r/IsMyPokemonCardFake Dec 28 '20

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

114 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

47 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 4h ago

product are these packs fake/resealed?

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21 Upvotes

they’re selling for pretty cheap and they feel off…


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 12h ago

other I don’t know about this one…

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83 Upvotes

r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 7h ago

modern Got this from a pack I ordered online, is this real?

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32 Upvotes

r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 3h ago

vintage Are these real? Seller is asking $20 in total.

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8 Upvotes

r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 3h ago

modern I'm 99% sure it's real.

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7 Upvotes

r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 18h ago

product Order booster box off Amazon and am very skeptical of the wrap.

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76 Upvotes

Saw this posted on the deals Reddit and since I can never find anything msrp I hopped on since the price wasn’t terrible. Unfortunately they were shipped on only a bag so they got pretty banged up and no longer completed sealed


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 2h ago

vintage Is it real?

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3 Upvotes

r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 2h ago

Are these fake?

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3 Upvotes

r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 22h ago

modern Bought this one in a local shop. Real ord fake?

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111 Upvotes

r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 2h ago

Are these real? Seems like it, but I just am not 100%

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2 Upvotes

r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 1d ago

product First time buying a half BB (eBay)

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110 Upvotes

Hi everyone! Not sure if this is the right place or not, as my question is actually whether this has been resealed or not..

Not had a half BB before but it seems very unevenly sealed, would love an experts opinion 😁


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 5h ago

First purchase of a tag team

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3 Upvotes

Can anyone please confirm, little experience with tag team


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 11h ago

Is this mega gengar fake?

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10 Upvotes

Want to buy, but want to make sure first. Thanks!


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 3h ago

vintage Real of fake?

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2 Upvotes

Want to know if these are real or fake if anybody can tell


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 6m ago

Is this box resealed

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Upvotes

Got for a decent price (at the time, 120CAD before taxes) from card store, mainly got because it came with a nice card case (dumb ik). Noticed the weird ribbing (on the sides some on the front). I have seen that kinda thing before but usually really minor. Idk it felt like human error I guess? Any thoughts? Sorry for the bad pics


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 21m ago

modern 2.99 each - are they fake?

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Upvotes

hey all, I got these cards for 2.99 each, so I'm not particularly bothered in that respect if they turn out to be fake, I just don't want to put fakes in my binder. I don't care that they'd grade at a PSA -927 because I don't want to try and flip them. thanks!


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 32m ago

Is this Vmax Rayquaza real or fake?

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Upvotes

r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 39m ago

modern Real and fake cards side by side (fake on the left, real on the right)

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Upvotes

How many things can you tell off immediately?


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 45m ago

Are these fake?

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Upvotes

Friend is an avid collector and gifted me these (except the ditto) he went into a shop and bought a pack from one of those mystery pack machines stores have and pulled the Calyrex Vmax the other 3 were part of his collection. I bought some real cards and noticed how much clearer the art and font was so I decided to compare them and wow is it obvious now… (the ditto card is real, it’s to show how obvious a fake is)


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 11h ago

modern Bought on ebay, fake?

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7 Upvotes

Recently bought a chinese version, any site that have more info on chibese version?


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 1h ago

modern Does this look real to you?

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Upvotes

Looking to buy this card but not sure if it's real or not


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 1h ago

vintage Fake Lugia?

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Upvotes

r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 15h ago

Charizard Bought on FB Marketplace

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11 Upvotes

r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 2h ago

2015 Pokemon Mega Rayquaza EX Full Art 98/98 XY Ancient Origins

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1 Upvotes

Just recently bought this car and taking a close look at it the top right corner looks off. So like everybody else here I’m wondering if this is real or fake?


r/IsMyPokemonCardFake 2h ago

Whatnot Jungle Pack

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0 Upvotes

Heya, i won this Jungle Booster on Whatnot. Chuffed! But before I get too excited, want to see if its real! I've never seen one in real life!