Pokemon TCG Base Set UK ©1999-2000 Wizards

[bartallen2]

Hey

I’ve got around 380 base cards from 23 - 102 that I’m currently keeping in my base box, and the condition of these are as would be expected of cards pulled and sleeved; but I noticed that the majority of these are labelled 1999-2000, instead of the typical 1999, so I’m curious as to whether these UK Variants are rarer than their conventionally English counterparts, whether that be 1st Edition Shadowless, 1st Edition Non-Shadowless and Unlimited?

Would they be considered the smallest base run given that it was only exclusive to a very small market: the UK, Australia and Poland?

[RattlePokemon]

We don’t actually have numbers but I would guess they are less rare than 1st and shadowless.

Not that many people know they exist which certainly plays a role in why they aren’t as desired. 1999-2000 still demand a premium over unlimited since completionists like me and base set enthusiasts want them in their collection.

[melchior]

As one does when in doubt, you just quote @quuador :

@quuador said: 23 January 2018 at 20:20 Quuador posted on reddit:

The 1999-2000 print run was actually the 8th print run of the Base Set. The 1st print run were the 1st edition Shadowless cards (which can be divided into Thick and Thin 1st edition stamp print runs for the holos); 2nd was the non-1st Shadowless print run; 3rd-7th were the ©1999 unlimited edition; and the 8th was the ©1999-2000 print run in a factory in the UK. They are better known as the 4th print run however, due to the four unique differences: 1. 1st edition Shadowless; 2. non-1st Shadowless; 3. ©1999 unlimited; 4. ©1999-2000 unlimited. This above is a summary from a quote of cullers on the E4 Forum, which I will also quote here:

@cullers said: 16 May 2017 at 06:49 cullers posted on E4:

Let’s just set this straight and give some people some more inside info on what actually happened. This is more info then any casual collector is going to know and is a good reason to be a part of the forum.

Wizards of the coast starts production on Base set pokemon cards. They use the shadowless template and create a bunch of cards. Some of those cards are given a Thick 1st edition stamp. Some time goes by and they realize they miscaluculated the amount of Holo cards they needed stamped, so some shadowles holo sheet go back and get Thin 1st edition stamps applied. (We know some non holo cards got thin stamps applied to them, but I haven’t seen any factory rep explain why. Speculations have been made, but nothing confirmed).

The 1st edition cards are sold and sent out. Wizards still have a bunch of shadowless sheets which they cut up and sell as the intended ‘unlimited’ version. After this Wizards makes aesthetic and text correction to the templates and starts producing more cards. These new cards have shadows applied to them, and are sold off as unlimited cards. People notice the difference and start calling the old unlimited cards Shadowless.

There’s 6 more print runs done with these changes. The 8th and final print run includes the final corrections made (Vulpix’s HP) as well as the copywrite date changed to 1999-2000. This print was done in a factory in the UK, and most of the packs have regular holo cards (2nd-7th print) put inside them.
[/quote]

They were printed somewhere in the first four months of 2000 (I’m not sure about the exact date). The cards themselves are the same as their ©1999 counter-parts, except for the change in copyright date (and the Vulpix HP 50 error has been corrected to 50 HP). ©1999-2000 booster packs still contained ©1999 holos sometimes, which makes the ©1999-2000 holos harder to find than the ©1999-2000 non-holos.

I’ve also heard some rumors about ©1999-2000 Base Set being printed very briefly in Australia and Poland, but I haven’t been able to find any confirmation for that. We do know they were printed in the UK for fact, which is why they are also known as the UK Base Set print.

Some slightly off-topic but interesting and semi-relative topics:

• There is also a ©1999-2000 Fossil print run that was printed in Australia.

• As for Jungle, no ©1999-2000 cards exist, although the cards that were printed in Australia have a semi-glossy back in comparison to their US counterparts. This is barely noticable on camera, but if you compare both versions irl you can clearly see the difference. (The US is only a vague light reflection, and on the Australian back you can clearly see the LEDs of my flashlight.)

• Here is an article I wrote about all 1st edition stamp differences (mainly foccused on the Base Set), which also contains the quote of cullers above.

• Here is an article I wrote about all the Base Pikachu artwork variations, including some general information about their releases.

[/quote]

[bartallen2]

@RattlePokemon

We don’t actually have numbers but I would guess they are less rare than 1st and shadowless.

Not that many people know they exist which certainly plays a role in why they aren’t as desired. 1999-2000 still demand a premium over unlimited since completionists like me and base set enthusiasts want them in their collection.

Thanks It’s rather change that its existence isn’t acknowledge by PSA as 1st edition, Shadowless and Unlimited are.

@melchior

As one does when in doubt, you just quote @quuador

Amazing; I saw this a while back, but there doesn’t seem to be anything as extensive as what @quuador said ~

[mjisaacs]

www.elitefourum.com/t/mjisaacs-buy-thread-base-2000-1-left/23169/1

Willing to buy if you have any of the cards listed here
Hope it’s okay to promote my own buy thread in this case.

