Fossil: How to Identify Cards From This Set

• Fossil was the last set to use the 'Starlight' holofoil pattern; starting with Base Set 2 the pattern changed to 'cosmos', which can be used to distinguish earlier from later holo cards.
• Rarity is shown by a small symbol at the bottom of the card: circle = Common, diamond = Uncommon, star = Rare.
• The English Fossil release had both a 1st Edition and an Unlimited print run.

• 1st Edition: The stamp rule is the same as Base Set/Jungle: on Pokémon cards it sits on the left edge, vertically centered, reading a black-and-gold circle with '1' plus 'EDITION'.

Fossil likewise has no Shadowless variant; it only distinguishes 1st Edition from Unlimited.

• Bottom-left or bottom-right corner: the set symbol and the collector number (e.g. 4/102) tell you the set; older cards have no symbol at all, which itself narrows them to Base Set.
• Left of the number: a 1st Edition stamp, if present, sits below the art on WOTC-era cards.
• Regulation mark (a letter in a box near the bottom, D through H so far) dates modern cards to a two-year window.
• Back of the card: the blue Poké Ball back has changed little since 1999; a washed-out, blurry or wrongly colored back is the first sign of a fake.

Lay the card flat on a dark surface in daylight, straight on, with the whole card in frame, then a close-up of the bottom edge where the set symbol, number and any edition stamp sit. Tilt holo cards under the light for a second shot to show the foil pattern. Photograph the back too. The app reads the card and set; the edition and rarity checks above tell you which version you have.