The Pokémon TCG is the world’s biggest-selling trading card game, generating billions of dollars every year. However, the immense popularity of the Pokémon TCG has also presented opportunities for unscrupulous entities to step in and sell fakes to unsuspecting buyers.

Of course, no one wants to spend their well-earned money on a Pokémon TCG card which isn’t genuine. Thus, before making a purchase, it’s important to ensure that the card to be bought is the real deal.

Let’s go over some of the ways that the authenticity of a Pokémon TCG card can be determined.

Texture

One area that needs to be considered is the card’s texture. The front of a genuine Pokémon TCG card shouldn’t be perfectly smooth to the touch. Ideally, there should be slight unevenness when running one’s fingers over the card’s front.

However, if the card’s front feels completely smooth, that’s a clear red flag. It often suggests that the card makes use of one or more materials not present in a genuine card. Similarly, if the illustration has an overly glossy sheen, the card is likely to be fake.

Copyright Text

The card’s copyright at the bottom of the card ought to be printed against a background, making the text stand out. Conversely, fake cards usually have the copyright printed on the same layer as the background. This causes the text of the copyright to appear as though it’s blending into the background instead.

It’s often necessary to use a microscope to detect this disparity as it isn’t readily visible. For this reason, any buyer who has even the slightest suspicion should request that the seller use one to verify the card’s authenticity—doing so might save the buyer dozens or even hundreds of dollars.

Poké Ball Image

The Poké Ball image on the back of a fake card is another aspect in which the phony is “not quite right”. On a real card, the black areas around the Poké Ball’s button are sharp and clear. However, this same black portion appears faded on the fake.

There are also differences present on the light blue button. Once again, the real card’s Poké Ball button appears clear and in focus while the fake’s looks faded.

Border

By examining the border of the card with a microscope, another discrepancy can be detected. The dark blue border of a genuine Pokémon TCG card is printed in a solid color. While the border of a fake card might at first glance appear to be the same, an examination under a microscope will reveal that the fake card’s border would usually have been printed via the use of halftone dots.

While this might on the surface seem like an extremely minor difference, the difference becomes somewhat more evident when the card is held to the light. The stronger, bolder color of an original copy should be more apparent.

Construction

Finally, the construction of the card is another factor to keep in mind. A genuine Pokémon TCG card is made of two thin cardboard pieces which have a black layer between them. A fake, on the other hand, has just one layer. While the layers of a real card are too thin to be seen separately without a microscope, a real card should feel more textured and hardier than a fake.

In addition, when a fake card is placed under a microscope lens, the cut of the card’s corners isn’t anywhere near as tidy as that of the real deal. This is a direct result of the single layer used for the fake as compared to the double-layered genuine article.

All things considered, it’s especially important to carefully analyze any purchased Pokémon TCG card—particularly in the event that there’s any potential reason for suspicion.

For the latest releases, breaking news, and exclusive interviews, stay tuned to the SNKRDUNK Magazine and @snkrdunk on Instagram. Explore the SNKRDUNK App too and don’t forget to use our welcome code from the banner below before making your first purchase. Additionally, if you would like to try a pair out, visit our stores in Singapore and Japan!

More SNKRDUNK Features:
The Story of Pokémon Card 151 [SV2a]: How An Epic Pokémon TCG Set Came to Be
[TCG Throwback] Yu-Gi-Oh TCG Rising Rampage
Not “Just Another Pokémon TCG Set”: Why Pokémon Card 151 [SV2a] Matters
Better Than Heavy-Duty Boots: Top 8 Pokémon Collaborations Since 2016
[SNKRDUNK Selects] Best TCG Products To Buy Now (April 2024)