Mjisaacs

[bartallen2]

@mjisaacs

www.elitefourum.com/t/mjisaacs-buy-thread-base-2000-1-left/23169/1

Willing to buy if you have any of the cards listed here
Hope it’s okay to promote my own buy thread in this case.

Mjisaacs

I may consider selling some

[styluspt]

All there is to know about it → www.elitefourum.com/t/base-set-2000-a-guide-to-the-last-print-of-base-set/22312/1

[bartallen2]

@styluspt

All there is to know about it → www.elitefourum.com/t/base-set-2000-a-guide-to-the-last-print-of-base-set/22312/1

That’s a brilliant article

The more I think about it; if the 1999-2000 run was the shortest run, and that the 1999-2000 packs didn’t necessarily contain 1999-2000 holograph cards (as some contained solely 1999 cards) - would it be safe to assume that the 1999-2000 holograph cards are the rarest WOTC Pokemon cards? And it’s obviously irksome that PSA havent at least acknowledged this set.

[cman]

@bartallen2

@styluspt

All there is to know about it → www.elitefourum.com/t/base-set-2000-a-guide-to-the-last-print-of-base-set/22312/1

That’s a brilliant article

The more I think about it; if the 1999-2000 run was the shortest run, and that the 1999-2000 packs didn’t necessarily contain 1999-2000 holograph cards (as some contained solely 1999 cards) - would it be safe to assume that the 1999-2000 holograph cards are the rarest WOTC Pokemon cards? And it’s obviously irksome that PSA havent at least acknowledged this set.

Assuming that the print runs had the same quantity of packs made, yes. I actually think that fewer 1999-2000 packs were made since they were targeting a smaller market (Europe)

[mikejofthecoast]

To your question as if it is rarer then the rest, in my two years of collecting I have come across more 1st edition and shadowless cards in collections ive bought then UK 1999-2000 print run cards.

Ive gotten holo rares, rares, uncommons, commons, and energys in 1st edition through base unlimited print runs. But I’ve never gotten a holo rare in UK 1999-2000 print run. I’ve never checked for UK 1990-2000 energies though.

So from my personal collecting experience, the UK 1999-2000 print run has been rarer then the others

[bartallen2]

@cman

@bartallen2

That’s a brilliant article

The more I think about it; if the 1999-2000 run was the shortest run, and that the 1999-2000 packs didn’t necessarily contain 1999-2000 holograph cards (as some contained solely 1999 cards) - would it be safe to assume that the 1999-2000 holograph cards are the rarest WOTC Pokemon cards? And it’s obviously irksome that PSA havent at least acknowledged this set.

Assuming that the print runs had the same quantity of packs made, yes. I actually think that fewer 1999-2000 packs were made since they were targeting a smaller market (Europe)

That’s utterly insane; especially considering 1st edition base ~

I mean I know @rattlebear said, “Not that many people know they exist which certainly plays a role in why they aren’t as desired”, but in a way I feel that when PSA acknowledges their existence then that’s going to be a huge thing ~

[RattlePokemon]

@mikejofthecoast

To your question as if it is rarer then the rest, in my two years of collecting I have come across more 1st edition and shadowless cards in collections ive bought then UK 1999-2000 print run cards.

Ive gotten holo rares, rares, uncommons, commons, and energys in 1st edition through base unlimited print runs. But I’ve never gotten a holo rare in UK 1999-2000 print run. I’ve never checked for UK 1990-2000 energies though.

So from my personal collecting experience, the UK 1999-2000 print run has been rarer then the others

This is largely dependent on your location since they were mostly printed and/or sold outside North America. If you are in North America, yeah, you will rarely come across 1999-2000 at a garage sale.

[scarecrowman88]

It is worth noting that the theme deck holos (Mewtwo, Hitmonchan, Ninetales and Gyarados) are fairly common in the 1999-2000 print, as they were mass produced in theme decks. The other holos are much much harder to find, as 1999-2000 booster packs often contained 1999 holos. I would not be surprised if there are less 1999-2000 charizards than 1st edition charizards. The color difference is also quite noticeable side by side with the unlimited 1999 print, so the 1999-2000 print definitely deserves its own category.

[bartallen2]

@scarecrowman88

It is worth noting that the theme deck holos (Mewtwo, Hitmonchan, Ninetales and Gyarados) are fairly common in the 1999-2000 print, as they were mass produced in theme decks. The other holos are much much harder to find, as 1999-2000 booster packs often contained 1999 holos. I would not be surprised if there are less 1999-2000 charizards than 1st edition charizards. The color difference is also quite noticeable side by side with the unlimited 1999 print, so the 1999-2000 print definitely deserves its own category.

