The Pokémon Trading Card Game kicked off back in 1999 with the Base Set, and right away, collectors noticed something special about the early prints. Those first runs came in three flavors: 1st Edition, which had a little stamp saying it was the very first batch, Shadowless, which missed a shadow effect around the artwork, and then Unlimited, the ones they kept cranking out after those rare early ones. Shadowless cards sit between 1st Edition and Unlimited in the print order—they’re from the second print run of Base Set, before Wizards of the Coast added the shadow back to make the Unlimited version[1][5]. Unlimited cards are the most common ones from that era, printed in huge numbers to meet the wild demand when Pokémon fever hit kids and adults alike.
But here’s the big question everyone asks: how many Unlimited cards exist in the Shadowless print color? Wait, that phrasing trips folks up a bit. Shadowless isn’t a “print color”—it’s a style of print run. Shadowless cards have no drop shadow under the Pokémon picture, and their colors pop in that classic holographic shine or flat art, but they’re distinct from Unlimited. Unlimited cards do have the shadow, and they’re printed on the same style of card stock with vibrant colors like deep blues, fiery oranges, and metallic holo foils. No exact total number of Unlimited Base Set cards printed has ever been publicly released by Wizards of the Coast or The Pokémon Company. They kept print runs secret to avoid fakes and hype, but we know from collector data and market sales that Unlimited was mass-produced—likely tens of millions across all 102 cards in the set[1][4].
To break it down simple, Base Set has 102 cards total: 16 holographics like Charizard (#4), Blastoise (#2), and Venusaur (#15), plus commons, uncommons, rares, and trainers. Shadowless versions exist for all of them in that early print window, but Unlimited followed with the shadow added, flooding stores. Estimates from grading companies like PSA and market trackers put Unlimited prints way higher than Shadowless. For example, PSA has graded over 100,000 Base Set Unlimited cards in various conditions, while Shadowless holo rares like Zapdos (#16) have far fewer—maybe a few thousand high-grade ones[7]. That gap shows Unlimited was printed endlessly until the set rotated out.
Think about it like this: when Pokémon TCG launched in January 1999, demand exploded. Stores sold out fast, so Wizards rushed more prints. 1st Edition was super limited, maybe just weeks of production. Shadowless came next, still scarce because they fixed the shadow issue quick to improve art visibility. Then Unlimited hit, with no edition mark, full shadow effect, and non-stop printing through 1999 and into 2000. Some packs even say “4th issue” with a 2000 copyright, proving they kept going[1]. No official count exists, but sales data hints at it. eBay and auction houses have moved millions of Unlimited cards over 25 years, and prices stay low— a near-mint Unlimited Charizard holo might fetch $200-500, while Shadowless jumps to $1,000+, showing supply difference[3][7].
Diving deeper into the cards themselves, every single one of the 102 has an Unlimited version. Here’s the full lineup in plain terms:
Holo rares (the shiny chase cards): Alakazam (#1), Blastoise (#2), Chansey (#3), Charizard (#4), Clefairy (#5), Gyarados (#6), Hitmonchan (#7), Machamp (#8), Magneton (#9), Mewtwo (#10), Nidoking (#11), Ninetales (#12), Poliwrath (#13), Raichu (#14), Venusaur (#15), Zapdos (#16). These Unlimited ones have that telltale shadow under the art, making the colors stand out crisp against it—Charizard’s flames glow orange-red, Mewtwo’s purple tail shimmers[5][7].
Then the non-holo rares: Computer Search (#71), Item Finder (#74), Leaf (#81), Potion (#92), Professor Oak (#98), Switch (#99). These are flat but still collectible in Unlimited.
Uncommons fill slots 29-60, like Bill (#46), Gust of Wind (#52), Pokémon Breeder (#60), and Pokémon Trader (#58). Commons are 1-28 and 61-70, everyday trainers like Dratini (#26) or Onix (#29, wait no, Onix is uncommon—cards like Abra (#43) uncommon, Bulbasaur (#44) common.
Trainers and energies round it out: Double Colorless Energy (#98? No, energies are 91-102: Fire, Water, etc.). Point is, all 102 exist in Unlimited print, with colors true to the original art—Misty’s orange hair, Brock’s brown vest, all shadowed properly[1].
Why no exact number? Companies like Wizards didn’t track public totals. But we can piece it from clues. In 1999, Pokémon TCG sold over 1 billion cards worldwide in year one. Base Set was the lion’s share. Collector sites track population reports: PSA alone has graded 200,000+ Base Set cards total, with Unlimited dominating 80-90% of that[4][7]. Beckett and CGC add tens of thousands more. Factor in ungraded copies in attics, binders, and landfills—probably 5-10 million Unlimited Base Set cards still float around today, but printed? Easily 20-50 million or more across all variants.
Compare to Shadowless: Those were a short run, maybe 1-2 months of packs before the shadow fix. Prices prove it—Unlimited Zapdos ungraded sells for $40-50, Shadowless $70+, PSA 10 Shadowless over $2,900[7]. Proxy cards on sites mimic them cheap because real Shadowless are tough, Unlimited everywhere[2].
Later sets like Jungle or Fossil had their own unlimited prints too, but no “Shadowless” there— that’s Base Set only. Jungle Unlimited? Massive print run, similar story, but Base Set started it all[1]. Collectors chase Unlimited for complete sets because they’re affordable builders. A full Unlimited Base Set in played condition? Under $500. Shadowless full set? $10,000+ easy.
Market trends keep Unlimited values steady. In 2025, with Pokémon hype from Scarlet/Violet sets, vintage Unlimited holds as entry-level vintage. Charizard Unlimited holo, even cut, sells quick. No medical angle here—no health claims about collecting, but if stress from fakes worries you, check authoritative grading like PSA for verification[6].
Fakes plague the scene, especially proxies mimicking Shadowless Charizard[2]. Real Unlimited have crisp fonts, exact color shades—Charizard’s wings metallic gold-silver, shadow soft gray. Use magnifiers for centering, edges[4][6]. Print runs stayed high till Base Set faded for Jungle in 1999 summer.
Global angle: English Base Set Unlimited mostly US/U
