How to spot a fake Pokémon card — 8 simple tests
Fake Pokémon cards turn up on marketplaces and at fairs. Most can be spotted in a minute by the font, the back colour, the texture and a light test.
1. Compare with the original
Find the card in our search — we show the genuine scan, number and set. Fakes often carry numbers that don’t exist in the set.
2. Font and text
Genuine cards use crisp, consistent fonts. Fakes have thick, blurry or misaligned text, typos and wrong energy symbols.
3. The back
The genuine blue back is deep with smooth gradients; fakes are often too light or purplish with an uneven border.
4. Foil and texture
Real holos shine on the artwork, reverse holos everywhere except the artwork; fakes often shine all over with a plasticky rainbow. Modern full arts have a texture you can feel — fakes are smooth.
5. Light test
Genuine cards have a dark inner layer and let little light through. Hold the card to a phone torch: fakes usually glow much more. Compare with a card you trust.
6. Thickness
Fakes can be thinner, glossier or unusually stiff, with uneven edges.
7. Impossible stats
HP 1000 or “Charizard VMAX GX EX” do not exist. Real HP values are multiples of 10.
8. Price and seller
A “50 V and VMAX cards” lot for a few euros is almost certainly fake. Check real card prices and buy from rated sellers.
Domande frequenti
Are cards from China fake?
Not necessarily — there are official Simplified Chinese releases. Use the tests above rather than the country of origin.
How do I spot a fake booster pack?
Genuine packs have sharp printing, publisher information and clean seals; fakes show blurry art, text errors and odd card counts.
Does grading protect against fakes?
Yes — grading companies verify authenticity. Beware of fake slabs and check the certificate number on the company’s site.
Fonti
I prezzi in questo articolo provengono dal database Cardometer (trend Cardmarket) e si aggiornano automaticamente. Solo a scopo informativo, non è un consiglio d’investimento.