{"id":286355,"date":"2024-07-12T17:00:30","date_gmt":"2024-07-12T09:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/snkrdunk.com\/en\/magazine\/?p=286355"},"modified":"2024-07-12T17:21:47","modified_gmt":"2024-07-12T09:21:47","slug":"dont-fall-for-fakes-use-these-methods-to-determine-if-a-pokemon-tcg-card-is-for-real","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/snkrdunk.com\/en\/magazine\/2024\/07\/12\/dont-fall-for-fakes-use-these-methods-to-determine-if-a-pokemon-tcg-card-is-for-real\/","title":{"rendered":"Don’t Fall for Fakes\u2014Use These Methods to Determine If a Pok\u00e9mon TCG Card Is for Real"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Pok\u00e9mon<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Pok\u00e9mon TCG is the world\u2019s biggest-selling trading card game, generating billions of dollars every year<\/a>. However, the immense popularity of the Pok\u00e9mon TCG has also presented opportunities for unscrupulous entities to step in and sell fakes to unsuspecting buyers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, no one wants to spend their well-earned money on a Pok\u00e9mon TCG card which isn\u2019t genuine. Thus, before making a purchase, it\u2019s important to ensure that the card to be bought is the real deal<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s go over some of the ways that the authenticity of a Pok\u00e9mon TCG card can be determined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Texture<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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One area that needs to be considered is the card\u2019s texture. The front of a genuine Pok\u00e9mon TCG card shouldn\u2019t be perfectly smooth to the touch. Ideally, there should be slight unevenness when running one\u2019s fingers over the card\u2019s front.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, if the card\u2019s front feels completely smooth, that\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Copyright Text<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The card\u2019s 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\u2019s blending into the background instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s often necessary to use a microscope to detect this disparity as it isn\u2019t readily visible. For this reason, any buyer who has even the slightest suspicion should request that the seller use one to verify the card\u2019s authenticity\u2014doing so might save the buyer dozens or even hundreds of dollars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pok\u00e9 Ball Image<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The Pok\u00e9 Ball image on the back of a fake card is another aspect in which the phony is \u201cnot quite right\u201d. On a real card, the black areas around the Pok\u00e9 Ball\u2019s button are sharp and clear. However, this same black portion appears faded on the fake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are also differences present on the light blue button. Once again, the real card\u2019s Pok\u00e9 Ball button appears clear and in focus while the fake\u2019s looks faded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Border<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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By examining the border of the card with a microscope, another discrepancy can be detected. The dark blue border of a genuine Pok\u00e9mon 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\u2019s border would usually have been printed via the use of halftone dots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Construction<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Finally, the construction of the card is another factor to keep in mind. A genuine Pok\u00e9mon 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, when a fake card is placed under a microscope lens, the cut of the card\u2019s corners isn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All things considered, it’s especially important to carefully analyze any purchased Pok\u00e9mon TCG card\u2014particularly in the event that there’s any potential reason for suspicion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For the latest releases, breaking news, and exclusive interviews, stay tuned to the SNKRDUNK Magazine<\/a> and @snkrdunk<\/a> on Instagram. Explore the SNKRDUNK App<\/a> too and don\u2019t 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<\/a> in Singapore and Japan!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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More SNKRDUNK Features:<\/strong>
The Story of Pok\u00e9mon Card 151 [SV2a]: How An Epic Pok\u00e9mon TCG Set Came to Be<\/a>
[TCG Throwback] Yu-Gi-Oh TCG Rising Rampage<\/a>
Not \u201cJust Another Pok\u00e9mon TCG Set\u201d: Why Pok\u00e9mon Card 151 [SV2a] Matters<\/a>
Better Than Heavy-Duty Boots: Top 8 Pok\u00e9mon Collaborations Since 2016<\/a>
[SNKRDUNK Selects] Best TCG Products To Buy Now (April 2024)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Pok\u00e9mon TCG is the world\u2019s biggest-selling trading card game, generating billions of dollars every year. However, the immense popularity of the Pok\u00e9mon 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 Pok\u00e9mon TCG card […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":65,"featured_media":286409,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,43,20,18,23,49,53],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-286355","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-brands","category-collectibles","category-features","category-latest-news","category-snkrdunk-guide","category-tcg","category-tcg-authentication"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t