How to Spot Fake Trading Cards (Pokémon, Magic, Lorcana)

How can you tell if a trading card is fake? Short answer: no single test settles it. Fakes are getting better, so the reliable approach is to combine several checks: match the card to the publisher’s own card data, compare it with a genuine card of the same game and era, look at the print and the card stock, and weigh where it came from and what it cost. This guide covers those checks for any trading card game, then adds notes for Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Disney Lorcana, Star Wars: Unlimited and UniVersus.

The checks, in the order we’d do them

  1. Match the card. Does this set code, number, rarity and wording exist in the publisher’s database?
  2. Compare it. Put it next to a genuine card from the same game and era, back first.
  3. Look closely. Use a phone camera zoom or a 10x loupe on the print.
  4. Try the light test as a screen, not a verdict.
  5. Check size, edges and finish.
  6. Weigh the source and the price.
  7. If it matters, ask a specialist shop or a grading company.

Published by The Collectors Emporium, an independent, family-run UK store. We sell trading cards, so we want buyers to be able to trust what they buy. Where a publisher has said something about counterfeits, we say so. Where we couldn’t find publisher guidance, we say that too. Sources are listed at the end.

How genuine cards are made, and why fakes differ

Most modern trading cards are produced with commercial offset-lithography processes using cyan, magenta, yellow and black printing plates. Cards are printed in large sheets and then cut into individual cards. Sheet layouts vary: CGC describes trading-card sheets containing 100, 110 or 121 cards, while documented Pokémon production has used a 121-card 11-by-11 layout. That means sheet size is useful production context, not an authentication test by itself.

Card construction also varies by game, printer and era. Magic Judges describe genuine Magic stock as layered card stock with a blue core, which contributes to the way light passes through it. Pokémon’s own counterfeit guidance recommends the light test, but core colour and stock appearance can vary, so a supposed “black layer” should not be treated as a universal Pokémon authenticity rule. Surface coatings, foils and textures add further variation.

That process leaves marks that are hard to copy exactly:

  • Dot patterns. Offset printing builds colour from tiny dots arranged in flower-shaped clusters called rosettes. Under magnification, genuine cards usually show tidy clusters. Many fakes show blur, a different pattern or a flat fill.
  • Layered stock. A genuine card has a core layer. A single sheet of cardboard behaves differently when held up to a light.
  • Consistent finish. Genuine cards from the same print run share a back, a colour and a surface texture.

Genuine cards also vary. Printers, regions and eras differ. Magic Judges note that Japanese card stock feels matte compared with the European “satin” varnish. Collectors report that the core colour of vintage Pokémon cards changed with where they were printed. Fans of Disney Lorcana have pointed out print and cut differences between genuine cards in the same run. So “this doesn’t match the card I have” isn’t proof by itself. Compare like with like.

Step 1: Match the card to its series

Start with what’s printed on the card. Most modern TCG cards carry a collector number, set code or other identifying information, and publisher databases or official card galleries show what should exist. Older cards and unusual promos can use different systems, so compare against the exact game and era.

  • Find the set code and number. On a modern Pokémon card the bottom-left reads something like “PFL EN 125/094”: set code PFL (Phantasmal Flames), English, card 125 of 94 printed. A Japanese card reads differently, for example “M2a 223/193 MA”, where M2a is the set code.
  • Numbers above the printed total are normal. Secret rares and chase cards are numbered after the main set, so 125/094 is not an error. A number that doesn’t exist in that set is.
  • Check the rarity, language and wording. Does this card exist in this rarity? Is the rules text possible? Are the symbols, the copyright line and the accents (the é in “Pokémon”) right? Misspelt words and rules text that couldn’t exist are common on cheap fakes.
  • Compare against the publisher’s data. Konami’s card database for Yu-Gi-Oh!, Ravensburger’s card gallery for Disney Lorcana, the official Pokémon card database, and Wizards’ Gatherer database for Magic.

