1st edition base set Lightning energy - font size?

General
1

Hi!

Was checking some 1st ed. base set commons I have and noticed that the font size of the card number (i.e. 100/102) for my 1st edition base set lightning energy seems to be smaller compared to all other cards. I was worried it might be fake, so I started checking ebay to compare with PSA graded cards, but from what I can see it actually looks like the font size is in fact smaller for the 1st edition base set lightning energy card (not unlimited though). Is this a well known thing about this card, or is it fake?

The top image show my lightning energy compared to water energy.
The bottom image shows four cards graded 9-10 by PSA. By comparing the numbers (xxx/102) to “Wizards” it seems the numbers are smaller for lightning energy.

Thanks!
nevyn

2

Probably smaller because of the extra digit in 100. Is 101/102 and 102/102 also smaller?

1 Like
3

Scratch that idea, 102 is also bigger font. :confused:

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4

I don’t have a 1st ed lightning energy at hand right now, but I don’t think anyone would take the time to fake energy cards
 at least not yet :wink:

WOTC had a few such inconsistencies, like the different sizes of the Black Star Promo Symbol. Cool Porygon < Mewtwo (70 HP) < Meowth

2 Likes
5

Was thinking that too at first. I does affect how crammed the text is though (horizontally), it’s just to compare with for example the Double Colorless Energy where there is the extra diamond symbol

6

@muk,
Haha yeah I agree! Kind of ridiculous to fake energy cards, but the difference made me curious. And I agree that it maybe is just another WOTC inconsistency.

I should say that the card is also slightly more light yellow compared to Unlimited cards, which I found strange. But I was thinking this is perhaps just a change made between prints.

I was hoping someone here who owns both a 1st ed and unlimited version could just take a look at their cards and compare.

7

The colour on some of the 1st/shadowless is significantly different than the unlimited. Very noticeable with the shade of blue on water pokémon.

8

#newerrorcard

#donttellpsa

9

I just took a look through my small stack of Shadowless lightning energies and they all have the same smaller font. My PSA graded 1st edition also has the same font. It seems like it was corrected with the release of unlimited though. My unlimited energies look pretty normal in font size.

After looking at hundreds of energy cards in the last few minutes I think a big inconsistency with energies seems to be coloring, as well as centering of the small energy symbol that sits next to the word “ENERGY”. The coloring differences just make the cards different shades from each other, and is really noticeable when you look at the word “ENERGY”. Some words are really dark compared to others. The shading inconsistencies seem to happen with both Shadowless and unlimited.

The last part is the centering of the small energy symbol next to the “ENERGY” title. I only noticed this issue with my unlimited cards. The small symbol is sometimes touching the yellow border of the card. I didn’t notice this to be a problem with any of my Shadowless cards.

Anyways, I’m sure you could probably make a whole video on this. I would actually watch this video. Or maybe it already exists and I missed it?

10

I know the energy and energy word touching the top to be an error for unlimited water energies as well. Now I wonder if it is an error that can be found on all unlimited energies


Mjisaacs

11

Yes. Fonts were changed periodically. All the abovelook normal.

12

Great! Thank you all for replying!

13

Unless someone can find the exception(s), it looks like all 1st and shadowless lightning energy have the small font which was corrected at the unlimited print run.

14

Really interesting these things, even if they are mistakes. I must say I think it is a nice aspect of collecting pokemon cards, especially early sets. Makes ‘non-special’ cards feel a little special after all.