Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsHow To Tell If A Pokemon Card Is Fake

How To Tell If A Pokemon Card Is Fake

Price Of Fake Pokmon Cards

How To Tell If A Pokemon Card Is FAKE!

When purchasing sealed products price can be a good indicator that you are buying a genuine product.

Prices for current expansion set products are generally:

Booster packs £3.50 £5 Booster boxes £95 £140 Collection boxes around £20 Collection tins around £20 Elite trainer boxes £40 £50

Products from earlier sets tend to be more expensive unless they are reprints.


It would be advisable to be wary of any store selling products at vastly reduced prices. The image shown is a screen shot from a newly established online store.

If the price seems too good to be true then it probably is.

Anatomy Of A Fake Pokmon Card

How to tell a counterfeit card from a real one.Card BacksReal -=- FakenotCard Fronts – TrainersFake -=- RealReal -=- FakeCardFronts – PokémonReal -=- Fake

  • The upper right, after the Hit Points. This identifies what Type the Pokémon is.
  • The middle left, to the left of the Attack name. These tell what the energy cost of the attack are.
  • All along the bottom. These identify what the Weakness, Resistance, and Retreat Costs are.

Real -=- FakeCardFronts – Holographic PokémonReal -=- FakeFoil CardsSealed BoxesSummary – What to look for

  • “Pokemon” instead of “Pokémon”
  • Card back – fades off and blob to center right
  • Text font “off”, but not always!
  • Bloated energy symbols
  • Holo pattern on non-holo card
  • Great post. very timely and detailed.


    How To Tell If A Card Is Fake

    There are 3 Major details that are dead giveaways on a fake card.1. Card StockPokemon has a particular card stock that has not really changed since the early 2000s. Many fake Pokemon cards are very paper-feeling and fold and damage extremely easy.Other more recent fakes are beginning to try to replicate the Glossy feel and look of legit Pokemon cards. It is frightening, because they are getting very close to the real thing.

    2. ColoringI have not found a counterfeit Pokemon card that does not have a weird issue with color. Maybe it is faded because of a bad image, or a printer that was running low on a certain color of ink. If the card is not the super vibrant dark blue that we all know, the card is likely fake.

    3. Image QualityMost fakes have very poor quality images which results in a very low resolution print that often looks cloudy. Legit Pokemon cards will always have crisp clean images and sharp text. If they seem blurry at all, they are likely a fake.

    These first fakes are the best that I have seen. They have a similar foil, and the glossy look, but they just do not react to light the way they should, and the print quality is off.

    These Solgaleo GXs look fairly similar, but the left is fake. Notice how much sharper the text is on the real one.


    These Decidueye GXs really do show how superior Pokemons printing is. Look at how vibrant that green is.Again, the one on the left is fake.

    This image gallery will have some other examples of the Not so good fakes we have.

    Also Check: Pokemon Pearl Strength Hm

    How To Spot Fake Pokmon Card Booster Boxes & Booster Packs Purchased From Ebay Amazon Marketplace Etc

    1. We all know that booster fresh smell when you open a pack of legit Pokémon cards right?2. The next one which is an obvious giveaway if you are buying new, sealed boosters as I did is to check for the card which gives you the codes for the Pokémon TCG Online?3. Place one of the suspect Pokémon cards face down, next to a legit Pokémon card, face downThe back of a fake Pokémon card , The back of a legit Pokémon card . Notice the plastic looking shine on the fake, and that the wrong shade of blue has been used on the border + Pokemon logo outline.4. The devil is in the detail, and sometimes the devil is quite a lot more obvious than thatCaterpie is looking pretty darn mean eh? and my Earfetch’d is particularly strong, and don’t even get me started on my Magnrton! 5. Here is another crazy one, check out this packet of fake Pokémon Sun & Moon Cards I just openedThese are the cards I got from the Pokemon Sun & Moon booster pack I got from eBay. Note: None of these cards are in the Sun & Moon set. NONE. More often than not, fake boosters will not include the 10th card, as that 10th card is normally a code card for the Pokemon TCG Online.You will never get these TCG Online Card codes from fake booster packs, because the counterfeitters simply can’t produce codes out of thin air that will interact with the TCG Online.6. I’ve given you some good examples of fairly easy things to spot above for when you purchase booster packs, booster boxes online

    Recently Updated Pokemon Card Values

    Pokemon HD: How To Tell If Pokemon Card Are Fake

    The following is a list of all Pokémon cards that have recently had their price values updated. Clicking on a specific Pokémon card image will take you to that cards listing. Selecting the cards name will bring you to the individual Pokemon listing pages which are further broken down by TCG set.


    Card Image

    Also Check: How To Get Strength In Pokemon Diamond

    Font Text And Spelling

    Pokémon has its own unique font which is not in the public domain.

    Producers of counterfeit cards use fonts that are similar and appear genuine. Even when compared with a genuine card the difference in font is not always obvious.

