In this guide, I’m going to show you all the most famous Charizard error cards that surfaced on the market over the last few decades.
But remember, creating a fully comprehensive guide is nearly impossible. That’s why this guide mostly focuses on repeated errors, meaning those that occurred across multiple copies of the same card.
Charizard Black Dot Error
The Charizard Black Dot Error is a repeated error that occurred on the Unlimited version of the card. It consists in a little dot of black ink over the word “Nintendo” in the copyright area.
Charizard Holo Shift
Charizard holo shifts are among the most sought-after cards for misprint collectors.
This error occurred on some copies of the Charizard Base Set, and is caused by a misalignment of the white opaque layer used to hide specific parts of the holofoil (check out my guide if you want to know How Pokémon holo cards are made?).
Other Charizard Base Set Errors
If you see a Charizard that looks blurry, you are probably holding a registration error card. As you can see above, this Charizard Base Set Misprint has the ink layer shifted compared to the others. This occurred when a printing plate or paper sheet is misplaced in the printing press.
Another famous misprint on the Charizard Base Set is the one you see above. This error is known as “water obstruction” (check out my Pokémon error cards list for more examples). It happens when liquid (usually water) gets onto the printing plate or sheet during manufacturing, preventing the white opaque ink layer from sticking properly.
There is also another sort of water obstruction/partially missing white ink that occurred on Charizard and Alakazam Base Set. Below you can see a rare video of the couple:
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Certain Unlimited Charizard feature extra white ink in the background of the artwork. You can recognise this error by looking around Charizard’s body and along the left side of the frame, where the stray ink is visible.
Charizard Base Set 2 Missing Holo Layer
No, you’re not dreaming! Some Base Set 2 Charizards were printed on non-holo paper stock. As you can see in the picture above, this fire-type Pokémon doesn’t have the classic holofoil effect.
Dark Charizard Team Rocket Error
The water obstruction error can be found on some copies of the Dark Charizard – 1st Edition – Team Rocket.
In the picture below, you can see three examples of the non-holo Dark Charizard with an obstruction error. This error occurs when debris, dust or a foreign object gets into the printing press and prevents the ink from adhering properly to the paper stock.
The Charizard you see below present an extremely rare misprint called “End of the holo roll“. As you can see, the card was printed over a piece of tape.
If you want to know more about this error, you should read CGC’s Post about it.
Another well-known Charizard error is the one that occurred on the Dark Charizard – Unlimited – Team Rocket. As you can see, the card was printed with insufficient black ink, resulting in an insufficient ink error.
The text of the card looks greyish, and the shadows around the artwork frame are almost completely missing.
Blaine’s Charizard Error Fighting Symbol
Blaine’s Charizard from the Gym Challenge set also features a famous design error.
Numerous copies of the card were printed with a Fighting Energy symbol in the text of its first attack instead of a Fire Energy symbol. The error was corrected later in production, making the corrected version significantly rarer than the misprinted one.
Shining Charizard Error
Neo Destiny Shinings are cards with a silver/gold texture printed on the Pokémon body. And obviously, a Shining Charizard misprint exists. There are multiple copies of the card printed with the texture shifted horizontally or vertically.
Charizard Skyridge Error
In the Skyridge set, I’ve seen Italian and German copies of Charizard Crystal Type with a miscut error. As you can see, the card was improperly cut during production. Currently, no other language-specific errors are known.
Charizard Miscuts & Misaligned Backs
Charizard miscuts can be found in nearly every set. Below you can see some rare examples: the Charizard EX Miscut with a colour bar on the left or the iconic Charizard Shadowless misprint.
Charizard Gold Star Error
German is the language of the only Charizard Gold Star misprint that surfaced on the market so far. But for sure, copies in other languages exist.
Charizard V Double Printed
A German version of the Charizard V from Crown Zenith has the front and back of the card printed on the same side.
As you can see from the picture, the holofoil (front) doesn’t show Charizard because it was printed on the back of the card. This is an extremely rare and unique error.
The card is currently owned by unlimited.gab, one of the most important Charizard collectors in the world.
Charizard VStar Error
Some copies of the Charizard VStar from Crown Zenith present an insufficient white ink error. The misprinted version can be recognised by its darker, silvery borders and background.
Charizard Mega Dream Texture Error
As reported by PokéBeach, some copies of the Japanese Charizard EX from the Mega Dream EX Set present a texture error. Some copies of the card were printed with the texture of the Chinese version.
Mega Charizard Y EX Misprint
If you own a Mega Charizard Y EX from Ascended Heroes, it might have an error. The card on the left is the misprinted version; as you can see, part of the gold ink layer is missing.
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