Which Pokémon cards have a printing error?

Since the beginning of Pokémon with the Base Set in 1999, many Pokémon cards have been produced. All Pokémon cards are produced based on a design. However, it sometimes happens that cards have a deviation from the design. These cards have been officially marketed by Pokémon, but do contain a so-called printing error. Known in English as "misprints" or "error cards". There are not many cards with a printing error, which is why these specific cards are highly sought after by collectors.

Base Set

The first set of Pokémon, the Base Set from 1999, already contained cards with a printing error. The most famous card from this set is the "Red Cheek Pikachu".

Base Set Pikachu 58/102 "Red Cheeks"

As you can see in the image above, this Pikachu has red cheeks. Normally this Pikachu was printed with yellow cheeks. However, due to a printing error, a large batch of Pikachus were printed with red cheeks. These cards were put on the market. Soon after this production, the Pikachus were printed with yellow cheeks again. This makes the Pikachu with red cheeks one of the first and best-known Pokémon cards with a printing error.

Another printing error in the Base Set was Vulpix. In the Base Set, the Pokémon's HP was indicated in the order "number of HP". Due to a printing error in the United Kingdom, the Vulpix card was printed as "HP 50". Reversed with what should be the standard. However, this error was corrected in the 4th print series of the Base Set. Nevertheless, the Vulpix was marketed with the printing error.

Base Set Vulpix 68/102 "HP 50"

Other old Pokémon Sets

In addition to the Pokémon Base Sets, there are also other old Pokémon sets with cards that contain a printing error.

For example, there was a printing error with the 1st edition Electrode in the Jungle Set. Each first edition Electrode from the Jungle Set has the image of the Electrode from the Base Set. As you can see below, the Electrode from the Jungle Set looks exactly like the card from the Base Set.

The 1st Edition Electrode from the Jungle Set compared to the Base Set Electrode

The shiny (holo) version of the Electrode from the Jungle Set does contain the correct image. The printing error was later corrected and the Jungle Set Electrode looks as we know it below.

Jungle Set Electrode 18/64 without print error

There are also some cards from the Team Rocket set that contain a printing error. For example, Dark Arbok was accidentally produced with the number 3 in the year 2000 - "©1999-23000 Wizards" instead of "©1999-2000 Wizards". Dark Vileplume depicted the card's weakness as "Fighting" instead of "Fire" and explained that Grimer's attack "Poison Gas" puts the Pokémon to sleep instead of poisoning it.

Dark Vileplume 30/82 with Fighting's weakness instead of Fire

Newer Pokémon sets

Over the years there have been many Pokémon cards with a printing error. Actually too many to mention. The most recent printing error came from the Ultra Prism set from Sun & Moon.

The Cyrus Trainer card contains the text "You can't play this card if you don't have any Water Pokémon or Metal Pokémon in Play." However, this was an error in the text because you must have an Active Water or Metal Pokémon to play the card.

Ultra Prism Cyrus 120/156 with an error in the text

We have left the best for last. This is said to be the rarest first edition Pokémon card among printing errors. For example, there is an Ivy Pikachu with a 1st edition logo, while this should be without the 1st edition logo. This is a rare card where the chance of getting it in a Jungle Booster Box is 1 in 10.

Ivy Pikachu Promo 1st Edition

Do you also have Pokémon cards with a printing error? Let us know in a message below!