    The card on the right is genuine and the only major difference in font is the style of the letter g. The spacing between the letters is also slightly wider on the fake card but that is only noticeable when compared with a genuine card.

    Fake or Pseudo cards often contain spelling mistakes and may use a plain e rather than an é in the word Pokémon. In the example above, an r has been used instead of an e at the end of Zygarde. However, it should be remembered that genuine cards do sometimes contain mistakes so other factors should be looked at as well.


    What Characteristics Should I Look Out For

    If your card has passed all the tests so far, its time to take a closer look. An easy and dependable way to check if a Pokémon card is fake is to compare it to a real card. Look at the two cards and see if there are any easy-to-spot differences. Does the written text on each card match up word-for-word? For example, a fake might have slightly different description text or a different attack than the original or different punctuation.

    Also compare the physical characteristics of the card with the original. Is the card in question the same size as the original? If its larger or smaller than a standard card from the set, its likely a fake.

    Image: Sarah Jarvis

    Another important consideration is the cardstock. The hardest element of a counterfeit to recreate is the cardstock. Does the card bend in a similar way or does one feel flimsy and bend more easily? Hold the card in question up to a flashlight. Oftentimes, the light will pass through fakes more than a real card because the cardstock isnt as high quality.

    Compare the two cards carefully. A common characteristic of a fake card is lower print quality which can lead to slightly blurry text. Compare the text of the card in question to another card. Does the text look a little blurry? A real card will have clean, crisp printing on the font. Fakes will have lower quality print, which is most visible when looking at the tiny text. Also compare the colours on the cards. Make sure that the color saturation is the same.


    You May Like: How To Get Surf In Omega Ruby

    The Best Way To Tell A Real Pokmon Card From A Fake One Is To Compare It To One You Know For Sure Is Real

    The YouTube web series “Bootleg Zone” did an episode on bootleg Pokémon cards and compared them to real ones. Consider this picture of a Professor Oak card. One of the English ones is fake and the other is real. Can you tell which one?

    The middle one is the bootleg, but it’s a pretty good imitation. By comparing it to the real one, you’ll notice that the color is off a bit, but without knowing the correct shade, you can’t tell. The bootleg also has some blurry text at the bottom, but that’s tough to spot.

    Of course, sometimes it’s painfully obvious to any Pokémon fan.

    I especially love how Gyardos is a Fire Horse Pokémon, and that these are rare 2nd Edition cards!


    The full video shows lots of other examples, but the difference between a real card and a bootleg really ranges between “blatantly obvious mistake” or “almost imperceptible difference from the original”. Some examples of tells were:

    • Slight miscolorations
    • Text in a different font
    • Text with different line breaks
    • A different card feel
    • A different style of holographic film, especially one that goes all the way to the edge of the card
    • A different card size
    • Being part of a set that it wasn’t originally part of
    • Blatantly wrong information

    That said, if you got a pack of cards and some of them have obvious typos, I’d be surprised if the rest were legitimate.

    Start With The Obvious

    HOW TO TELL IF YOUR POKEMON CARDS ARE FAKE!

    One of the quickest and easiest ways to check a cards authenticity is to see if its designed and printed as it should be.

    If youre a parent, or youre new to the hobby/game, you may not be familiar with what a card should look like. Thats okay! simply perform a google search of the card in question to see what it should look like and then compare the two. Some things that are commonly wrong on fake cards are:

    • Misspellings and typos
    • Upside down pokeball on cards back
    • Misprints and miscuts
    • And more

    An important thing to keep in mind is that a card may show one or two signs from above but still be legitimate! Misprints and miscuts for example can happen on legitimate cards and are actually more valuable because of it!


    The best way to check for a fake card is to have a real card on hand to compare it to. If you cant do that, you can use an image online, but the real thing is always better.

    If youve done this and found a few things that cause alarm, dont call it a fake just yet! similarly, if nothing here was amiss it doesnt mean its legitimate. There are a few other test you need to do before being sure.

    Don’t Miss: How Much Do Misprint Pokemon Cards Go For

    How Can I Tell If My Pokemon Cards Are Fake

    How To Spot Fake Pokemon CardsThe back of the card. In our opinion, using the reverse of the card is one of the best ways to identify fake Pokemon cards as around 80% of counterfeits can be spotted using this method. Font/spelling. The energy symbols. Colouring. Health points/damage. Holographic effect. The light test. Card material.

    Look And Feel Of The Card

    If you are able to handle cards prior to purchase this offers a good chance to see if they feel like real cards.


    Pokémon cards are made out of card stock and feel like regular playing cards. It is possible to take a bundle of cards and shuffle and deal them out. It is often not possible to do this with fake cards as they may stick to each other.

    Genuine Pokémon Cards are not waterproof. A card that is plastic-coated or obviously waterproof is not a real Pokémon card.