Passing this step doesn’t make a card genuine. A copy of a real card matches the real card exactly. It does catch a lot of low-effort fakes, and the next steps handle the rest. Our English and Japanese Pokémon set list explains how English and Japanese set codes relate.

Step 2: Look at the print, the foil and the back

The front. Look for sharp text with even weight, clean symbols and colours that match the genuine card. Warning signs include pixelated or fuzzy art, over-saturated colour, uneven or oddly thick borders, stretched or squashed lettering and wrong fonts. Allow for some centring variation, because genuine cards aren’t perfectly centred.

Foil and texture. Real holographic patterns have depth and shift as you tilt the card. Many modern Pokémon cards also have an etched, textured surface that you can feel and see at an angle. Fake foil is often flat, uneven or like a sticker on top, and fakes often feel smooth where the genuine card has texture.

The back. Compare the back with a genuine card. For Pokémon, English cards share the same back design across decades, apart from a few documented exceptions. Look at the blue, the border and the Poké Ball. Japanese cards have a different back from English ones, so compare Japanese with Japanese. Yu-Gi-Oh! backs carry the Konami logo and the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game logo in set positions.

Magnification. A phone camera zoom works, and a cheap 10x loupe is better. Genuine printing shows consistent dot clusters with sharp edges. Magic Judges point out that on genuine Magic cards the black text and symbols are solid, without the rosette pattern showing through, while many fakes print everything as one pass and show blurred text. Good fakes can copy dot patterns, so use this as one check among several.

Step 3: Stock, size, weight and the light test

Size and edges. Pokémon, Magic and Disney Lorcana cards are standard poker size, 63.5 by 88.9 mm (2.5 by 3.5 inches). Fakes can be slightly off and may have rough or uneven cuts. Genuine cut quality varies too, so treat it as supporting evidence.

Weight and feel. A standard non-foil Magic card is often around 1.8 grams, but foils, special treatments and production differences can change the figure. Weight is supporting evidence only. Don’t deliberately bend a valuable card to test whether it “springs back”.

The light test. In a dim room, hold a phone torch behind the card. Pokémon’s own support page says counterfeit cards are often easy to see through under a bright light. Magic Judges say a genuine Magic card lets a little light through with a bluish tint from its blue core, while many fakes are opaque or glow white or grey.

Treat the light test as a screen, with three limits:

  • Fakes can pass. Better counterfeits now use stock with a core layer.
  • Real cards can look different. How much light gets through depends on the light’s strength and how close you hold it. Core colour also varies across eras and printers, so a vintage genuine card may not look like a modern one.
  • Foils and special finishes block light and make the test unreliable.

A card that fails is a reason to look harder. A card that passes isn’t proof.

Don’t tear it. The “rip test” (tearing a card to look for the core layer) destroys the card, and modern fakes can pass it anyway. It isn’t worth using on anything you might want to keep or resell.

Step 4: Check the source, the price and the packaging

For a lot of buyers, where a card came from tells you more than the card does.

  • Price. Pokémon’s support page says a pack priced dramatically below the suggested retail price is a near-certain sign of counterfeit product, and that it receives the most counterfeit reports from flea markets. TCGplayer advises stopping to ask why when a bulk deal is much cheaper than usual.
  • Proof. Ask for the original receipt, clear photos of the actual item, and the seller’s return terms. Be wary of sellers who add disclaimers such as “can’t guarantee authenticity”.
  • Sealed product. Pokémon says fake booster packs can be very hard to tell from the real thing, and recommends comparing packaging with official images. If a fake card appears in a pack, the more likely explanation is that the pack was counterfeit or had been tampered with rather than that a fake entered a genuine factory-sealed pack.
  • Resealed product. Separately, genuine packs and boxes are sometimes opened, searched for chase cards and re-wrapped. Check the wrap, the seams and the logo against a genuine one, and prefer sellers with traceable supply.
  • Graded cards. Check the slab, the label and the certificate number on the grading company’s own website. Authentication guides report counterfeit slabs, so a slab alone isn’t proof.
  • Specialist help. Pokémon’s support page suggests asking a local trading-card specialist to evaluate a suspect card.

eBay UK. eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee covers selected graded and ungraded single-card listings and sends eligible cards to PSA for authentication before delivery. Eligibility thresholds and categories can change, so look for the blue Authenticity Guarantee badge and check eBay’s current help page rather than relying on an old price threshold. The service authenticates the card or graded holder and checks it against the listing; it does not grade or re-grade the card.

