Spotting the Variations
PB Holo Marks aren't always perfect — they come in different shapes and strengths depending on how the foil was pressed. Here are the main types you'll find on vintage Japanese cards, with examples from my own collection.
Example 1 - Full PB Holo Mark
• Description: The complete circle with a centered straight dividing line — the true "Poké Ball" illusion. Cleanest, most centered examples are the most desirable.
Example 2 - Partial PB Holo Mark
• Description: Halved, quartered, offset, or incomplete versions — still clearly a PB shape but cut off or shifted. Very collectible, especially if the partial circle is sharp.
Example 3 - Related Press Marks (non-PB)
• Description: Other common foil-press artifacts from the same era — swirls, cross/X shapes, star-like patterns. Not PB-shaped, but part of the same family of quirks. Included for context so people don't confuse them.
Example 4 - Illusion / Look-Alike
• Circles or round shapes that appear in the artwork or foil pattern itself (not caused by the foil press). At a glance they can look similar to a PB Holo Mark, but they lack the midline and the manufacturing origin that makes the real mark special. These are fairly common and normal — just part of the design or foil — and don't carry the same collector significance. Check out the example 4 video : I show the illusion first (artwork circle only), then a real PB Holo Mark so you can see the key difference yourself.
Full PB Holo Mark -
The Poké Ball Artifact in Vintage Japanese Pokémon Cards
One card changed how I look at vintage holos forever : my childhood #038 Base Set Japanese Ninetales. I carried it with me everywhere I went — worn smooth, full of memories. Years later I held it to the light and finally saw it: a perfect circle with a straight line through the middle, shaped exactly like a Poké Ball.
It wasn't random. It was a manufacturing artifact — the faint impression left by the foil press rollers in the late 1990s.
I've been obsessed ever since. Every time I tilt a vintage Japanese holo and that circle-and-line shape appears, it still gives me the same little thrill. And yet… even the collectors who've noticed it over the years rarely talk about it. No buzzing forums, no guides, no nicknames. Why? Maybe because it's so subtle, so easy to dismiss as a printing quirk.
But to me it's something more — it's a hidden signature of the era, a tiny piece of history pressed into the foil. That's why I started calling it the Full PB Holo Mark — and the reason I decided to share it here.
The Full PB Holo Mark is a manufacturing artifact created during the foil-stamping process used on many Japanese Pokémon cards from the late 1990s to early 2000s. When the foil sheet was pressed, the rollers sometimes left behind a faint circular impression with a straight dividing line running through the center — shaped exactly like a Poké Ball. It always appears on the front holo field, primarily inside the illustration box (the Trade Please! promo being the rare vintage holofoil back-only exception). These marks vary in size, position, and clarity, but when they're clean and centered, they become something collectors quietly treasure.
* 1998 Japanese Pokémon Trade Please Holofoil back
Spotting the Variations
PB Holo Marks aren't always perfect — they come in different shapes and strengths depending on how the foil was pressed. Here are the main types you'll find on vintage Japanese cards, with examples from my own collection.
Example 1 - Full PB Holo Mark
• Description: The complete circle with a centered straight dividing line — the true "Poké Ball" illusion. Cleanest, most centered examples are the most desirable.
Example 2 - Partial PB Holo Mark
• Description: Halved, quartered, offset, or incomplete versions — still clearly a PB shape but cut off or shifted. Very collectible, especially if the partial circle is sharp.
Example 3 - Related Press Marks (non-PB)
• Description: Other common foil-press artifacts from the same era — swirls, cross/X shapes, star-like patterns. Not PB-shaped, but part of the same family of quirks. Included for context so people don't confuse them.
Example 4 - Illusion / Look-Alike
• Circles or round shapes that appear in the artwork or foil pattern itself (not caused by the foil press). At a glance they can look similar to a PB Holo Mark, but they lack the midline and the manufacturing origin that makes the real mark special. These are fairly common and normal — just part of the design or foil — and don't carry the same collector significance. Check out the short video below: I show the illusion first (artwork circle only), then a real PB Holo Mark so you can see the key difference yourself.
*Example 1
*Example 2
*Example 4
*Example 3
How to Spot a PB Holo Mark
Spotting a PB Holo Mark is easier than it sounds — you just need good light and a little patience. Here's how to do it:
Lighting is key — Use direct or angled light (a desk lamp, phone flashlight, or window light works great). Avoid flat overhead lighting; tilt the card slowly so the foil catches the beam.
Tilt & rotate — Hold the card at different angles. The mark usually appears or disappears as you change the view — look for the circle to suddenly sharpen and the midline to cut straight through the center.
What to look for — A clear circle with a straight dividing line running through it. When centered and clean, it's a Full PB. Partial versions (halved, quartered, or offset) are still worth noting.
Quick tip — If the mark changes dramatically with angle or lighting, it's likely real. Artwork illusions stay static — no movement.
Give it a try on your own vintage Japanese holos. Sometimes the mark is faint or dark, but once you catch it, you'll start seeing it everywhere.
Once you see it, you can't unsee it.
We've been noticing these marks for years here at gz-fort, and calling them the Full PB Holo Mark just felt right. It's a small detail, but it adds a little extra character and history to the cards we love.
The Hidden Vintage Gem. And suddenly everything changed. What was overlooked became obsession. What was invisible became the hunt. Cards that gathered dust for years now get extra flips, extra light, extra love—just to see if that Poké Ball is hiding inside.
If you spot one on your own collection — full, partial, or even a tricky illusion — feel free to reach out or tag us. We'd love to see it and hear your story.
Happy hunting, and thanks for reading.