How to Spot Fake Pokémon, Magic and Yu-Gi-Oh! Cards

Counterfeit cards are everywhere: in cheap online listings, at markets, in "mystery packs" and mixed into bulk lots. Some are obvious at a glance. Others are good enough to fool a casual collector, especially in a photo. This guide walks through the checks that catch the vast majority of fakes, from the ten-second ones you can do mid-trade to the closer inspections worth doing before a big purchase.

The golden rule: compare with a real one

Almost every check below works best side by side with a genuine card from the same game and, ideally, the same set or era. Your eye is very good at spotting differences and much worse at judging a card on its own. If you collect seriously, keep a few cheap genuine cards from different eras as reference copies.

If you don't have a reference card to hand, the official card image on any MyTCGValue card page is a good second best for checking text, layout, set symbol and card number.

Quick checks you can do in a minute

1. Read the text

Counterfeiters often get the small things wrong. Read the card slowly:

• Spelling and grammar. Typos in attack names, ability text or flavour text are a classic giveaway.
• Special characters. Genuine Pokémon cards use the accented "é" in "Pokémon". Many fakes drop it.
• Symbols. Energy, mana and attribute symbols should be crisp and the right shape and colour.
• Numbers. Check the HP, damage values and the collector number against the official card image. A collector number that doesn't exist in the set, or a set symbol from the wrong set, means a fake.

2. Check the font and layout

Fakes often use a font that is slightly too bold, too thin, or spaced differently. Compare the card name and HP with a genuine card: the size, weight and position should match exactly. Text that sits too close to the edge of its box, or is slightly blurry, is a warning sign.

3. Look at the back

The back is printed the same way on millions of genuine cards, so it's easy to compare. On fakes the colours are often off: a Pokémon back that's too light, too purple or washed out; a Magic back with the wrong shade of brown; blurry edges where crisp lines should be. Hold two backs side by side under good light.

4. Feel the card

Genuine cards have a particular stiffness, thickness and surface finish. Fakes are often too glossy and slippery, too matte and papery, or noticeably thinner or flimsier. A gentle flex next to a genuine card, without bending either, often makes the difference obvious.

5. Check the holo

Holographic and foil effects are hard to copy well:

• Where it shines. On many cards, the foil only covers part of the card (for example, just the artwork). A fake that shimmers across the whole card when it shouldn't, or not at all when it should, is suspect.
• The pattern. Genuine foils have a pattern specific to the set and era. Fakes often use a generic rainbow foil with the wrong texture.
• Texture. Many modern special rares have a textured surface you can feel with a fingertip. Fakes are frequently smooth.

Closer checks for valuable cards

The light test

Shine a phone torch through the card in a dark room and compare it with a genuine card of the same type. Genuine Pokémon and Magic cards are printed on card stock with a dark inner layer, so they let through only a little light. Many fakes glow much more brightly. This test isn't conclusive on its own, because results vary by era and print run, but a card that lights up like paper next to a real one is a strong warning.

The loupe test

A jeweller's loupe or a phone camera on maximum zoom shows how the card was printed. Genuine cards are printed with professional offset printing, which shows up as a fine, regular pattern of tiny dots (rosettes) in the colour areas, with sharp, solid black text. Many fakes are printed differently and show blurry text, smudged edges or an irregular dot pattern. Again, comparing with a genuine card under the same zoom is what makes this reliable.

Size and weight

Measure the card against a genuine one; fakes are sometimes very slightly larger or smaller, or have rough or uneven edges. Some collectors also weigh cards on a scale accurate to a hundredth of a gram. Compare with a genuine card from the same era, because weights differ between games and eras.

The rip test (only for cards you don't mind destroying)

Genuine Pokémon and Magic cards show a thin dark layer in the middle when torn. Fakes often don't. This is useful when you have a stack of cheap, doubtful cards and want to check a sample. Obviously, never do it to a card you want to keep.

Game-specific checks

Pokémon

• Look for the "é" in Pokémon on the card and check the energy symbols carefully.
• Compare the blue back with a genuine card under the same light; the swirl should be sharp and the colour deep.
• Check that the set symbol and collector number match the set, and that the rarity symbol is right for the card.
• Modern ultra-rare cards (full arts, special illustration rares, gold cards) usually have a textured surface. A perfectly smooth one deserves a closer look.

Magic: The Gathering

• Compare the back's colours and the crispness of the lettering with a genuine card.
• Use the loupe test: Magic cards have a characteristic print pattern that experienced collectors check under magnification.
• Check the set symbol, rarity colour and collector information against the official card. Old, valuable cards (Alpha, Beta, Unlimited and the Reserved List) are the most commonly faked, so be especially careful there.

Yu-Gi-Oh!

• Genuine English Yu-Gi-Oh! cards have a small square hologram in the bottom-right corner of the front. Fakes often have no hologram, a flat sticker, or one that doesn't shimmer properly.
• Check the set code (for example LOB-EN001) and the eight-digit passcode in the bottom-left. Both should match the official card.
• Look at the edition text below the artwork: "1st Edition", "Limited Edition" or nothing. A card claiming to be 1st Edition from a product that never had one is a fake.

One Piece, Lorcana and other modern games

Fakes in newer games focus on the most valuable cards: alternate arts, manga rares, Enchanted cards and serialised cards. Compare foil texture, colour saturation and text sharpness with genuine cards from the same set. For serialised cards, check that the serial number format matches the genuine product.

Graded slabs can be fake too

As graded prices have climbed, fake slabs have appeared: a real or fake card in a counterfeit case with a fake label. Before buying a graded card:

1. Look up the certificate number on the grading company's website. The details (card, grade, and often photos) should match the slab in front of you.
2. Compare the label with genuine labels from the same company and era: fonts, colours, hologram and layout.
3. Check the case. Genuine slabs are cleanly sealed. Signs of the case having been opened, or of an unusual seam, are a red flag.

Sealed products

Resealed booster boxes and packs are a real problem for older, expensive products. Weighed or searched packs, where someone has identified and removed the valuable ones, are a related issue.

• Learn what the genuine shrink wrap looks like for the product. Many products use branded or specifically patterned wrap; plain or loose wrap on a product that should be branded is a warning.
• Check that the box shape and print are crisp, with no signs of being opened and resealed.
• For expensive vintage sealed products, buy only from sellers with a long, verifiable track record.

Buying safely

Most fakes are avoided before you ever hold the card:

• If the price is too good to be true, it is. A card listed far below its market price is the most common sign of a fake.
• Avoid stock photos. Ask for photos of the actual card, front and back, in good light, and for a photo next to a coin or a note with the seller's name and date.
• Check the seller. Look at their history, feedback and what else they sell. A seller with dozens of copies of a rare card is a warning.
• Pay with buyer protection. Use payment methods and marketplaces that let you get your money back if the item isn't as described.
• Be careful with "mystery packs" and repacks from unknown sellers.

If you think you've bought a fake

Stop using or reselling it, take clear photos, and contact the seller and the marketplace straight away. Most marketplaces' buyer protection covers counterfeit items if you report them within their time limit. For high-value cards, a grading company's authentication service can give you an independent opinion.

Quick checklist

Before buying any valuable card, check its current market price on MyTCGValue. A price that's far too low is often the first and clearest warning.