In the 1999 1st Edition Base Set and Shadowless Base Set there were two different versions of the Pikachu. In one version, Pikachu has yellow cheeks. There's also a version that depicts the iconic Pokémon with red cheeks, which is the more sought after of the pair.
When the 1999 Base Set Unlimited cards came out, there was only the one version of Pikachu with yellow cheeks. This further added to the popularity of the red cheeks version as it added a layer of rarity when comparing the two.
Despite being a Common Pokemon in the 1999 1st Edition Base Set, it’s still very difficult to find these in high grades today. To date, despite being one of the most recognized and most iconic cards in all of Pokémon, PSA has only awarded 260 total Red Cheek copies a Gem Mint 10 grade, making this one of the most sought after Pikachu cards and a grail for any Pokémon collection.
The certification number on this card has been checked against the third-party grader's online database and is active as of 01/13/2026.
