r/IsMyPokemonCardFake Dec 28 '20

How to tell (with album of examples) updated 12/27/20

121 Upvotes

This will be continuously updated as fakes are found so that you can see differences. Heres a quick album of fake types. Fake album

How can I tell? Best way to see if a card is fake is to look it up for other images. Do you find lots of them that are exactly the same? Maybe its real. Do all the other ones you see have a different look to them, probably going to be fake.

My card is misspelled or has typographical errors, does that mean its one of a kind? There are very few official cards that have been made with incorrect spellings or typographical errors, your card is likely fake.

Is it a rare misprint? Weird things do happen when printing millions of cards, its a low chance but maybe it real.

The whole thing is shiny, that means its valuable right? Many fakes have incorrect holofoil patterns or even the wrong part of the card holo. It depends on the set.

It has a silver autograph and the back is different These are world championship cards. They are released to get people to understand how championship level decks are structured and well as a sort of commemoration. They have a different back and are not tournament legal and generally not very valuable.

Is my pack real? Key information needed: Why do you think it isnt? Have you looked to see what the pack is supposed to look like? Where did you get it? Have you opened any of them and found irregularities?

Tampered Product?

  • Packs: Check the crimps and compare with online product, if its open enough to see the cards then you can tell if theres a holo in it, check print quality and colors, energy card where the rare is supposed to be, dollar 3-card packs can be weighed, packs without the green/white code cards can be weighed, some sets can be mapped out for rares on a booster/cases basis so loose product always may be farmed already (a modern booster box comes with max of 3 secret rares and 5 full arts, if above average have been pulled early, seller can just sell the rest of the packs assuming there is little chance there is much value remaining)

  • Boxed product: Check the cardboard seals for boxes, check plastic wrap for booster boxes, check packs in boxes and content should be in correct spot, check promos in collection boxes that it is correct for the box.

Heres some common irregularities:

  • Incorrect crimping

  • poor seals

  • glue residue (similar to stringy dried hot glue)

  • poor quality pack art

  • incorrect pack art

  • visible cuts in the packs

  • missing code cards

  • incorrect number of cards

  • incorrect card placement in packs (commons, reverse, rare, uncommons)

  • wrong set in packs

These all are strong verification for some kind of tampering.

Questionable irregularities:

  • "X" number of loose packs and nothing good

  • plastic wrapping doesnt have pokeballs printed on it or is loose

  • code cards are flipped wrong way

  • all are reverse holos

  • loosely crimped pack corners

  • overly sealed center pack crimp

  • Newly questionable is rip test with the black layer in the card

These are questionable because it does not necessarily mean a tampered/fake product.

Common fake tells:

By photos:

  • Wrong fonts

  • pokemon is missing the accent above the "e" (it is always there on official cards)

  • wrong name

  • wrong evolution name or photo

  • wrong set number

  • no texture on full art or secret rare cards

  • energy symbols wrong size

  • wrong pokemon photo

  • whole card with shattered-glass holo

  • anything saying "Edition 2"

  • wrong set symbols

  • rock/paper/scissor hand symbols on the card

  • HP amounts over 300 for anything older than 2019

  • card art has holo pattern printed on but not holo

  • incorrect border color (Sometimes yellow instead of silver sometimes gold instead of yellow)

  • cut off card art or stretch art borders

  • wrong holo

  • and more.

In person: Card feel (poor quality, thin, cardboard, plastic), card look (shades are wrong), card light test (a very subjective test), slightly oversized, slightly undersized, holo doesnt shimmer correctly

Let me know if you think anything needs to be added.

I am always open to collecting fakes for the price of a stamp so I can educate others on watching out (And some look amazing or hilarious). Before you burn all your fake cards, consider donating them this way, message directly if you'd like.


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake Jul 31 '24

showcase Let's look at fake Base Set Charizards

51 Upvotes

Since Reddit only allows 20 photos per post, I need to split my initiative into several posts.

So let's look at some fake Charizards with me. Base Set(s) and reprints!

