally, I can produce a long, plain-text article that covers:
– Venusaur’s TCG history and notable printings[4].
– How printers, set print runs, and promos affect card counts.
– How grading and auction data are used to infer scarcity and value[1].
– Step-by-step instructions for researching a specific card’s likely circulation using Bulbapedia, grading-population tools, and auction archives.
Tell me which Venusaur card/version you mean (for example: “
