First Edition Base Set Japanese Cards
5.22.00 from Glenn at www.pocketmonsters.com in Japan:
Hi Pojo,
Maybe you can use this scan showing the difference
between Japanese first-edition and unlimited base cards. I chose
everyone’s
favorite
Charizard to illustrate how the editions differ. Essentially, the first
edition cards don’t have rarity symbols, while the unlimited edition
base set cards have the symbols.
The base set was the only one in Japan to have a
first edition. All subsequent expansions (Jungle through Neo) were
“unlimited” from the first day they were released.
The first-edition cards are extremely difficult to
find in Japan. They went on sale nearly four years ago, and most of them
probably were eventually thrown away or otherwise lost or destroyed. I
have been putting together a set of them, but so far I’m still about a
dozen cards short of completing it. Very few of the first-edition cards
I’ve obtained are in mint condition (sigh).
Anyway, hopefully this will help clear up once and
for all the debate over whether there were first-edition Pokemon cards in
Japan.
Cheers,
Glenn - www.pocketmonsters.com
Thanks for the inside info Glenn!!! - Pojo