Quick reference: how far to trust each check

Check What it tells you How far to trust it
Match to the publisher’s card data Whether this card, number and rarity exist Catches careless fakes. An exact copy of a real card passes.
Compare with a genuine card Back colour, fonts, finish and cut Strong when you have a genuine card from the same game, language and era.
Magnified print Whether the card was offset-printed like the real thing Strong for many fakes. The best ones approximate it.
Light test Whether the card has a layered, opaque core Useful first screen. Fakes can pass and some genuine cards can look odd.
Size, weight, flex, edges Stock and cutting quality Supporting evidence only.
Source and price Where the risk is Often the deciding factor.
Tearing the card Core layer Not recommended. It destroys the card.

Game-by-game notes

Pokémon

What the publisher says: Pokémon Support says counterfeit cards are often easy to see through under a bright light, suggests asking a local specialist shop to evaluate a suspect card, advises comparing packaging with official product images, and says very cheap packs are a near-certain sign of fakes.

Where to check the number: the bottom of the front shows a set code, language and number (for example “PFL EN 125/094”).

Common tells: a pale or off-shade blue on the back, a different Poké Ball or border, a missing accent in “Pokémon”, flat or smooth foil on a card that should be textured, blurred energy symbols and text, and a card that’s see-through under a torch.

Japanese cards: they have their own back design, set codes and printing. Compare with other Japanese cards, and see the English/Japanese set guide linked above.

Magic: The Gathering

What the community says: Magic Judges treat the light test as the second test, after hands-on experience with genuine cards. They describe real cards as a three-layer stock with a blue core that gives a bluish glow. They also use the rosette pattern under magnification and, in some cases, UV light. Real Magic cards generally fluoresce under UV in set-specific ways, but there are exceptions, so UV is a supporting check at most.

Holofoil stamp: since Magic 2015 (July 2014), rare and mythic rare cards carry a small oval holofoil stamp at the bottom centre. Convincing fakes of it now exist. Commons and uncommons never carry it, so its absence on a common means nothing.

Weight: about 1.8 grams, with a matte-to-satin finish.

Tournaments: Wizards’ organised-play rules only allow genuine Wizards cards in sanctioned events.

Yu-Gi-Oh!

What we found: we couldn’t find a counterfeit guide published by Konami, so these tells come from long-running community guides.

Security foil: modern Yu-Gi-Oh! cards normally carry a small holographic security stamp (the Eye of Anubis) at the bottom right of the front. It is part of the card rather than an added sticker. Older and region-specific printings can differ, so use Konami’s card database and a genuine example from the same product before treating the stamp alone as decisive.

Set code and edition: the code under the artwork gives the set, region and number (for example MAGO-EN005 is the fifth card of Maximum Gold, English). Edition marks such as 1st Edition or Limited Edition sit under the artwork’s left corner. Cross-check the code and rarity against Konami’s card database.

Back and text: check the Konami and Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game logos on the back, spelling and wording in the card text, and fonts.

TCG and OCG: Japanese, Korean and Chinese OCG cards are genuine but different products from English TCG cards. Different isn’t the same as fake.

Disney Lorcana

What we found: we couldn’t find an authentication guide published by Ravensburger. The points below come from Beckett and collector guides.

