Shadowless Charizard Color Variation

[7l7l]

Has anyone noticed this variation before?

[chrispy]

yeah, some people call those “rubys” but idk if there’s a diff in price.

[hammr7]

That variation runs across the entire set. Normal borders look like they have a touch of tan in the yellow mix. But in the variation borders look like a sunny yellow. It is most noticeable in the red colored cards, but if you just check the borders it can be found with every color. I thought about trying for a complete set of the variation in 2000, but then my kids switched to playing Magic. I think it was simply a bad ink match at the factory.

[tem4elf]

I picked up on this years ago and have formed my Shadowless collection in part around it. Those two examples, the yellow border and orange border, are the most common and within them there’s a spectrum of variation. Then there’s the ultra rare ones that are far more saturated and vivid in color that stand out even more. I actually just acquired a high saturation Blastoise which completed the starter trio in PSA 8 or higher for my collection. I also have a Clefairy and Chansey that stand out among the average variants. In my binder collection I have a few stand outs too. I’ll post some examples a little later when I have some time. I think this adds another dimension to collecting that keeps the chase going and makes it more fun.

[7l7l]

@tem4elf

I picked up on this years ago and have formed my Shadowless collection in part around it. Those two examples, the yellow border and orange border, are the most common and within them there’s a spectrum of variation. Then there’s the ultra rare ones that are far more saturated and vivid in color that stand out even more. I actually just acquired a high saturation Blastoise which completed the starter trio in PSA 8 or higher for my collection. I also have a Clefairy and Chansey that stand out among the average variants. In my binder collection I have a few stand outs too. I’ll post some examples a little later when I have some time. I think this adds another dimension to collecting that keeps the chase going and makes it more fun.

Could you post a picture of the Blastoise? (ideally a comparison)

Thank you!

[tem4elf]

@7l7l

@tem4elf

I picked up on this years ago and have formed my Shadowless collection in part around it. Those two examples, the yellow border and orange border, are the most common and within them there’s a spectrum of variation. Then there’s the ultra rare ones that are far more saturated and vivid in color that stand out even more. I actually just acquired a high saturation Blastoise which completed the starter trio in PSA 8 or higher for my collection. I also have a Clefairy and Chansey that stand out among the average variants. In my binder collection I have a few stand outs too. I’ll post some examples a little later when I have some time. I think this adds another dimension to collecting that keeps the chase going and makes it more fun.

Could you post a picture of the Blastoise? (ideally a comparison)

Thank you!

Yes. I will share a bunch of stuff but give me some time. Might be tomorrow or later into this week. I’ve thought about typing up a guide before on this very subject but I have had to stop myself because I suspect shining light on these variations would make them harder and more expensive to obtain and my collection is still in progress. That said, I look forward to sharing my favorite cards to collect.

[stevethemagicguy]

Thank you for sharing this now my OCD is gonna make me need another Shadowless Zard! Haha

[EnlightenedBulbasaur]

I don’t doubt that there can be some slight degree of color variation depending on what was going on with the printer that day, but are we sure that the photos in the OP aren’t just a result of lighting? My Charizard can look quite different when held to different angles / different lighting.

[jkanly]

@hyruleguardian There are indeed distinct color variations between some of the cards. I found a few in my collection and set them aside because of how notably bright and vivid the colors are.

[EnlightenedBulbasaur]

@jkanly,Like I said I don’t doubt the idea that there are color variations, but I also know the card well enough to know that the slightest tilt will dramatically change the color of the holo depending on the light. And the colors of the non-holo part of the Charizards in that picture don’t look all that different to me.

[7l7l]

@EnlightenedBulbasaur

I don’t doubt that there can be some slight degree of color variation depending on what was going on with the printer that day, but are we sure that the photos in the OP aren’t just a result of lighting? My Charizard can look quite different when held to different angles / different lighting.

Yes, but the ones I posted are in that picture at the same angle in the same lighting right next to each other.

That’s a sweet ‘Zard, by the way!

[jkanly]

@EnlightenedBulbasaur

@jkanly,Like I said I don’t doubt the idea that there are color variations, but I also know the card well enough to know that the slightest tilt will dramatically change the color of the holo depending on the light. And the colors of the non-holo part of the Charizards in that picture don’t look all that different to me.

Just posting to confirm the reason the OP posted about. Not trying to argue/debate your point

[cullers]

This has been discussed before on the forum. The entire shadowless/1st ed print run has two color variations, either that or the entire holo print, can’t remember. It’s very slight, but if you look for it you can see it.

[EnlightenedBulbasaur]

@cullers

This has been discussed before on the forum. The entire shadowless/1st ed print run has two color variations, either that or the entire holo print, can’t remember. It’s very slight, but if you look for it you can see it.

Yeah, I actually just remembered having this conversation on this forum back in 2016. I think at the time I was comparing the colors of 2 different Blastoises.

[muk]

@cullers

This has been discussed before on the forum. The entire shadowless/1st ed print run has two color variations, either that or the entire holo print, can’t remember. It’s very slight, but if you look for it you can see it.

Can both thin and thick stamps have both of the color variations? Would be something new to collect for bored high end completionists…

[cullers]

@muk

@cullers

This has been discussed before on the forum. The entire shadowless/1st ed print run has two color variations, either that or the entire holo print, can’t remember. It’s very slight, but if you look for it you can see it.

Can both thin and thick stamps have both of the color variations? Would be something new to collect for bored high end completionists…

Yes.

You can also have off aligned with both colors, gray with both colors, psa 1-10, cards that have and have not been touched by members of this forum.

Sorry some variants are just silly to me.

[nickofturl]

WTB strong PSA 10 1st edition Charizard thick stamp orange border 4xxx cert no case scratches or white spots

Thanks

[7l7l]

@cullers

@muk

Can both thin and thick stamps have both of the color variations? Would be something new to collect for bored high end completionists…

Yes.

You can also have off aligned with both colors, gray with both colors, psa 1-10, cards that have and have not been touched by members of this forum.

Sorry some variants are just silly to me.

Some are pretty sweet though—I think this one is! That color on the flame really pops.

The colors are one of the main reasons I love these cards to begin with!

[cullers]

@7l7l

@cullers

Yes.

You can also have off aligned with both colors, gray with both colors, psa 1-10, cards that have and have not been touched by members of this forum.

Sorry some variants are just silly to me.

Some are pretty sweet though—I think this one is! That color on the flame really pops.

The colors are one of the main reasons I love these cards to begin with!

To each their own. My rule when it comes to a variant is it need a good story.

Here’s a thick stamp and thin stamp, they were caused by production changes time lining the first produced vs second.

Here’s a no damage ninetales it shows a production error where a mistake was made causing the missing text.

Here’s a color variation of two of the same cards, it just happened sometimes.

[7l7l]

@cullers

@7l7l

Some are pretty sweet though—I think this one is! That color on the flame really pops.

The colors are one of the main reasons I love these cards to begin with!

To each their own. My rule when it comes to a variant is it need a good story.

Here’s a thick stamp and thin stamp, they were caused by production changes time lining the first produced vs second.

Here’s a no damage ninetales it shows a production error where a mistake was made causing the missing text.

Here’s a color variation of two of the same cards, it just happened sometimes.

Which kind of example is Ninetales supposed to be? (Do we know why the “80” is missing?)

And some things just look pretty sweet even if we don’t know the exact reason behind them. Neo Rev holo bleeds (and I’d say these color variation Base cards) are examples.

But we may be talking past each other because I’m mainly making an aesthetic point (whereas you seem to be concerned with the technical reason the variation occurred—do we even know?)