There are six distinct versions of the Ancient Mew promo card. The first three came from Japan in 1999, released in a commemorative pamphlet alongside the film known in Japan as the Revelation of Lugia (later renamed Pokemon 2000 for international audiences). A fourth version was the International release most Western collectors grew up with, followed by a 2019 Japanese re-release tied to the Mewtwo Strikes Back remake, and finally a 2020 Korean edition.
What are Ancient Mew 1 and Ancient Mew 2?
Ancient Mew 1 and Ancient Mew 2 are the two original Japanese versions, both released in 1999 inside a special pamphlet to commemorate the second Pokemon film. The key difference between them is the foil treatment: Ancient Mew 1 uses a glitter foil pattern, while Ancient Mew 2 uses a cosmos foil pattern. Both cards feature text styled to look like an ancient script on the front, and both were only available through the theatrical release in Japan.
What is the 'Nintedo' misprint on Ancient Mew 1?
Ancient Mew 1 originally shipped with a typo in the copyright line, where "Nintendo" was printed as "Nintedo," missing the second N. When the error was caught and corrected, the corrected version became a third distinct variant. This misprint is the most sought-after of all six versions among collectors, because it was the first print run and the error was not repeated. The corrected Ancient Mew 1 is otherwise identical, sharing the same glitter foil pattern, but the two are treated as separate variants by the collecting community.
What is the International Ancient Mew, and why is it common?
The International release is the version most collectors outside Japan remember from childhood. It arrived in 2000 alongside the Pokemon 2000 theatrical run in Western markets. Visually it is very close to the Japanese cosmos foil version (Ancient Mew 2), with the same made-up front text that was never meant to be read literally, and a reverse side that is entirely unique compared to any other Pokemon card. The copyright date reads 2000 rather than 1999, which is the clearest way to distinguish it from the Japanese originals. Notably, Western audiences never received a glitter foil version at all. Because so many of these were distributed, raw copies in mint condition are widely available and relatively affordable.
Why is Ancient Mew so hard to grade a PSA 10?
Ancient Mew is notoriously difficult to achieve a PSA 10 grade on because both the front and the back of the card are foil surfaces. Foil is far more susceptible to light scratches and surface wear than a standard card face, so even cards that look pristine to the naked eye can show imperfections under grading scrutiny. This makes Ancient Mew one of only two Pokemon cards ever produced with a foil back (the other being the Imakuni Trade Please promo from Japan). Because PSA 10 copies are genuinely scarce relative to the large number of cards that exist, graded gem-mint examples command a significant premium over raw copies.
What are the 2019 and 2020 versions of Ancient Mew?
In 2019, the original Mewtwo Strikes Back film was remade, and Japan celebrated with a re-release of the Ancient Mew card. This version uses the glitter foil pattern (matching Ancient Mew 1) and was again distributed inside a pamphlet designed to evoke the look of the original 1999 packaging. The copyright line reads 2019, which is the easiest way to identify it. The Korean theatrical release of the same remake was delayed by a year, so Korea received its own edition in 2020. The Korean version is otherwise identical to the 2019 Japanese release but carries a 2020 copyright date and was packaged in a cellophane wrapper rather than a pamphlet.
What is the complete list of all six Ancient Mew versions in order?
Here is a chronological summary of all six variants:
- Ancient Mew 1 (Nintedo misprint, 1999, Japan) - Glitter foil, copyright typo reading "Nintedo," the most collectible variant.
- Ancient Mew 1 (corrected, 1999, Japan) - Glitter foil, same card with the Nintendo spelling fixed.
- Ancient Mew 2 (1999, Japan) - Cosmos foil, released alongside Ancient Mew 1 in the same pamphlet.
- International Version (2000, Western markets) - Cosmos foil, 2000 copyright, unique reverse, the version most Western collectors owned as children.
- 2019 Re-release (Japan) - Glitter foil, 2019 copyright, distributed in a pamphlet for the Mewtwo Strikes Back remake.
- 2020 Korean Version - Glitter foil, 2020 copyright, packaged in a cellophane wrapper rather than a pamphlet.
Collectors chasing a complete Ancient Mew set need all six, and the misprint variant is typically the hardest to source in high condition.