Where fakes show up: Beckett reports that fakes of commons exist, but that you’re far likelier to meet a fake of a high-value card such as an Enchanted. It also notes that a fake in a real booster is very unlikely. If you find one, the pack was probably fake.

What to check: standard size, print sharpness, cut quality and card feel, and the card’s number and artwork against Ravensburger’s official card gallery.

Why it’s hard: fans have pointed out visible print and cut differences between genuine Lorcana cards, so a flaw on its own doesn’t prove a card is fake. Collector guides disagree on the core colour of Lorcana stock (blue or black), so we wouldn’t rely on core colour. Compare with a genuine card of the same set, and be most careful with Enchanted, Epic and Iconic foils.

Star Wars: Unlimited and UniVersus

What we found: we couldn’t find counterfeit guidance published by the publishers of either game, so we won’t invent game-specific tells.

What still applies: check the set and card number against the publisher’s card gallery, compare the back, edges and finish with a genuine card from the same set, use magnification, and apply the source and price checks. Be extra careful with foil and alternate-art treatments (such as Star Wars: Unlimited’s Hyperspace and Showcase cards), where finishes are harder to judge.

If you think you’ve bought a fake

  1. Set it aside. Don’t sell or trade it as genuine, and don’t use it in sanctioned play, until you have verified it.
  2. Keep the evidence. Save the listing, messages, payment record, packaging and photos of the card front and back.
  3. Contact the seller and the marketplace. Explain what doesn’t match, with photos.
  4. Know your rights (England). Citizens Advice says you’re legally entitled to a full refund on fake goods within 30 days of paying. After 30 days but within 6 months, the seller can offer a genuine replacement; if they cannot provide one, they must refund you. After 6 months, the position becomes more dependent on use, time and evidence.
  5. Use your payment method. If you paid by debit card, or if Section 75 does not apply, ask your card provider about chargeback. For a credit-card purchase where a single item costs more than £100 and no more than £30,000, Section 75 may apply; Citizens Advice notes that it usually does not apply when you did not buy directly from the trader, for example through some marketplace transactions. For PayPal, use its Resolution Centre within 180 days.
  6. Report the seller. Trading Standards investigates sellers who break the law, though it can’t get your money back. The Citizens Advice consumer helpline can help with next steps (0808 223 1133).

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change, so check the current Citizens Advice pages.

Frequently asked questions

Is the light test reliable?

It’s a useful first screen. Pokémon’s own support page recommends it, and Magic Judges use it. But better fakes can pass it, genuine cards from different eras and printers can look different, and foils block light. A failed light test means look harder. A pass doesn’t prove a card is real.

Can a real booster pack contain a fake card?

It’s very unlikely. If a card in a pack turns out to be fake, the more likely explanation is that the pack was fake or tampered with. Pokémon notes that fake boosters can be very hard to tell from real ones.

Are Japanese or other-language cards fake if they look different?

Not necessarily. Japanese Pokémon cards have a different back from English ones, and Yu-Gi-Oh! OCG cards are a different product from TCG cards. Compare against genuine cards in the same language and from the same era.

Should I tear a card to check?

No. The rip test destroys the card, and modern fakes can pass it. Use non-destructive checks, and ask a specialist if the card matters.

What’s the difference between a fake and a proxy?

A counterfeit is made to be passed off as genuine. A proxy is a stand-in made for casual play and isn’t sold as the real card. Neither is a genuine card, and organised play generally requires genuine cards.

What if I’m still not sure?

Ask a specialist trading-card shop, as Pokémon’s support page suggests, or for valuable cards use a grading or authentication service. Keep the card and the purchase evidence until you know.

Where this comes from

We’ve used publisher statements where they exist, then well-established community and judge resources, and we’ve said which is which. Counterfeiters improve, so tells that work today may not work next year. This guide reflects what was reported as of October 2026.

Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Disney Lorcana, Star Wars: Unlimited and UniVersus are trademarks of their respective owners. We’re not affiliated with any of them.

Last updated: 6 October 2026.

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