If you collect Pokémon cards, there’s always one thing you want to know when buying something:
Is it actually real?
With so many Pokémon cards and sealed products being bought and sold online these days, knowing what to look for when something doesn't look quite right is becoming more and more important.
We’ve been doing a lot more research into this ourselves recently, especially with us bringing in more Simplified Chinese Pokémon products, and we thought it was worth putting together a quick guide on some of the things to look out for.
This isn't about making you suspicious of every card you see. Most of the time, you’ll probably never have a problem.
But knowing a few simple checks can definitely help.
Start With the Printing
One of the first things to look at is the printing.
Genuine Pokémon cards have very sharp and consistent printing. The text should be clear, the colours should look right, and the artwork shouldn't appear blurry or strangely printed.
Fake cards can sometimes have colours that look too bright, too dark or just slightly "off".
The difference can be difficult to notice if you haven't handled many genuine cards before, which is why comparing a card you're unsure about with a confirmed genuine card can be really useful.
Look at the Text
Have a good look at the text on the card.
Check the font, spacing, wording and symbols.
Spelling mistakes are an obvious one, but not every fake is going to have an easy-to-spot mistake. Sometimes it's something much smaller, such as text being slightly too large, too small or positioned incorrectly.
If something just doesn't look quite right, it's worth taking a closer look.
Check the Card Quality
The feel of the card can also tell you something.
Genuine Pokémon cards have a particular feel and construction. If a card feels unusually thin, thick, glossy or flimsy compared with other genuine cards, that can be a warning sign.
This is especially useful if you already have genuine cards from the same region or set to compare against.
That said, card stock and finishes can vary between different Pokémon TCG regions, so you shouldn't decide whether a card is fake based on feel alone.
The Light Test
You've probably seen people talking about the "light test" online.
The idea is to shine a strong light through the card and look at how much light passes through it.
This can sometimes be useful, but it isn't a guaranteed way of proving whether a card is genuine.
Different Pokémon cards can have different construction depending on the region and product, so we'd always recommend looking at several things rather than relying on one test.
Don't Forget the Back
People often concentrate on the front of the card and forget about the back.
Take a look at the Pokémon logo, the colours, the Poké Ball and the overall printing.
The blue on the back should look consistent and the details should be sharp.
Again, you're looking for anything that seems noticeably different when compared with a genuine card.
Sealed Products
Fake cards aren't the only thing collectors need to think about.
Sealed products can also be something to be careful with.
If you're buying a sealed Pokémon product from somewhere you've never used before, have a look at the packaging, the seals, the printing and the overall quality. You can browse our full catalogue to see the range of genuine Pokémon and TCG products we currently have available.
And if the price seems ridiculously low compared with everywhere else, it's worth asking yourself why.
Sometimes there are genuine bargains out there.
Sometimes there's a reason something is cheap.
Be Careful With the "Rip Test"
One thing you'll sometimes see online is people ripping a Pokémon card to check what's inside.
We definitely wouldn't recommend doing this to a card you're unsure about.
Apart from destroying the card, it isn't exactly a great option if you're dealing with something valuable!
There are plenty of other things you can check first.
Simplified Chinese Pokémon Cards
This is something we've been particularly interested in recently.
We've started bringing more Simplified Chinese Pokémon products into LootVault, and because these aren't products that every UK collector will have come across before, we've been doing a lot more research ourselves.
The important thing to remember is that different doesn't mean fake.
Cards from different Pokémon TCG regions can look and feel different from the English cards you're used to.
The language, card layout, printing and product packaging can all vary.
That's why it's important to compare a card with genuine examples from the same region and product line, rather than assuming something is fake simply because it looks different to an English Pokémon card.
We've also put together a more detailed guide specifically covering how to spot fake Simplified Chinese Pokémon cards if you want to go deeper into the subject.
So, How Do You Know?
The biggest thing we'd say is:
Don't rely on just one test.
Look at the printing.
Check the text.
Look at the card quality.
Check the front and back.
Compare it with a confirmed genuine card.
Look at the product it came from.
And most importantly, think about where you're buying from.
If you're buying from a reputable retailer with a clear supply chain, you're already removing a lot of the uncertainty.
Why We Care About This
This is one of the reasons we started LootVault in the first place. If you want to see more of what goes on behind the scenes, you can also read our Behind the Vault updates.
We're collectors ourselves, and we know how disappointing it would be to spend your money on something only to find out later that it isn't genuine.
That's why our approach is pretty simple.
We want to sell genuine products from trusted suppliers and distributors, and we want you to know exactly what you're getting.
No weighing.
No fudging.
No messing around with the odds.
Just sealed products and the excitement of finding out what's inside.
Because at the end of the day...
THE PULL IS THE POINT.
We're still learning and researching as we grow, and we'll keep sharing what we find along the way.
If there's a particular Pokémon product, region or type of fake you'd like us to look into, let us know.
More soon.
The LootVault Team