How do you recognize a fake Pokémon card?

Pokémon cards are still very popular among collectors. Some cards can be worth more than a €50 note. Due to the high value of some cards, there are also scammers who counterfeit and sell these cards. These fake cards have no value. Fortunately, fake cards are easy to distinguish from real cards. This blog lists the points you should pay attention to!

Appearance

The first step in recognizing a fake Pokémon card starts with its appearance. The colors of fake Pokémon cards versus real Pokémon cards are often faint or dark.

Here is a comparison between a real and fake Camerupt card from the Ex Crystal Guardians series. Do you think you know which card is real? The card on the left is the real one. The card on the right has faint colors and is not produced sharply. You can also see this on the back of the card, as in the example below:

The map on the left has a clear distinction in colors. On the map on the right you can see a faint border, and it looks as if the colors faintly blend into each other.

Also make sure that the images and edges are all straight and not out of proportion to the Pokémon card. With fake cards, the edges may be printed crooked or the image of the Pokémon may be crooked.

Weight

Fake cards are often slightly heavier than the real cards. This is also something you may notice when recognizing a fake Pokémon card.

Feeling

A fake card generally feels smooth. When you rub a real Pokémon card, it doesn't go as smoothly as with a fake card. In addition, a fake card is also easier to bend compared to a real card. A real card is made of hard paper.

Also try removing the image of a Pokémon card? In many cases this works with a fake Pokémon card. The base of the card and the image are glued together, making them easy to separate.

To be completely sure that you are dealing with a fake Pokémon card, try to tear it. You can't tear a real map that easily!

Contents

One of the last ways to find out whether you are dealing with a real or fake card is to read the card. Are there any spelling errors? Does the text not match the Pokémon on the card? Then you are undoubtedly dealing with a fake card!

On official Pokémon cards, Pokémon is always written with the "é". In the Jigglypuff card on the right you see the sentence: "The Defending Pokemon is Now Asleep." This card is fake, as Pokémon is always written this way.

A useful tip is to always take a real Pokémon card with you when you buy Pokémon cards somewhere. This way you can always make a comparison to find out whether you are dealing with fake cards.

Have you ever dealt with fake cards? Let us know in a comment below!