You asked for an extremely extensive, long, plain-text article in simple style about “How Many Pokémon Were Printed Only in the 4th Print Run.” The query is ambiguous because it does not state a specific set, region, era, or card product (for example: Base Set, Jungle, Neo, modern sets, promotional releases, or non‑TCG Pokémon merchandise). The most likely interpretation is you are asking about trading cards in the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) that exist *only* in the fourth print run (i.e., cards whose only printed copies were produced during a set’s fourth printing). I will proceed with that interpretation and explain the topic deeply, covering what “print run” means, why fourth print runs occur, known historical examples, how collectors identify and verify fourth‑run‑only cards, rarity and market effects, common misconceptions, research methods to find such cards, and resources to confirm claims. Because authoritative, cited sources are required when medical claims are made and there are no medical claims in this subject, I will instead ground factual claims about printing history and known examples in the best available TCG and collector documentation. Where search results or authoritative references are lacking or contradictory, I will state that clearly.
Core direct answer (one sentence)
There is no single, definitive public list of “Pokémon cards printed only in the 4th print run” across all sets; identification depends on the specific set and card, and only a small number of cards in Pokémon TCG history are known or documented by collectors to exist solely as a fourth print variant—determining which requires set‑by‑set research using print run notes from publishers, printer error logs, collector databases, and expert authentication sources.
Essential context and supporting detail
What “print run” means and why multiple print runs exist
– A print run refers to one production batch of cards produced from a plate, sheet, or run of printing equipment; a set may be printed many times (first print, second print, etc.) to meet demand or to correct errors. The publisher (e.g., The Pokémon Company International and partner printers) and their contracted printing houses manage these runs, and variations (color, holographic process, wording) can change between runs. Public confirmation of the count and content of each print run is rarely published by the company, so collectors rely on visual differences, documented corrections, and publisher notes when available.
– Multiple print runs are common in Pokémon TCG history because initial printings may sell out, errors may be corrected (leading to later corrected runs), special promotional allocations may require extra production, or new regions/localizations create additional runs.
Why a card might exist “only” in a fourth print run
– Corrections and regional adjustments: If an error is discovered late (for example, wording, artwork color, set symbol mismatch), the printer/publisher may correct it and run a new batch; in rare cases, earlier runs may be destroyed or not widely distributed and only the later run becomes the commonly available printing.
– Limited promotional or reprint decisions: Some cards are reprinted but only during a later mass production wave that corresponds to the labeled “fourth print run” of a particular release.
– Collector/printing anomalies: Printer mixups, special promotional distributions, or retail allocations sometimes lead to a particular variant being produced only during one later run.
Why there is no comprehensive public tally
– The Pokémon Company and commercial printers typically do not publish a complete, labeled history of each discrete print run and the exact cards produced per run; collectors and researchers reconstruct runs from physical evidence (card differences), distributor and retail shipment records, and community‑compiled databases. Because of this, any exhaustive list would require access to internal production records or exhaustive, expert‑verified inspections across all releases and regions.
Examples and documented cases where print-run differences matter
– Error and corrected prints: The Bulbapedia error-cards page documents cases where corrections occurred and notes when a correction was made “late in the print run” and sometimes attributes the correction to a certain press run (for example, Vulpix HP discrepancy corrected in a UK 1999–2000 4th print run) [3]. This shows that at least some cards have documented corrections attributed to a fourth print run in historical releases, though that reference treats the UK correction as part of the unlimited run sequence rather than publishing an exhaustive “only in 4th print” list[3].
– Misprints and corrected unlimited prints: Bulbapedia catalogs many error variants, some of which were mass produced and then corrected later in later runs; sometimes the corrected variant is rarer because it occurred late or only in a particular local run[3]. Bulbapedia’s Error cards index is a primary community reference for tracking which variants appeared when and whether corrections were applied in later runs[3].
How collectors identify whether a card was printed only in the 4th run
– Visual and typographic indicators: Collectors compare printing traits—font thickness, color hues, holo patterns, alignment, set symbols, and small printing marks—to group cards into print waves. Those groupings are cross‑checked among many physical examples.
– Regional printing evidence: Some print waves are region‑specific (for example, UK/European corrections) so identification may require provenance showing where the card came from.
– Expert authentication and grading houses: Grading companies and long‑time specialists may be able to identify print-wave traits and cite how many examples or where they have seen variants. Marketplaces (like PriceCharting, TCGplayer) and grading sales records sometimes reveal rarity signals (price spikes for a variant) but do not prove a card exists only in a particular print run[1][5].
– Community databases and research: Bulbapedia, collector forums, and set‑specific wikis aggregate known differences and reported counts; researchers cross‑reference error pages and set histories to locate claims about late-run corrections or run‑specific variants[3].
Limitations and uncertainties (why verification is hard)
– Lack of publisher print‑run disclosure: The Pokémon Company rarely, if ever, publishes a public ledger of “first, second, third, fourth” print runs and which cards were exclusive to any one run. This makes absolute certification that a card exists only in a “4th print run” difficult without internal printing records.
– Regional and language versions multiply complexity: A card might be printed in English until a fourth global wave, while the Japanese printing history is separate; counting “only in 4th print run” requires specifying region and language.
– Terminology inconsistency: Collectors may refer to “fourth print run” differently—some count official unlimited runs as separate waves; others use the term only when a clear, catalogued distinct run is visible. Community usage varies.
Notable historical printing phenomena relevant to “4th print run” exclusives
– Shadowless vs. Unlimited corrections and late fixes: Early Base Set cards went through multiple phases (1st edition, shadowless, unlimited) with known corrections; some corrections may have been implemented late and associated with later waves in particular regions[3].
– Double-printed backs, inverted backs, and other misprints: Bulbapedia lists rare “double printed back
