Shadowless
Shadowless refers to early 1999 Base Set cards printed without the drop shadow on the right side of the artwork frame, making them scarcer than later prints.
Shadowless describes an early print run of the 1999 English Base Set. On later "Unlimited" prints, the right edge of the artwork frame casts a gray drop shadow; shadowless cards lack this shadow entirely, giving the card face a flatter, cleaner look.
Shadowless cards were printed after the 1st Edition run but before the shadow was added, so they sit in the middle of the Base Set hierarchy: 1st Edition, then shadowless, then Unlimited. Because the run was short, shadowless versions of key cards like Charizard are far scarcer and pricier than Unlimited copies. Quick check: look immediately to the right of the art box — no shadow means shadowless. All 1st Edition Base Set cards are also shadowless.