    Dont Miss: Pokeflute Pokemon Red

    Also Check: Whats Good Against Grass

    Wait Arent There Misprints In Pokmon

    Yes, misprints – also known as error cards – do happen, but they are generally documented. In these cases, collectors look for a specific misprint of a card. If you think you have a misprint, look it up online and see if anyone else has noticed the same mistake. If you do have a misprint, you could have an even more valuable Pokémon card than you initially thought!

    How To Spot Counterfeit Pokemon Cards

    How to spot fake Pokemon cards (step

    All I knew about Pokemon The Card Game about a week ago is that my kids are obsessed with collecting and trading the cards, and that vast amounts of money have gone into their collections. But that all changed after their latest bout of begging for yet MORE cards. I decided it was time we learned how to play the actual game. Little did I know, that this would then lead us down a rabbit hole of discovery that their collections have been infiltrated with counterfeit cards. I figured I’m probably not the only parent who had no idea there are fake Pokemon cards floating around, so hopefully you will find this article helpful!

    First of all, let me say that the game itself, if you and your kids have not yet learned, is super fun and a great way to strengthen reading and math skills! Plus, there’s all kinds of strategy involved, and no two games are the same. And if you really get into it, there may be a Pokemon TCG league nearby, where you and your kids can meet and play with new friends. To find the league nearest you, go to the official Pokemon website and type in your address HERE. My kids are really excited to try this soon. To be totally honest, so am I! But I’m a nerd like that so…

    2. Are there any obvious signs? To the trained eye, some fake Pokemon cards are extremely obvious. Here are a few things to watch out for that are super easy to spot.

    ———————-

    Also Check: How To Reset Pokemon Let’s Go Eevee

    Foolproof Method For Checking If Your Pokmon Cards Are Fake

    Purchasing or trading for used cards both in person and online can be a daunting task. One of the fears of every card collector, TCG player, and even parent is whether a card is legitimate.

    There are a few different ways you can check the authenticity of a card, but not all advice is good advice. Some online guides could result in you ruining an otherwise very valuable card, while others offer innacurate info.

    Here, well set the record straight and let you know everything you need to identify a fake Pokémon Card.

    Buying Valuable Individual Pokmon Cards Off Ebay Amazon Marketplace/other Marketplaces Or Buying Job Lots From Those Same Places

    A fake, see through Ninetales card1. Hold the card up to the light2. Identifying suspicious 1st Edition’s cards

    • Look carefully at the fake on the left. It’s a worn, used, very played condition card. Yet the area immediately around the 1st Edition stamp appears to have been cleaned – most likely prior to the stamp even being put on it.
    • Look at the text of ‘Edition’ itself, the ‘E’ is the give away for me, though that D’s seen better days too… hell, its just not a very good stamping job! No amount of play/wear will warp letters like that. It’s been done intentionally.

    Tearing a real Pokémon Card left, a fake on the right. The real card has a light blocking dark bit going through the middle, the fake doesn’t.A real first edition card on the right, vs a fake first edition card on the left.3. If you’ve paid out good money for a 1st Edition Card and you are 100% convinced it is fakeA guide on How to REMOVE a FAKE 1st Edition STAMP by TCA Gaming on YouTube.

    Read Also: How Many Seasons Are In Pokemon Indigo League

    Can You Play With Fake Pokemon Cards

    Pokemon TCG is one of the deepest and most beloved card games out there and every trainer wants as strong a deck as possible. This demand for cards, especially the rarest like Special Delivery Bidoof, can lead to a growth of fake Pokemon cards on the market. Weve got the answer to a question thats bound to be on any trainers mind: can you play with fake Pokemon cards?

    How To Tell If A Pokmon Card Is Fake

    How To Spot Fake Pokémon Cards

    Strategic depth: Medium

    Publisher:Wizards of the Coast

    Pokémon cards are back in vogue. And with the uptick in interest, there is now a thriving market for buying and selling Pokémon cards. As the number of people looking to buy Pokémon cards continues to increase, so does the number of scammers looking to take advantage of the trend and make a quick buck.

    The most notable example of this involved the famous YouTuber Logan Paul. He and a group of investors almost bought a box of Pokémon cards valued at $375,000. The seller agreed to open the box and packs before exchanging the cash. The box turned out to be fake. Fortunately for Paul, he didnt pay a dime, but the mistake even slipped past Pauls Pokémon advisor.

    While the average person doesnt have the money to hire a specialised advisor, the average person can easily identify a fake Pokémon card with a little advice. This guide will teach you how to spot a fake and protect yourself from buying a counterfeit card. This guide is structured to give you more detailed advice on how to spot a fake as you go on. Whether you collect as an enthusiast or you just want to round out your latest deck, welcome!

    $375k FAKE #Pokemon box…Thats why you buy PSA/BGS graded!Are you kidding me!?!?

    Crypto King

    You May Like: Pokemon Sun And Moon How To Soft Reset

    RELATED ARTICLES

    Most Popular