Venusaur · Base Set, what to know.
Venusaur sits at #15 in Base Set, also illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita. The composition is more contained than Charizard or Blastoise. Most of the holo window is dominated by the central Pokémon. And the print run shows less of the centering chaos that plagues the other two. That is part of why PSA 10 pop reports for Venusaur run higher than Charizard, but the absolute population is still small for a 25-year-old card.
Collector demand has lagged the other starters for years, but recent sales pulls show 1st Edition Venusaur appreciating faster than 1st Edition Blastoise on a percentage basis. Whether that is a long-term re-rating or a short-term run depends on whether you believe the gap between the three starters should narrow. The trend over the last 18 months says it is.
Shadowless Venusaur shows up less often than Shadowless Charizard or Blastoise on auction sites. Likely a function of survivor bias rather than a smaller print run. Verify the absence of a drop shadow on the right side and the lighter HP font before paying a Shadowless premium.
Three prints, three markets.
Edition stamp present. Lower pop than the other Base starters in 1st Ed.
No drop shadow, thinner HP font.
Drop shadow visible. Standard print.
