1999 Pokemon Base Set Shadowless 1st Edition Holo Charizard #4 BGS 9.5 GEM MINT

Next to Pikachu, there might not be a more iconic Pokémon than Charizard. The fearsome dragon is undoubtedly stronger than its red-cheeked counterpart—after all, Charizard’s fiery breath is hot enough to melt boulders. Though even without its place in Pokémon lore, Lizardon (as it is known in Japan) is almost universally beloved by casual fans and die-hard trainers alike. Anyone who played the original Gen 1 games will likely tell you they went with Charmander as their very first starter Pokémon, and thanks to the overwhelming popularity of Mitsuhiro Arita’s artwork for the 1996 Japanese Base Set Charizard and its 1999 English counterpart, nearly every iteration of the orange reptile in card form has become highly collectible. Yet nothing beats the original. Although there are technically eight printings of the 1999 English Base Set Charizard, most collectors divide the eight versions into three classifications: 1st Edition (which features the “1st Edition” stamp), Shadowless (no stamp, no portrait drop shadow), and Unlimited (no stamp, portrait drop shadow). Shadowless and 1st Edition Base Set are both considered the first printing of English Pokémon cards, as 1st Edition issues received their stamps later in production after being printed as Shadowless. However, 1st Edition cards had an extremely limited print run, and booster boxes and packs sold out almost immediately upon their distribution to hobby shops in 1999. Arita’s Charizard quickly became a fan favorite thanks to its stunning artwork and high stats, and most 1st Edition copies suffered heavy play as trainers scrambled to incorporate them into their decks or jam them into their collecting binders. As a result, high-grade examples of this card are exceedingly rare. Of the nearly 900 copies of this card graded by BGS, this is one of 54 Gem Mint 9.5s. Only three rank higher in the company's registry. The certification number on this card has been checked against the third-party grader's online database and is active as of 07/07/2025.