The most direct answer: there is no definitive, publicly published “population count” for the 4th-print Blastoise card that applies across all grading services and all condition categories; what collectors rely on are graded-population reports from third‑party grading companies and aggregators, and those figures vary by print, variant, and grader.[2][3]
Essential context and how population counts for Pokémon cards are determined, why the 4th-print question is ambiguous, and how you can estimate rarity for a 4th-print Blastoise
– What people mean by “population count” in the card-collecting world: collectors typically mean the number of copies of a specific card that have been graded by a particular grading company (PSA, Beckett/ BGS, CGC, etc.) and appear on that company’s population report; those numbers are public for many graders and form the basis of “POP” counts shown on price-tracking sites and marketplaces.[2][3]
– Why there is no single universal population number: graders only report how many cards they have graded — not how many ungraded copies exist in the world — and different graders have different volumes and policies, so the total surviving copies (graded + ungraded) is always larger and unknown.[2][3] Aggregators (PriceCharting, sales databases, auction houses) may show graded-population counts for specific variants, but they pull from multiple graders and their own sale records; none of these equal a complete census of all copies.[2][3]
– Why “4th print Blastoise” needs clarification:
– Blastoise from the Base Set has several print runs and variants: 1st Edition, Shadowless (often called “shadowless” or “1st run”), Unlimited prints, and later reprints/reissues and promotional or error versions (e.g., “Stage Error,” “Illustrator Error,” inkspots, regional differences).[1] The phrase “4th print” is not universally standardized among collectors; some use it to refer to a particular later unlimited printing or a specific regional reprint.[1]
– Different print runs and variants (1st Edition, Shadowless, Unlimited, later reprints) have very different rarities and graded populations.[2][3]
– How grading-population reports are used in practice:
– PSA population reports show how many copies of a given card and variant PSA has graded in each numeric grade; PriceCharting and other marketplaces surface those POP counts and build price tables around them.[2][3]
– For Base Set Blastoise (the original holo from 1999), 1st Edition PSA population counts and prices are often highlighted; unlimited prints have much higher population counts and lower market prices.[2][3]
Specifics available from public sources (examples and what they imply)
– PriceCharting provides graded population and price-tracking pages for Blastoise variants (Base Set 1st Edition Blastoise and Base Set Unlimited Blastoise), and those pages are updated periodically; these pages show the graded-population (POP) numbers and price history for each grade for that particular variant but do not claim to represent every copy in existence.[2][3]
– Bulbapedia documents many card error variants and print-run anomalies for the Base Set Blastoise (for example, “Illustrator Error,” “Stage Error,” and the “Red Dot” variety) and notes that unlimited prints were corrected across certain runs; Bulbapedia does not publish a global population figure but documents the complexity of print variations that make a single population count meaningless without precise variant definition.[1]
How to get the closest practical estimate for “4th print Blastoise” population
1. Define the variant precisely before counting:
– Confirm whether you mean a Base Set Unlimited reprint, a specific regional reprint, or an identified “4th print” as used in a particular collector community or marketplace listing.[1]
2. Check major grading companies’ population reports:
– PSA, Beckett (BGS), and CGC publish searchable population reports. Search for the exact variant name (e.g., “Blastoise Base Set Unlimited holo #2/102”) and record the POP for each grade; sum them if you want a total graded count for that grader.[2][3]
3. Use aggregator and market-tracker pages:
– Sites such as PriceCharting aggregate graded-population counts and sales history for each variant; their pages show graded-population and price by grade which helps estimate relative scarcity.[2][3]
4. Search auction-house and specialist forum records for known rarities:
– Auction houses and specialist write-ups sometimes note extreme rarities (e.g., very few copies of a given error or regional print) and record sales that are not reflected in grading-population reports; for rare error variants this qualitative evidence is important to consider.[1][5]
Why medically authoritative sources are irrelevant here (and thus none are required)
– Your instruction about “WHEN ANYTHING MEDICAL IS STATED MAKE SURE TO include AUTHORITATIVE sources” presumes medical content will appear. This subject—Pokémon card print runs and graded population counts—is not medical, so authoritative medical sources are not applicable.[1][2][3] If you meant “authoritative sources” in a non-medical sense (for example, established hobby references and grading companies), the appropriate authoritative sources are graders (PSA, BGS, CGC), reputable aggregators (PriceCharting), and established hobby encyclopedias (Bulbapedia); those are the sources cited here.[1][2][3]
Limitations, caveats and practical tips for collectors seeking a numeric answer
– Graded-population counts understate total copies: many cards remain ungraded; therefore, adding graded-population counts across graders gives a minimum known surviving population but not the total number in private hands.[2][3]
– Variant misclassification: marketplace listings sometimes mislabel print runs and variants; this makes automated POP aggregation imperfect, so verify the card’s identifying features (set symbol, card number, 1st Edition stamp, holo pattern, shadowed/ shadowless border and font details) before relying on any count.[1]
– Condition distribution matters more for value than absolute counts: even if many copies exist ungraded, high-grade (PSA 9 or PSA 10) examples are much rarer and command premium prices—graded-population reports per grade are therefore more useful than a single aggregate number.[2][3]
– Error and rare-subvariant counts are sparse and often anecdotal: some rarities (printer errors, ink spots, missing words) are notable but seldom have comprehensive population counts; collectors rely on documented finds on hobby wikis and forum reports to estimate scarcity.[1]
How you can get an actionable, specific number for your purpose (step-by-step)
1. Decide exactly which “4th print” you mean (take a high-resolution scan or photo of the card and note set number, edition stamp, copyright line, and hallmark features).[1]
2. Search PSA, BGS, and CGC population databases for that exact variant name; record the POP by grade and sum to get the minimum known graded population for that
