| name | pokemon-set-archeology |
| description | Use when classifying any Pokemon card by set, era, and rarity tier. The WOTC era, 1st Edition, and Shadowless designations drive 90%+ of value.
|
Pokemon Set Archeology
WOTC era (1999-2003) defines the high-end Pokemon market. 1st Edition + Shadowless are the gold standard.
The WOTC eras
- Base Set (1999) — Shadowless and 1st Edition variants
- Jungle (1999)
- Fossil (1999)
- Team Rocket (2000)
- Neo Genesis through Neo Destiny (2000-2002)
- Legendary Collection (2002)
- Expedition / Aquapolis / Skyridge (2002-2003 — last WOTC)
2003+ shifted to Nintendo/TPCi. WOTC era commands 3-10× premium of equivalent post-WOTC.
1st Edition vs Shadowless vs Unlimited
Base Set print order:
- 1st Edition Shadowless (rarest, ~50-100× Unlimited value at high grade)
- Shadowless (no 1st Ed stamp, but Shadowless — ~5-15× Unlimited)
- Unlimited (most common; Shadow under art frame)
Identify by: 1st Ed stamp on left side of art + 'Shadowless' = no drop-shadow under art frame.
Modern Pokemon hierarchy
Modern (2010+) tiers: Common → Uncommon → Rare → Holo Rare → Reverse Holo → Full Art → Alt Art → Rainbow Rare → Gold Rare → Special Illustration Rare (V/VMAX/VSTAR era).
Alt Arts and Special Illustration Rares command the highest modern premiums.
Where this fits in the X3 empire
Foundation for PokeFlipAI and all Pokemon-related agents.