True, but even the 1999-2000 theme decks have the chance of containing the 1999 Mewtwo, Hitmonchan, Ninetales and Gyarados cards; so there is still a level of uncertainty about rarity in terms of starter decks/booster packs, but you’re right the other holos are a bit of a nuisance to find.

[risingtrout]

@mikejofthecoast

To your question as if it is rarer then the rest, in my two years of collecting I have come across more 1st edition and shadowless cards in collections ive bought then UK 1999-2000 print run cards.

Ive gotten holo rares, rares, uncommons, commons, and energys in 1st edition through base unlimited print runs. But I’ve never gotten a holo rare in UK 1999-2000 print run. I’ve never checked for UK 1990-2000 energies though.

So from my personal collecting experience, the UK 1999-2000 print run has been rarer then the others

I had to get my basic energies from someone on E4 from Europe for my collection. I couldn’t find them on eBay. I did have to buy the only non graded DCE on eBay.

[bartallen2]

Three down, thirteen to go ~

[pichufan]

I’m very curious as to how spread throughout the UK this release was. Base Set came out in the UK when I was at school and myself and my friends remained heavily interested in the TCG from Base Set up until Neo Genesis. Base Set was by far the most popular of the sets when I was growing up and I’m fairly certain every single kid at my school had their own Base Set cards.

I’ve had a look this evening through my childhood collection and not a single one of over 500 cards I still own, including the theme deck holos, have the 1999-2000 copyright date. Every single one is 1999. At school I must have made well over a thousand trades with people of all different ages from all different backgrounds, yet not a single one of my cards I stil own has this copyright date. This to me implies that either London and its surrounding areas (where I grew up) did not see this release widely distributed, or simply that these cards weren’t released in England at all.

I’d find it very odd to have somehow missed obtaining any of these cards, especially as my parents supported by TCG addiction from 1999 right up to when I lost interest in 2002 or so. I feel that it’s possibly quite the misconception to assume that this was the UK release as that doesn’t appear to be the case at all.

[bartallen2]

@pichufan

I’m very curious as to how spread throughout the UK this release was. Base Set came out in the UK when I was at school and myself and my friends remained heavily interested in the TCG from Base Set up until Neo Genesis. Base Set was by far the most popular of the sets when I was growing up and I’m fairly certain every single kid at my school had their own Base Set cards.

I’ve had a look this evening through my childhood collection and not a single one of over 500 cards I still own, including the theme deck holos, have the 1999-2000 copyright date. Every single one is 1999. At school I must have made well over a thousand trades with people of all different ages from all different backgrounds, yet not a single one of my cards I stil own has this copyright date. This to me implies that either London and its surrounding areas (where I grew up) did not see this release widely distributed, or simply that these cards weren’t released in England at all.

I’d find it very odd to have somehow missed obtaining any of these cards, especially as my parents supported by TCG addiction from 1999 right up to when I lost interest in 2002 or so. I feel that it’s possibly quite the misconception to assume that this was the UK release as that doesn’t appear to be the case at all.

Take a look at @styluspt 's Base Set 2000 thread (a link being on the first page)

But I do believe that even in the UK most of the sets were exported from the United States; though the publication of the Base Set 2000 in the UK was in a very limited number - possibly more limited than most but the whole London-based theory is most interesting though. Or simply - mathematically - you didn’t see these cards on the basis of probability.

**Plus I’ve added this to my collection:

**

[chopkins1994]

From my personal observations I find the non holos to be fairly common. The issue is that the difference is extremely minute and most people don’t even know about it. The last large collection I purchased had around 100 non holo 4th print cards and only one holo hitmonchan. I try to check for 4th print anytime I see base set holos posted for sale but I very rarely find them and I really think that when they are listed appropriately they do not bring nearly a high enough of a premium.

A question that I’ve always had is, were any of the 99-00 holos inserted in the UK theme decks? If so, would that make hitmonchan, mewtwo, ninetales, and gyarados more common than the others? Also, were there any 99-00 machamps ever printed?

[bartallen2]

@chopkins1994

From my personal observations I find the non holos to be fairly common. The issue is that the difference is extremely minute and most people don’t even know about it. The last large collection I purchased had around 100 non holo 4th print cards and only one holo hitmonchan. I try to check for 4th print anytime I see base set holos posted for sale but I very rarely find them and I really think that when they are listed appropriately they do not bring nearly a high enough of a premium.

A question that I’ve always had is, were any of the 99-00 holos inserted in the UK theme decks? If so, would that make hitmonchan, mewtwo, ninetales, and gyarados more common than the others? Also, were there any 99-00 machamps ever printed?

Scroll up to my earlier post on May 20, as I included an image of my 99-00 Machamp

The 1999-2000 holos were in the UK theme decks, HOWEVER, there were not common as some UK decks didn’t include the 1999-2000, but the 1999 variety (so that’s incredibly difficult to measure upon rarity; but I really don’t know the rate and probability of pulls (asking @styluspt )