You want an extremely extensive, plain‑text, easy-to-understand article on how to identify a 4th print Machamp by its copyright line. I will explain precisely what to look for, give background on printing runs and copyright lines, show how copyright lines changed across printings and territories, list step‑by‑step inspection checks, describe common counterfeits and how copyright lines are faked, explain where to find authoritative references and how to verify them, and include authoritative sources for any medical statements (none are needed here). I will avoid headings that look like GPT templates and I will not end with a summary or conclusion; the text will be continuous and plain text.
Core, direct answer first (one clear sentence)
A genuine fourth‑print Machamp from the original Pokémon Base Set (the US/English reprints typically called the fourth print or “4th print”) is most reliably identified by the precise wording, date range, and typography of the copyright line at the bottom of the card — compare the exact characters, punctuation, spacing, and suffixes against known authentic examples because fourth prints use a different copyright year block and sometimes publisher identifiers than earlier prints.
Essential background and why the copyright line matters
Collectors use the copyright line (the small printed legal line near the bottom edge of a Pokémon card) as a durable typographic fingerprint because it records the publisher(s) and the year ranges the card art and text are protected under; printers and licensors often updated that line between printings and between territories (Japanese, English/US, European printings), so different print runs of the same card will frequently show different years, company names, or order of names. Because the rest of the card art and holo patterns can be mimicked by high-quality counterfeits, the copyright line — being tiny and precise — is one of the most consistent indicators of era and authenticity for classic cards. For example, original late‑1990s US prints typically list Nintendo, Creatures, and GAME FREAK in a specific order and year span, and those details shifted slightly for later mass‑reprints and overseas reprints.
What “fourth print” usually refers to for Base Set Machamp
When collectors say “fourth print” they often mean the fourth English (US) printing of the Base Set reprints that followed the first edition/initial unlimited/second/third printings; these reprints were printed to meet demand and often used updated copyright lines and sometimes different holofoil treatments and back‑print color. The exact definition of “fourth print” can vary by community — some count shadowless and subsequent shadowed variants differently — so always confirm which numbering your source uses before comparing lines.
Where the copyright line is and what to inspect visually
Locate the very small line of text running along the bottom edge of the card’s front (below the artwork and above the frame border) and the corresponding line on the back near the bottom center. Inspect with a loupe or 10× jeweler’s loupe under steady light; a microscope or high‑resolution scan is even better. Key elements to read and compare:
– Exact sequence of names (e.g., “Nintendo”, “Creatures Inc.”, “GAME FREAK inc.”) including capitalization and punctuation.
– Year or year range format (for example “©1995–1999” versus a single year like “©1999”).
– Presence or absence of a country/region code or printer line (Topps logo appeared on some very early prints; other later reprints may lack it).
– Small typographic differences: hyphen versus en‑dash, spacing after punctuation, lowercase/uppercase mixes, and whether “inc.” is followed by a period or not.
– Additional legal text such as “All Rights Reserved” or lines about trademarks and logos.
– Font weight and alignment relative to the card edge: authentic cards from the same run will share typeface and baseline alignment.
Common copyright line variants relevant to original Base Set and later reprints (what to expect)
– Early US Base Set (original era) lines commonly read with a copyright range and include Nintendo, Creatures, and GAME FREAK in that sequence; some prints list years 1995–1999 in that style. This form is associated with very early US production runs. Compare this to later reprints that narrow the year to a single year (for example ©1999) or reorder/modify the studio names.
– Some reprints printed outside the US, or reissues tied to promotions, replaced or altered wording (for example adding “©1995–2000” or adding the local publisher/processor).
– Later reprints of Base Set-style cards produced years afterward may use simplified copyright lines or include different corporate suffixes (for example using “GAME FREAK inc.” lowercase “inc.” or omitting periods).
Because wording and punctuation are subtle and a core identifier, you must compare a suspected card’s line to reliable images of authenticated fourth‑print examples.
Step-by-step identification procedure using the copyright line
1) Get a clear close-up image or view the card under 10× magnification and adequate lighting to read the full line; a smartphone macro lens or scanner at 600 dpi can work for capture.
2) Transcribe every character exactly as you see it, including hyphens, en‑dashes, colons, parentheses, periods in abbreviations like “Inc.” or “inc.”, and spacing between elements.
3) Note the year text precisely (single year vs. range, and whether ranges use an en‑dash or hyphen).
4) Compare your transcription to verified examples of a known authentic fourth print of the same US Base Set Machamp; look for images from reputable grading services (PSA, Beckett/BGS) or high‑resolution scans from established collector references.
5) Confirm the copyright line font and weight match other known genuine fourth prints (typefaces and printing density should be consistent across cards printed in the same batch).
6) Check the card back’s copyright line as well; mismatched front and back lines are a red flag.
7) If the card’s copyright line exactly matches known authentic fourth‑print examples in wording, punctuation, and typography, that supports a fourth‑print identification; if it differs, record the differences and seek expert verification or grading.
How counterfeiters try to mimic copyright lines and how to detect fakery
Counterfeiters often copy the visible wording but fail to reproduce micro‑typographic details and printing artifacts accurately; common giveaways include:
– Slightly different spacing or kerning between letters, because counterfeiters retype the line rather than reproduce the exact microtype raster of the press plate.
– Incorrect punctuation: replacing an en‑dash with a hyphen or omitting periods in “Inc.” where authentic prints have them.
– Blurry or bleeding ink on very tiny letters — authentic press plates produce crisp microtext while many fakes have fuzz around characters.
– Mismatched ink density relative to nearby printed lines (the copyright line should match the tone of other small black text).
– Wrong location: counterfeit copyright lines may sit slightly higher or lower relative to the art border because counterfeiters crop or resize images rather than match press registration exactly.
– If the counterfeit is printed on
