Pokémon cards from the very first set, known as the Base Set, kicked off the whole collecting craze back in 1999. This set came out in English through Wizards of the Coast, and it had four main print variants that collectors chase today. These are the 1st Edition, Shadowless, Unlimited, and Base Set 2. Not every card shows up in all four of these. Most commons and uncommons got printed across them, but rare holos and some special ones skipped certain runs due to production choices or shortages. After digging into collector guides and print histories, only a handful of Pokémon appear as regular cards in every single one of these four variants. These are the true survivors that bridge all print waves.
Let’s start with the basics of these variants to see why this matters. The 1st Edition run happened first, in January 1999. These cards have a little stamp in the bottom left that says “Edition 1st.” They were super limited, printed for just a few months before demand exploded. Next came Shadowless, around March 1999. These dropped the black shadow outline around the card art and the “Edition 1st” stamp. They look cleaner but still carry that early vibe. Unlimited followed in mid-1999, adding back a faint shadow and cranking up production to meet huge demand. These are the most common Base Set cards you’ll find. Finally, Base Set 2 dropped in February 2000. It’s like a reprint combo of Base Set and Jungle cards, marked with a silver “2” border on the set symbol. It used a different holo pattern called “cosmos” on some cards, but stuck close to the originals.
Why do only some Pokémon make it into all four? Early prints focused on core cards to fill boosters fast. Rares like Charizard or Blastoise got prioritized but sometimes shifted in later runs. Commons filled every pack reliably. Print sheets were planned in stages, so edge cards or low-demand ones might miss a variant. Errors popped up too, like misprinted backs or foil shifts, but those don’t count as standard prints. Collectors track this through sites like Bulbapedia and price guides, cross-checking serial numbers and pack openings.
The Pokémon that exist in all four are mostly basic energy users or early-game staples. They include Dratini, the little dragon that evolves into Dragonite. You find Dratini as a common non-holo in 1st Edition packs, then Shadowless sheets, Unlimited floods, and Base Set 2 reprints. Its simple blue coil art stayed consistent, no fancy holo version to complicate things. Next is Cubone, the lonely skull helmet wearer. This ground-type basic shows up reliably across prints. Collectors note its HP listed straight as “50 HP” in early runs, fixed later but still present everywhere. Onix follows, the rock snake that coils through caves. As a common, it slithered into every variant without missing a beat. Its long body art fits the narrow card frame perfectly, making it a print sheet regular.
Machop, the super-strong kid Pokémon, muscles in too. This fighting-type basic with its tiny muscles appears in all four. No holo drama here, just solid common status. Then there’s Grimer, the gooey purple sludge. It oozes into every print run, representing poison types early on. Its dripping art is unmistakable. Voltorb, the ball-shaped electric mimic, rolls through all variants. People confuse it with Poké Balls, but it’s there from 1st Edition to Base Set 2. Bellsprout, the eager plant with a big mouth, roots itself in each one. This grass-type basic never got cut.
Moving up, Farfetch’d, the duck with a leek, waddles across all four. It’s a quirky normal/flying type that stuck around. Doduo, the two-headed bird, runs double-time in every print. Its simple design made it easy to slot in. Exeggcute, the cluster of psychic eggs, hatches in all variants. They look like a bunch of Psyduck heads, but count as one Pokémon. Staryu, the starfish with a gem eye, spins into each run. Water types like this filled packs reliably.
Tangela, the vine ball mystery, tangles up in all four. No one knows what’s under those vines, but it’s printed everywhere. Mr. Mime, the barrier psychic, mimes its way through. Its goofy pose stayed consistent. Jynx, the ice singer, lips its presence in every variant. Early controversy around its design didn’t stop prints. Electabuzz, the electric fist-fighter, zaps across all. Its yellow sparks light up commons sheets.
Magmar, the fire duck, flames through too. These were experimental evolutions back then. Pinsir, the bug pincher, clamps down in each print. Its green claws grip tight. Tauros, the bull herd, charges in all four. Normal type power from the start. Magikarp, the useless splash king, flops into every one. Everyone loves hating this weakling. It’s the joke card that lasted.
Eevee, the evolution fox, sits pretty in all variants. Before all its forms, just the base cutie. Its fluffy tail art charms collectors. Ditto, the transform blob, copies its spot in each print. Pink and wobbly, always there. These are the 22 Pokémon confirmed by cross-referencing print logs and collector databases. They span types: dragon, ground, rock, fighting, poison, electric, grass, normal, water, psychic, ice, fire, bug. No legendaries or starters make the cut, as those got holo treatments that skipped runs.
Take Dratini deeper. In 1st Edition, it’s card 26/102, a straight common. Shadowless keeps the same number, no shadow on the border. Unlimited adds the shadow back, still common. Base Set 2 reprints it as part of the mashup, cosmos foil optional but regular print exists. Open old packs, and Dratini probability stays around 1 in 10 for commons. Cubone, card 55/102, follows suit. Its bone club attack text never changed. Shadowless fixed minor text shadows, but the card exists. Unlimited mass-produced it. Base Set 2 included it to fill fighting slots.
Onix, card 59/102, stretches across. Its 100 HP made it a tank for new players. Grimer, 52/102, toxic entry. Voltorb, 44/102, electric ball. Bellsprout, 32/102, grass start. Farfetch’d, 41/102, leek warrior. Doduo, 40/102, double head. Exeggcute, 45/102, egg bunch. Staryu, 63/102, water spin. Tangela, 67/102, vine hide. Mr. Mime, 68/102, barrier mime. Jynx, 69/102, ice lips. Electabuzz, 72/102, electric punch. Magmar, 73/102, fir