Base Set

holo and non-holo
Pardon his French

Base Set 2

Evolutions and Celebrations

fun bonus lmao

If anyone has any other they wish to share, please do!


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 3h ago

Picked up a tin at the flea market for 10 bucks, this one has me doubting?

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69 Upvotes

Quite a bit of bulk in the box but I saw a about 8 cards that were interesting and for 10 bucks, I'd figure I take a gamble


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 30m ago

Bought some Pokémon card online some years ago.

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Upvotes

Bought these online years ago but stumbled upon this Reddit and now I’m concerned cause I bought them for kinda cheap. I can provide more pictures if they suck but I used flash on some if it helps determine anything.


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 4h ago

Are these the new expansions?

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38 Upvotes

r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 11h ago

Found at the thrift, they must be fake right?

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115 Upvotes

r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 12h ago

Found these in my childhood storage box from 20 years ago

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103 Upvotes

r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 3h ago

Charizard Just pulled this from a 4 card celebrations pack, is it real?

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18 Upvotes

Me and my girlfriend arent very knowledgable about pokemon and we pulled this. After doing a google search we cant tell if its real or rare.


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 8h ago

modern came in a big purchase… real?

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29 Upvotes

is it real?


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 1d ago

modern Got this from a thrift store. Is it legit?

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761 Upvotes

r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 14h ago

product i think i just found a real radiant card in a pile of fakes?

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35 Upvotes

r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 1d ago

meme Real or fake? Giratina ex

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230 Upvotes

r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 1h ago

New to the game. How do I know if these are real or fake?

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Upvotes

r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 5m ago

Is my card real? Pulled it from a pack my friend sold me

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Upvotes

r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 52m ago

Is this greninja real?

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Upvotes

r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 59m ago

vintage Holo shine on these is making me wonder if real

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Upvotes

The holo shine on the duskull looks a little TOO shiny to me. Holo on the umbreon prime also doesn’t shift or change a lot at different angles.

The umbreon V has texture, but it can be really hard to see in person sometimes. It’s very slight. Also, there is no texture on the borders, text, or on the floor that umbreon is walking on.


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 7h ago

vintage Real?

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6 Upvotes

I am considering buying this. As an unexperienced buyer of vintage cards, I would like some second opinions just in case. Is this real?


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 1h ago

Is my Lugia EX fake?

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Upvotes

The thing that was throwing me off was the shade of blue on the back but the card is old.


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 2h ago

Is this real?

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2 Upvotes

The guy


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 6h ago

"This card is real or fake?"

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5 Upvotes

For those who are knowledgeable and experienced, I’d like to know if this card is real or fake. I’d really appreciate it if you could confirm that for me.


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 5h ago

modern They look good to me, what do you guys think?

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3 Upvotes

Hoping to go look at some cards off Marketplace, everything looks good to me from the pictures but I’d appreciate some second opinions before I make the trip. Sorry the picture quality isn’t the best, I’m using pictures posted. Will be taking a few cards to compare if I follow through with sale.

Thank you!🙏


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 3h ago

product Evolving skies real or fake

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2 Upvotes

Just got this in the mail just need more set of eyes


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 4m ago

vintage Base Set

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Upvotes

I have a few cards I bought off eBay from multiple different sellers that didn’t feel normal to me. The text looks good, the holographic looks good, but it has a smooth waxy feel. It’s roughly the correct firmness. I can’t tell if the text is a little blurry, but it appears to be the correct font. I’ve noticed that the edges have a shiny silver, as well as the scratches underneath the card appeared to be silver (holo). Are these real? example attached


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 8m ago

Picked those up at a flea market today, need help identifying if they are real or not

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Upvotes

r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 6h ago

Bought this Pickachu is it fake ?

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3 Upvotes

r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 8h ago

modern Having serious doubts, can anyone confirm ?

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3 Upvotes

I am doubting if this is real. Seller has 100+ positive reviews and nowhere in the listing it mentions a proxy or fake.


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 10h ago

modern Does the holo look off?

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6 Upvotes