Matchprints on EBay (common/trainer only)

[Quuador]

@Leo

I definitely wouldn’t try to complete a set - I’m sure it’s near impossible. I’m happy with just 1. There’s a Charmeleon in a custom psa encapsulation listed at 12k I made an offer but didn’t expect to be accepted. To my surprise, seller accepted at 3.5k. Not sure if I’m overpaying

3.5k sounds like a pretty good price for a Charmeleon tbh. Matchprints are defintely niche, but the same can be said about every Sample card. If I didn’t had the Pikachu yet and had the opportunity to buy it for 3.5k USD, I defintely would have done so. There are (from what we know) just two copies of, so I’m happy to own one of those two.

Also, kinda off-topic, but still related to Matchprint cards: the Expedition Base Set color proofs weren’t the only Pokémon prototypes with the Matchprint back. I’ve also seen Lenticular prototypes with the same back. Not too relevant for the discussion about the Matchprint Trainers, but still a fun piece of information I figured I’d share.

Also, here some more relevant information in my Unofficial ‘Pikachu around the World’ collection post, for those unaware of the Matchprint cards:

@Quuador

Matchprint:
Also around the same time period, between May and September 2002, they did more test prints for the English Expedition Base Set. Just like the previous For Position Only cards, these are created by Wizards of the Coast, and were all sold by an ex WotC designer to TCA Gaming / Rusty, who later on sold copies to other collectors. These Matchprint cards were used to test the colors of the prints. The fronts look exactly the same as their released Expedition Base Set cards. All of these cards are square cut however, and instead of featuring the regular English back, they all have a white back with text diagonally across it reading: “DIGITAL HALFTONE - IMATION MATCHPRINT - COMMERCIAL BASE”. Here is a video of TCA Gaming, where he shows all of the Matchprint cards that he bought from the ex WotC employee. Most of the Matchprint cards had just two copies each, with some of the Trainer and Energy cards four, three, or just one. Here another video by TCA Gaming where he scans one of the cards with a Game Boy e-Reader.
The existing Matchprint cards, which can also be all seen in the linked video of TCA Gaming, are (all will have two copies available, unless mentioned otherwise behind it): 33/165 Alakazam; 34/165 Ampharos; 35/165 Arbok; 36/165 Blastoise; 37/165 Blastoise; 38/165 Butterfree; 39/165 Charizard; 40/165 Charizard; 41/165 Clefable; 42/165 Cloyster; 43/165 Dragonite; 44/165 Dugtrio; 45/165 Fearow; 46/165 Feraligatr; 47/165 Feraligatr; 48/165 Gengar; 49/165 Golem; 50/165 Kingler; 51/165 Machamp; 52/165 Magby; 53/165 Meganium; 54/165 Meganium; 55/165 Mew; 56/165 Mewtwo; 57/165 Ninetales; 58/165 Pichu; 59/165 Pidgeot; 60/165 Poliwrath; 61/165 Raichu; 62/165 Rapidash; 63/165 Skarmory; 64/165 Typhlosion; 65/165 Typhlosion; 66/165 Tyranitar; 67/165 Venusaur; 68/165 Venusaur; 69/165 Vileplume; 70/165 Weezing; 71/165 Bayleef; 72/165 Chansey; 73/165 Charmeleon; 74/165 Croconaw; 75/165 Dragonair; 76/165 Electabuzz; 77/165 Flaaffy; 78/165 Gloom; 79/165 Graveler; 80/165 Haunter; 81/165 Hitmonlee; 82/165 Ivysaur; 83/165 Jynx; 84/165 Kadabra; 85/165 Machoke; 86/165 Magmar; 87/165 Metapod; 88/165 Pidgeotto; 89/165 Poliwhirl; 90/165 Pupitar; 91/165 Quilava; 92/165 Wartortle; 93/165 Abra; 97/165 Charmander; 101/165 Clefairy; 102/165 Corsola; 105/165 Cyndaquil; 106/165 Diglett; 108/165 Ekans; 109/165 Gastly; 110/165 Geodude; 111/165 Goldeen; 112/165 Hoppip; 115/165 Krabby; 117/165 Machop; 118/165 Magikarp; 121/165 Meowth; 124/165 Pikachu; 126/165 Ponyta; 128/165 Rattata; 129/165 Shellder; 132/165 Squirtle; 137/165 Bill’s Maintenance (4x instead of 2x); 138/165 Copycat (4x); 139/165 Dual Ball (4x); 140/165 Energy Removal 2 (4x); 141/165 Energy Restore (4x); 142/165 Mary’s Impulse (3x); 143/165 Master Ball (3x); 144/165 Multi Technical Machine 01; 145/165 Pokémon Nurse; 146/165 Pokémon Reversal; 147/165 Power Charge; 148/165 Professor Elm’s Training Method; 149/165 Professor Oak’s Research; 150/165 Strength Charm; 151/165 Super Scoop Up; 152/165 Warp Point; 153/165 Energy Search; 155/165 Moo-Moo Milk; 158/165 Darkness Energy (4x); 159/165 Metal Energy; 165/165 Water Energy (1x).

I don’t have an imgur album, because all cards can be seen in the linked video of TCA Gaming. I am happy to say I do own one of the two existing Matchprint Pikachu cards, which I bought from Rusty a few years back:

Greetz,
Quuador

[Leo]

Very cool info. I’ve seen the Matchprints in BGS slabs. Do they still grade them? Mine is custom encapsulated by psa as you can see but doesn’t say Matchprint for some reason. I’m going to assume that this was back when PSA did that and in current day they would not even touch it.

[jac2357]

Keep it in that its definitely a good thing.

[Leo]

You think that’s better?

[jac2357]

Its absolutely fine where it is.

[Quuador]

PSA indeed doesn’t grade them anymore, not even with green label. For that reason I agree with @jac2357 to keep it as is (but it’s your card, so I’ll leave the choice of what to do with it up to you ).

Greetz,
Quuador